£14.90 FOR ONE BOLT!

[Martin]

Whinge time.

I know BMWs are expensive but........................

I ordered a bolt that the BMW panniers latch on to today, and was told by my friendly dealer that they cost £14.90 each.
Not sure what happened to the original one, but when I went to put the panniers on yesterday, it was missing.
Is it me, or is it a hell of a lot of money for a bolt?

Martin

 

[Mel]

Maybe I'm losing touch but it seems reasonable to me - if it's the bolt I'm thinking of with the funny head and hex fitting then it's a tad special.

Think of it as a round of beers - stay out of the pub for an evening and save the price of a round - and hey presto - free bolt!

In fact - stop drinking altogether and have a free replacement GS within 4 years.

What's that? - you don't drink - hmmm - expensive bolt then.

 

[(RIP) Kaister]

reasonable ????????

20p bolt at cost charged out at 14.90 !!!!

please - can i service your bike, mister

 

[MasterDabber]

it's a tad special.

In fact so special it falls out

 

[Mel]

hey MotoMartin - I've a mate who pays 20p for his bolts - he rides aTriumph Bonneville circa Golden Ear-ring and needs lots of them because they fall out regularly - even when tightened - that's when he can find 4* fuel and stem the oil flow.

Seriously - it's just the structure of the market surely - persuade punters to part with only £50 per week for a new 1200GS and then make money on after-sales.

Seems reasonable to me.

Tight bolts

mel

PS - last service from NOG at 12000 inc new tyres - £500+

 

[sjwb]

The pannier locating (center) bolt does have a habit of coming loose. Try a little dab of Loctite (Threadlock) on your new one. Don't forget to set the height relative to your pannier latch before you lock it all up.

 

[Mr K]

reasonable ????????

20p bolt at cost charged out at 14.90 !!!!

please - can i service your bike, mister

20p bolts are bought at hardware shops.

Try it.

Not condoning the price, but it is a part unique to the 1200GS?

 

[thornley]

Once paid £50 for a screw, sorry wrong thread!!

 

[Mr K]

Once paid £50 for a screw, sorry wrong thread!!

 

[(RIP) Kaister]

by meaning a 20p bolt - i mean its what BMW pay their bolt supplier for the bolt - bought in thousands.

even a 20p hardware bolt only cost less than 5p at source.

 

[Mel]

Respec' Thornley - I hope your nuts were taken into account for that price!

 

[Mr K]

by meaning a 20p bolt - i mean its what BMW pay their bolt supplier for the bolt - bought in thousands.

even a 20p hardware bolt only cost less than 5p at source.

My point is: Volume production makes bits cheaper.
I know the 1200GS is a big selling bike, but to tool up and produce this item in the volumes that will sell will cost BMW more than 20p to source.

I'm not good enough to know how many GS's with pannier mounts have sold world-wide or how many spares BMW have requested but I bet it's not of sufficient volume to warrant the prices you suggest.

For a laugh try Honda "bolt" prices.............

 

[(RIP) Kaister]

My point is: Volume production makes bits cheaper

yep - mine too

I bet it's not of sufficient volume to warrant the prices you suggest

lets see a photo of offending bolt , and i'll bet its not more than 20p cost to BMW.

( think China production )

For example - I'm working with a guy from Holden - he says a whole car is only $2.5K AU at cost

 

[Mr K]

A) Okay so I went and took the picture.
B) Yes my bike needs a polish.
C) Would love to get my hands on a Monaro for A$2.5K - ooh yes! - I think they're more than ten times that in GBP, over here.
D) Of course it isn't worth £14.90.......unless it holds your panniers on 5,300 mile round Eastern Europe.

 

[Mrs C]

It's not just for one bolt though .... you get the nut too

 

[Noddy]

And the washers are extra

 

[Mr K]

Seems reasonable to kee "PL 2 and a bit" in chips and Martini?

 

[thornley]

The nut is A2 stainless, got to add at least a penny to the cost per hundred. Come on, rich enougth to afford an alternative life style luxury product and too tight to pay out for the BMW shareholders annual dividend!!

 

[Howard Millichap]

Not condoning the price, but it is a part unique to the 1200GS?

Yes. BMW are very good at designing their bikes in such a way that anything beyond normal servicing is made so difficult that it encourages you to take it to the dealer who then charges £££HOW MUCH!! for parts & labour.