In 2014, I purchased a used 2007 MINI Cooper S R56 in Blue & White colors which match my company's brand colors. I then proceeded to have the vehicle partially wrapped and branded for my business promotion and identity. For several months this vehicle was a very successful marketing tool to drive leads to my business model. After nearly six months of ownership and driving, I begin to have small issues with the car which lead me to believe I had a leaking head gasket related loss of coolant problem with occasional overheating if driven hard or caught in long traffic. I am also the owner of a Nationwide Marine Transport company that specializes in very high end, large fishing or racing boats. In a typical month, I travel over 15,000 miles! I am rarely in one State for more than a couple days as my business growth, integrity and keeping my customers happy is paramount to my success.
This work ethic has produced a flawless customer satisfaction, the purchase of a 4-acre Marina on a lake in South Carolina and provided financially for the well being of my Family.
June 27,2015
My Daughter who is an avid BMW Owner and fan invites me to a Grand Opening event hosted by a mutual friend of hers and someone she says is THE mechanic who works on her BMW vehicles. Since MINI is a Partner of the BMW brand, I accept the invitation to attend this event to meet the Owner, Todd Wilson and his family. I meet Todd and see he is also a racing enthusiast as I am and the offer is made to soon look at my 2007 MINI Cooper R56 in the near future.
March 20, 2016
FINALLY!!! The day has come after MANY phone calls and attempts to get some time off to deliver the car to Woodstock, Georgia to begin the service work. The work agreed on the invoice was to limit all initial service to $1000 increments and not to exceed such without authorization. I also provided at My COST of $675, the MINI factory service tools to set the cams and timing for head removal. I also sent with the car a brand new in the box set of 17" custom lightweight Panasport wheels made specifically for this car. Todd assured me he would get right on the car, diagnose the problem and get back to me with an assessment. This was initially very important as I had a Corporate event coming up in May where the car was to be on display.
May 14, 2016
It has been nearly TWO MONTHS before Todd sends me a message on Facebook to alert me that he has FINALLY looked at my MINI! His diagnosis is that it either has a blown headgasket and his recommendation is to replace it or the ENTIRE Engine "with a known good one..." in his words. I respond immediately with a link to a known MINI shop and parts supplier in the Atlanta area, (in hindsight the shop I SHOULD have gone with) and suggest he contact them for the proper course of action. After all, I am not a MINI technician nor a BMW certified Tech as his.
June 15, 2016
Another MONTH has passed and the only suggestion I am getting is to find a used CoPart wreck to source a replacement engine from. So again at my expense, I register on CoPart's website, pay a $500 deposit and begin the bidding process on a low mileage 2008 MINI Cooper S that was wrecked in the rear with a fairly new 20K miles motor. After winning the bid on the car at a cost of $1700, Todd then tells me he is not willing to pull the motor out of the donor car and refuses to do any futher work on my car unless I provide an outside shop to provide the labor to REBUILD my existing motor. I am forced to forfeit the CoPart car I won at auction, lose my $500 deposit and being some 2000+ miles away search for a shop in the Atlanta area not only willing to rebuild my engine but pick it up too!! Isn't this the reason I take my car to a shop in the first place? We are now FOUR MONTHS into this service and not one light has been shed to let me believe this work is going to be completed soon. I have missed dozens of marketing events for my other company, missed participating in the One Lap of America, an event I was paid and registered to race this car in... and also still paying full coverage insurance on a car that is depreciating every day.
August 21, 2016
Two more months have passed and the stalemate of my engine being taken to a shop presses on. I have found a shop near Road Atlanta, who will take the engine in, but they will not pick it up. Todd has refused to offer any service to deliver this engine to the machine shop and has pressed me to drive across country several thousands of miles to do such. Several times I had come through town, he was closed or otherwise "busy" and not willing to offer any assistance. Todd then just suggests to put all my parts in boxes inside my car and pick it up so another shop can do the work.
September & October, 2016
During this time I make several cals and messages to Todd to come to a solution to get the car picked up or now remedy this debacle. None are agreed upon. I am simply furious that I trusted him and feel completely taken advantage of. I am then threatened by Todd that he will seek "Abandonment" of my car and steal my title on such grounds.
