MINI

Getting your car serviced can be stressful - especially when it comes to paying the bill. So, why not treat yourself to some tlc and relax? That's exactly what I did when I took our Cooper S Convertible for its first check-up under MINI's all-inclusive maintenance programme - and got a free massage into the bargain! Called tlc, the scheme costs £150 when you buy a new model, and covers three services over five years or 50,000 miles, plus a brake fluid change.
This being the case, when the maintenance light came on, I booked RF05 KBZ into BMW Nine Elms in London. But had I not invested in the tlc package, I doubt I would have visited this particular dealer. You see, BMW agents have some of the highest labour rates of any brand. And with Nine Elms charging a wallet-busting £130 per hour for its mechanics' time, I would have driven the MINI straight to a cheaper, independent garage.
A change of rules means that, as long as the work is done to the maker's spec, you can now have checks carried out independently without affecting the warranty. Alternatively, I could have travelled to a BMW outlet in northern France because, as we revealed in Issue 864, labour rates at official dealers on the Continent are a third of those here.
A short break would certainly have reduced my stress levels - which soared recently when a colleague accidentally kerbed one of the MINI's other-wise pristine alloys - but probably not as much as my trip to Nine Elms. During the week, it employs a masseur to give customers a relaxing treatment on-site while their car is being worked on. It's a great idea, and the massage I received from sports therapist Daniel Schwager certainly eased the strain of getting the MINI serviced.
Even more pleasant was the saving I made from opting for the tlc package. Without it, the oil and filter change would have cost £150, so I'd got my money back immediately. And while a brake pad check was included, I opted to pay an extra £35 to have the discs inspected. Still, when you consider a 20-minute massage would set you back about the same, I'd still have broken even.
With two more services to come under the tlc scheme, maintaining the Cooper S Convertible in future should be just as stress-free! Mat Watson
Second opinion
Nipping around town in this car, hood-up, is a pain in the neck - literally! That's because I find myself constantly straining to see where I'm going. If it's not the dark, claustrophobic interior that's limiting visibility, it's the enlarged pillars or roll bar-obstructed rear screen. Let's hope owners get a long, top-down summer. Julie Sinclair, staff writer