Bugatti Wanted $15,500 For A Switch, I Fixed It For The Price Of A Pack Of Gum, Says Owner
- Bugatti quoted $15,500 to replace a mirror switch with a full door assembly.
- Owner Carl Hartley got help from a friend familiar with Formula 1 components.
- The issue involved a $1.20 Volkswagen part and took just 20 minutes to replace.
Luxury comes cheap, said no one ever, especially when you’re trying to keep one of the world’s most exclusive hypercars running. Owning a Bugatti out of warranty means even the smallest issues can come with a shockingly high price tag.
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Just ask a former Veyron owner who got an eye-watering quote to fix a single switch, only to sort it out for next to nothing with a little help from a well-connected friend.
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The Bugatti owner in question is Carl Hartley, who runs Tom Hartley Cars, a UK-based supercar dealership. In a recent interview with entrepreneur Rob Moore, Hartley was asked which car he’s owned had the most punishing upkeep costs.
Hartley didn’t hesitate. “Bugatti,” he replied, explaining that if you’re lucky, yearly ownership runs around £100,000 ($135,500), with each service ringing in at about £30,000 ($40,600).
A Minor Problem With a Major Price
Photos Bugatti
Hartley went on to describe his experience with the Veyron. He recounted an issue with his Veyron involving a toggle switch used to adjust the side mirrors. After four years, the switch developed a bit of play, Not exactly catastrophic, but annoying enough to warrant attention.
When he reached out to Bugatti for a replacement, they came back with a jaw-dropping quote of £9,500 ($12,900) plus VAT (tax), which adds 20 percent in the UK, bringing the total to around £11,400, or roughly $15,500 at current exchange rates. Why so much? Because fixing it apparently required replacing the entire door card, the motor, and the entire mirror assembly.
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Unwilling to fork over that kind of money for what felt like a minor annoyance, Hartley called up a friend with Formula 1 mechanical experience. After a bit of digging, they tracked down the culprit, a tiny part that, unsurprisingly to anyone familiar with how the auto industry works, is also used in various Volkswagen Group models, including the Transporter light commercial van.
The bad news? It only comes in packs of five. The good news? The whole set costs a laughable £0.89 ($1.20), which is less than the price of a pack of gums these days.
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Better still, the repair took all of 20 minutes, and Hartley’s friend didn’t even charge him. When asked for advice, Hartley suggested that other Bugatti owners might want to consider reputable independent service centers, which can often carry out repairs at a fraction of what official dealers charge.
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Of course, not every repair is as simple or inexpensive. Toggle switches might be shared with humble commercial vans, but larger components come with price tags that could make your accountant faint.
When “Routine” Repairs Aren’t
As we covered in a previous story, another Veyron owner was quoted €17,904 ($20,500) for a replacement fuel tank. That figure doesn’t include installation, which added another €20,000 ($22,800). By contrast, a boost pressure sensor, shared with the VW Golf GTI, cost just €16.50 ($19), though installation still required €1,600 ($1,800) in labor.
The takeaway? If you’re maintaining a supercar, especially one with a badge like Bugatti, it pays to shop around. Literally. While some owners prefer the convenience of sticking with official dealerships, others might find that a second opinion can save thousands.
Either way, it helps to know that not every Bugatti part comes dipped in gold. Some just happen to moonlight in vans.
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