1150Ad service cost me a tank plus...

[haggard]

Hi all

During the service to my recently aquired 34,000 mile 02 1150 Adventure the BMW technician; whilst changing the fuel filter, snapped off the fuel pump mounting. I'm told due to corrosion. I'm also told it will cost me a new tank at £1174 inc labour. I was already looking at a bill north of £1k for the annual service cost plus tyres and pads. Its still in the shop. I'm still searching down the back of the sofa.

My mechanical knowledge is as limited as my experience of BMW service centres - a bubble of ignorance my weak mind had hoped to sustain. I'm unsure what recourse I have - do I just shut up and pay up? Is this just the cost of running a Beemer? (If so, hello Honda).

Could corrosion be the genuine cause of this much carnage to my wallet? How would I ever know if the real cause was just an incompetent tech or a rushed job? Any advice, sympathy welcomed.

BMW goodwill has been mentioned - anyone have experience with this?

Ciao
Haggard

PS Good news is the bike is a real revelation - recent trip through swiss alps blew me away (if only I could afford to keep it!)

 

[pablo666]

Take bike home and sort it yourself
Fuel pump mounting bolts do corrode and have been mentioned on here before. Shouldn't need a new tank There are ways to repair. Also I believe some on here do run with one bolt missing without any problems.
Worst comes to worst source a second hand tank

My 2p worth

 

[illustratedman]

££££

1K plus for an annual service tyres and pads!!! someones having a laugh. I had a new tank in 2005 on an adv following an accident, the invoice on the repair sheet shows £765.14 + vat if they want over a grand now, thats a hell of a price leap. I'd ring round a few other places before commiting to that sort of money, whats your location there is generally a good independant mechanic within most peoples reach.

 

[how far to]

feel for you,they are taking the urine,DIY or give it to someone who knows what they are doing,get them to show you how to change the filter.Routine maintenance on these bikes is easy compared with say a jap 4.Appreciate that some people are not mechanical but if someone shows you how to,most people find the experience uplifting not to say financially rewarding.IMO this is an all to familiar story,the BMW "technician" will only do things by the BMW book,a real mechanic when they come across a problem will improvise a solution which in real world terms will have exactly the same outcome at a fraction of the cost.To my mind,the episode you are relating is a classic example of "factory tecnician"its broken so we must replace it,in other words being nothing more than a glorified fitter.Really feel for you,personally I would only use the official sausage factory for warranty issues,find an independent BMW specialist and develop a working relationship and you and your wallet will not look back its the difference between a mistress and pot luck in the whorehouse Good luck

 

[the celt]

Hi all

During the service to my recently aquired 34,000 mile 02 1150 Adventure the BMW technician; whilst changing the fuel filter, snapped off the fuel pump mounting. I'm told due to corrosion. I'm also told it will cost me a new tank at £1174 inc labour. I was already looking at a bill north of £1k for the annual service cost plus tyres and pads. Its still in the shop. I'm still searching down the back of the sofa.

My mechanical knowledge is as limited as my experience of BMW service centres - a bubble of ignorance my weak mind had hoped to sustain. I'm unsure what recourse I have - do I just shut up and pay up? Is this just the cost of running a Beemer? (If so, hello Honda).

Could corrosion be the genuine cause of this much carnage to my wallet? How would I ever know if the real cause was just an incompetent tech or a rushed job? Any advice, sympathy welcomed.

BMW goodwill has been mentioned - anyone have experience with this?

Ciao
Haggard

PS Good news is the bike is a real revelation - recent trip through swiss alps blew me away (if only I could afford to keep it!)

Hi Haggard,
Am i reading this right ???
You left your moto in to a BMW mechanic, the nuts holding petrol pump
mounting plate to tank had some corrosion on them (the nuts in question have
a very low torque rate) If it was me doing the job I would have known before
trying to remove mounting plate, that if force was needed to remove nuts, then
heat and WD40 should have been used first before damage was done.
Did they phone you before hand to tell you about the corrosion ???
regards
joe

edit heat can be added by boiling a towel and placing it on the nuts...
please dont go near them with a blow torch

 

[D6]

i know of a petrol tank , adv for 150 quid? i can send u his email if u pm me

 

[nunesaf]

Could someone carefully weld a metal pin and then do the thread???

That's what I would try!