November 4, 2016
I am sent an invoice for the service work and now billed $100 per month for "Storage" with a 6-month storage allowance for free by Bavarian Repair. He is also giving me an ultimatum knowing I am in Washington State and in no way able to come get the car since it is undrivable and cannot be towed by conventional means with the engine removed.
December 2, 2016
I am sent another invoice, this time with a demand to pay an additional $400 per month storage bill and his intent to file a Mechanic's Lein on my car if payment and pickup of the vehicle are not met by January. Once again... I am being held over the barrel by Bavarian Repair with a busted car. I have paid out several thousands of dollars in Parts, Deposits, Insurance, Lost use, Entry Fees, and depreciation due to the inability of Bavarian Repair to fulfill an effective remedy to my vehicle's needs.
MARCH 28, 2017
YES... it has been a YEAR now!! My poor MINI is still DEAD. I am finally on my way through Atlanta, about three hours away and I contact Todd to inform him that I am sitting at a UHaul, ready to get a trailer to pick up my car. I had driving 2600 miles from Washington STATE to get to Birmingham, Alabama and was ready to pay his invoice INCLUDING the exhorbitant storage just to end this issue and move on. Todd then informs me that he will be closing at 6pm and is not willing to miss dinner with his family to stay late so I can pick up my MINI. It is now that I am truly convinced his motives are to steal my car using a Mechanic's Lein as his instrument so not at any time has he come up with a solution to fix any problems from DAY ONE!!
From this time on, Todd refuses to answer my calls. He puts his Service Manager, TOM on the phone to inform me that Bavarian Repair is unwilling to take my Credit Card over the phone. I must appear in person to pay my bill. I have offered many remedies to collect my parts, tools and other belongings in the car as well as contract a transporter to pick up the car and bring it to my shop in South Carolina. Tom, an Agent of Bavarian Repair refuses to comply with any remedies.
It is with this I hold Bavarian Repair Liable for all loss of use, investment and opportunity for marketing, brand awareness and actual damages in the amount of $25,000.00
Bavarian Repair Reviews
In 2014, I purchased a used 2007 MINI Cooper S R56 in Blue & White colors which match my company's brand colors. I then proceeded to have the vehicle partially wrapped and branded for my business promotion and identity. For several months this vehicle was a very successful marketing tool to drive leads to my business model. After nearly six months of ownership and driving, I begin to have small issues with the car which lead me to believe I had a leaking head gasket related loss of coolant problem with occasional overheating if driven hard or caught in long traffic. I am also the owner of a Nationwide Marine Transport company that specializes in very high end, large fishing or racing boats. In a typical month, I travel over 15,000 miles! I am rarely in one State for more than a couple days as my business growth, integrity and keeping my customers happy is paramount to my success.
This work ethic has produced a flawless customer satisfaction, the purchase of a 4-acre Marina on a lake in South Carolina and provided financially for the well being of my Family.
June 27,2015
My Daughter who is an avid BMW Owner and fan invites me to a Grand Opening event hosted by a mutual friend of hers and someone she says is THE mechanic who works on her BMW vehicles. Since MINI is a Partner of the BMW brand, I accept the invitation to attend this event to meet the Owner, Todd Wilson and his family. I meet Todd and see he is also a racing enthusiast as I am and the offer is made to soon look at my 2007 MINI Cooper R56 in the near future.
March 20, 2016
FINALLY!!! The day has come after MANY phone calls and attempts to get some time off to deliver the car to Woodstock, Georgia to begin the service work. The work agreed on the invoice was to limit all initial service to $1000 increments and not to exceed such without authorization. I also provided at My COST of $675, the MINI factory service tools to set the cams and timing for head removal. I also sent with the car a brand new in the box set of 17" custom lightweight Panasport wheels made specifically for this car. Todd assured me he would get right on the car, diagnose the problem and get back to me with an assessment. This was initially very important as I had a Corporate event coming up in May where the car was to be on display.
