[Micke]

Hopefully you'll get the parts soon and the Mini will be back on the road still in 2020.

 

[tcbw]

Well, thanks to Micke's help, BRB is back on its wheels, but since the katsastus (MOT) has now expired, I need to get it back on the road again early next year. We need to reinstall the stock seat and delete the airbag warning light to get through.

Eventually, in the continued absence of any hardware from K Sport for the BBK, I ordered a full R56S brake kit from Mod A Mini, with calipers, carriers, Pagid discs and pads, and HEL lines; which arrived promptly, but without the special order red HEL brake lines. Or carrier bolts. So we found a local(ish) place, only an hour away, and had some new lines made up. And found some correct strength bolts at IKH (the sort of serious hardware store, much more local). And we fitted it all last night ... with Micke as my spannerman. He's pretty good, only needs coffee and conversation.

At least my son is now a happy bunny as he can re-start his learning to drive in the 53 - the only manual in the fleet.

I'm still incredibly irritated by the slow response from K Sport...

 

[Micke]

It was a rather interesting day. It was nice to see how brake lines are made and the chaps working there were friendly, which is not a given here As the Mini was standing outside and it was rather chilly, I thought tcbw would need to bring the kettle outside but it was not needed. For some reason most of the fasteners came off with some force but it still took better part of the day to get it done. At the end had to run away to pick up the wife, otherwise we'd probably still be standing there and chatting...
Your son could not believe that the BRB was on wheels and running. It was a x-mas miracle

 

[Fro-dizzle]

Can’t believe you’re still having trouble with Ksport, that’s really poor on their part.

Great that the car is back on its wheels.

 

[DoubleP]

Good work Micke. Hope we all have our mini's rolling without problems next year

Lähetetty minun IN2013 laitteesta Tapatalkilla

 

[tcbw]

Can’t believe you’re still having trouble with Ksport, that’s really poor on their part.
Great that the car is back on its wheels.

Thnak, and yes, I suppose that K Sport has had problems with sourcing and shipping and what-have-you in these times of CV19, but a 3-5 week delivery time has now become 3 (-5??) months for what is essentially just some hardware to overhaul the calipers (the two part sliders, the little 12.9 retaining bolts, the anti-rattle clips, the pad retaining bar, and the rubber bleed valve covers). I did not order need to order new pistons (actually they're fine, the design is really good in my view), and I sourced the discs and pads elsewhere. I feel a bit bad for Oli who must have wasted a lot of time trying to get something out of them, but his job is not yet done.

The original problem is that accumulated brake dust and other crap gets stuck behind the sliders, which push out and trap the inner pads in place. The inner pad was actually cracked vertically in two places and worn concave from the braking force from the pistons, and then the inner face of the disc just rotted.

 

[Maccmike]

I dont think there is any excuse for that level of poor service.
I ordered some bits from a classic mini place, 2 days later they were in my hands, granted its a uk company to a uk customer but still..

 

[tcbw]

I dont think there is any excuse for that level of poor service.
I ordered some bits from a classic mini place, 2 days later they were in my hands, granted its a uk company to a uk customer but still..

I should probably have just sent these fucking calipers off for an overhaul by a brake specialist and they'd just fab what they need, if they didn't have the right bits to hand. What a complete fucking joke.

 

[tcbw]

So, in terms of the latest update, £90-worth of brake parts have arrived in Finland (in the EU) and have just cost me 23.81eur in customs duty for the customs clearance/release to delivery for goods from the UK (outside the EU).

I don't care how you feel about Brexit but this has taken more time and money than makes any sense at all - for a modest package of hardware ordered in early October 2020.

Anyway, I'm supposed to pick up the car from annual inspection today - hopefully the new O2 sensor code hasn't thrown a new spanner in the works.

Fucking Minis.

 

[DoubleP]

Nice to hear brake parts arrived last. And brexit is not only one to blame for.
Now you get bbk work as it should.
Most likely you see better laptime times and more confident drive coming at summer 2021.

I'm still waiting Öhlins from maintenance. Rovaniemi WM Rally event keeps Printsport guys occypied still couple more weeks

Lähetetty minun IN2013 laitteesta Tapatalkilla

 

[Alski]

Seems the EU have a post brexit agenda to make it look like a failure from day one,
I’m aware of many hurdles being thrown in the road to prevent uk companies easily exporting into the Eu
for example having to prove validity of delivery addresses for existing clients who have received hundreds of deliveries of auto sport components of the last few years.

So please vent your anger in the right direction ...
equally it’s no excuse for poor service either from k-sport who should have sorted you out way before brexit, they deserve a good kicking

 

[tcbw]

I shouldn't have brought Brexit into it (that was only the last month of delay), but it looks like importing car parts from the UK is going to take significantly longer (due to customs clearance at this end) as well as cost a fair chunk more in duty (20% or so). Just like importing from the US or Australia for example. Which is a damn shame, as there are so many great suppliers and firms in the UK MINI community I've used over the years: 1320, Lohen, Vecchio, Coastal, Camskill, Demontweeks, Mod A Mini, Reyland, Carbotech, and Orranje (especially), and all those rims (and other bits) that I've bought privately as well (OE Pepperpots, OZs, TDs).

 

[tcbw]

Now it seems to be UPS which is struggling; they marked an 'unusual weather event' in Espoo as the reason for non-delivery yesterday.

It was sunny and -6c. Which I suppose is fairly unusual. Maybe the sun blinded the driver and he stuck the van in a ditch.

My little parcel has been in Finland since 20.01.21.

 

[CarsOrBikes]

are they not removing the VAT here though now?

 

[tcbw]

are they not removing the VAT here though now?

These were ordered in October with VAT in the normal course. As it happened, they were only 'sent for shipping' on 22.12.20, in which case they should have arrived by the end of the year and and no duty would have been applied on arrival. Instead, they only left the UK on 14.01.21 and duty was applied on arrival in Finland on 20.01.

From now on, I suppose that any orders placed from the UK for shipment to the EU should have VAT removed (provided the supplier can comply with the rules of origin), and we should only need to pay duty on arrival. So, assuming suppliers can get the paperwork right, the costs should not be too out of line, but shipment will take longer due to the additional bureaucracy.

 

[tcbw]

... and to complete the story, the package arrived tonight Tuesday 02.02.2021. With UK VAT and Finnish duty. I'm just grateful they arrived at all now.

 

[Alski]

I’m guessing some duties will have been paid into the uk from Taiwan 🇹🇼
I would recommend you ask for a vat rebate if they didn’t leave the uk until the 2nd week of January

 

[CarsOrBikes]

^that I think

 

[tcbw]

agreed, they should give me the VAT back, or alternatively the customs duty

 

[Fro-dizzle]

Glad you've got them finally!