May 14, 2016
It has been nearly TWO MONTHS before Todd sends me a message on Facebook to alert me that he has FINALLY looked at my MINI! His diagnosis is that it either has a blown headgasket and his recommendation is to replace it or the ENTIRE Engine "with a known good one..." in his words. I respond immediately with a link to a known MINI shop and parts supplier in the Atlanta area, (in hindsight the shop I SHOULD have gone with) and suggest he contact them for the proper course of action. After all, I am not a MINI technician nor a BMW certified Tech as his.
June 15, 2016
Another MONTH has passed and the only suggestion I am getting is to find a used CoPart wreck to source a replacement engine from. So again at my expense, I register on CoPart's website, pay a $500 deposit and begin the bidding process on a low mileage 2008 MINI Cooper S that was wrecked in the rear with a fairly new 20K miles motor. After winning the bid on the car at a cost of $1700, Todd then tells me he is not willing to pull the motor out of the donor car and refuses to do any futher work on my car unless I provide an outside shop to provide the labor to REBUILD my existing motor. I am forced to forfeit the CoPart car I won at auction, lose my $500 deposit and being some 2000+ miles away search for a shop in the Atlanta area not only willing to rebuild my engine but pick it up too!! Isn't this the reason I take my car to a shop in the first place? We are now FOUR MONTHS into this service and not one light has been shed to let me believe this work is going to be completed soon. I have missed dozens of marketing events for my other company, missed participating in the One Lap of America, an event I was paid and registered to race this car in... and also still paying full coverage insurance on a car that is depreciating every day.
August 21, 2016
Two more months have passed and the stalemate of my engine being taken to a shop presses on. I have found a shop near Road Atlanta, who will take the engine in, but they will not pick it up. Todd has refused to offer any service to deliver this engine to the machine shop and has pressed me to drive across country several thousands of miles to do such. Several times I had come through town, he was closed or otherwise "busy" and not willing to offer any assistance. Todd then just suggests to put all my parts in boxes inside my car and pick it up so another shop can do the work.
September & October, 2016
During this time I make several cals and messages to Todd to come to a solution to get the car picked up or now remedy this debacle. None are agreed upon. I am simply furious that I trusted him and feel completely taken advantage of. I am then threatened by Todd that he will seek "Abandonment" of my car and steal my title on such grounds.
November 4, 2016
I am sent an invoice for the service work and now billed $100 per month for "Storage" with a 6-month storage allowance for free by Bavarian Repair. He is also giving me an ultimatum knowing I am in Washington State and in no way able to come get the car since it is undrivable and cannot be towed by conventional means with the engine removed.
December 2, 2016
I am sent another invoice, this time with a demand to pay an additional $400 per month storage bill and his intent to file a Mechanic's Lein on my car if payment and pickup of the vehicle are not met by January. Once again... I am being held over the barrel by Bavarian Repair with a busted car. I have paid out several thousands of dollars in Parts, Deposits, Insurance, Lost use, Entry Fees, and depreciation due to the inability of Bavarian Repair to fulfill an effective remedy to my vehicle's needs.
MARCH 28, 2017
YES... it has been a YEAR now!! My poor MINI is still DEAD. I am finally on my way through Atlanta, about three hours away and I contact Todd to inform him that I am sitting at a UHaul, ready to get a trailer to pick up my car. I had driving 2600 miles from Washington STATE to get to Birmingham, Alabama and was ready to pay his invoice INCLUDING the exhorbitant storage just to end this issue and move on. Todd then informs me that he will be closing at 6pm and is not willing to miss dinner with his family to stay late so I can pick up my MINI. It is now that I am truly convinced his motives are to steal my car using a Mechanic's Lein as his instrument so not at any time has he come up with a solution to fix any problems from DAY ONE!!
From this time on, Todd refuses to answer my calls. He puts his Service Manager, TOM on the phone to inform me that Bavarian Repair is unwilling to take my Credit Card over the phone. I must appear in person to pay my bill. I have offered many remedies to collect my parts, tools and other belongings in the car as well as contract a transporter to pick up the car and bring it to my shop in South Carolina. Tom, an Agent of Bavarian Repair refuses to comply with any remedies.
It is with this I hold Bavarian Repair Liable for all loss of use, investment and opportunity for marketing, brand awareness and actual damages in the amount of $25,000.00