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Is the dealer.................Cannons

 

[(RIP) Bin Ridin]

I would be talking to the boss of the place, new tank is bullshit, and worse bullshit to suggest you have to pay for their cack-handedness.

 

[Boon]

A grand for a service ,pads and tyres?


You sure?


service kit is £35.............so how long does it take them to check everything on the list and pop some new fluids in?

pads are .............what £50 and tyres less than £300............



AND they broke your bike!

 

[how much]

sorry to hear.... in my book "they snapped something" they should repair it or make it good.


you are the victim here.... it was fine till they f*cked it! don't pay for the tank or the service till they sort it




how much

 

[Sparky]

1st Dibs on the ADV tank please, I'm sure I could fix it.

Cheers Sparky

 

[Fanum]

'kinell!!!

"just called in to discuss what you mentioned the other day about us getting this sorted with BMW goodwill gesture.....after all, neither of us wants to get into a row about damage caused whilst in your care and as we're all reasonable people, having BMW meet a large or very large part of this......slightly large bill would be the best solution for both of us, don't you agree?"

Then don't say a word until they speak

Be firm but calm, mention that you've asked on UKGSer about BMW good will and that a some of the eight and a half thousand members have reassured you that a good dealer will probably get something like this sorted out in no time

(PS it is actually very good quite often...chap here the other day was talking about having £1000 given towards the cost of a 5 year old (IIRC) abs module being replaced....and with the added leverage of them knowing that THEY broke it, as long as you play it right I reckon you'll be OK)


And next time, even if you're in Norwich, take a ride down to see Steptoe.....he's on the other side of London but for the price difference, you could stay at a top hotel, have a night on the town and get some top class totty to do filthy things to you and still go home better off

 

[Flipfly]

I just don't trust main dealers. I'm sure there are good ones, but the guy I got my RT from had spent over £3k on the bike in 6 months. New Cat (WHY) new silencer, brake calipers (front & back). To me all these bits are questionable. The bike had just been serviced when I bought it and it ran like a bag of shite.

I believe that he was ripped off due to his lack of mechanical knowledge. He knew nothing about bikes so just paid the bill when they handed it to him.

Don't pay 1k for a service FFS. Unless they are replacing some serious parts on your bike, a service should be no more than £250-£300. I had an independent do my bike for £150 Took more time, more care IMHO.

 

[Roger Chatterton]

I just don't trust main dealers. I'm sure there are good ones, but the guy I got my RT from had spent over £3k on the bike in 6 months. New Cat (WHY) new silencer, brake calipers (front & back). To me all these bits are questionable. The bike had just been serviced when I bought it and it ran like a bag of shite.

I believe that he was ripped off due to his lack of mechanical knowledge. He knew nothing about bikes so just paid the bill when they handed it to him.

Don't pay 1k for a service FFS. Unless they are replacing some serious parts on your bike, a service should be no more than £250-£300. I had an independent do my bike for £150 Took more time, more care IMHO.

I second that - after having had a fuel pump pack up in Bulgaria, I have just replaced fuel filter, put jubilee clips on instead of those BMW clips, replaced O rings etc , plus new gasket to the tank/fuel pump plate, and even for me, it didn't take too long-took longer to syphon off fuel !! If I can do this, then it should be a piece of cake for a decent dealer.

For my services & more tricky things I use a really great guy local to Cambridge -he got my previous airhead RS running better than it ever had preiously, and also my 1150 GS- his charges are way less than a realers, he loves working on BM's, and I supply him with service kits, or brake bits etc ( get your pads and discs from either Steptoe or, as I did , Bikestopperz)...no need to pay dealer prices.
So, I know WHO services my bike, I can discuss and chat with the person who does the work, he knows my bike, and I trust him totally; you don't HAVE to use a dealer. And his rates are reasonable...you know it makes sense-----shocked to hear how you were treated. Hope you get it sorted.

 

[Losttheplot]

IIRC the current tank on my bike had a similar problem with a previous owner.

On this tank the stud sheered off, was drilled out, and a new stud welded in it's place. (make sure tank is empty and well ventilated before encouraging anyone to have a go at this...or not depending on how much you like them)

It took a little filling around the holes of the fuel pump plate to get it to fit and the stud didn't line up quite right, but it's now been on the bike for 9 months with no problems, and that includes being put through last years cambrian rally as well, all with no problems.

Hope you get it sorted..

nathan

 

[roadkill]

I had exactly the same happen to me (Vines). Went to pick bike up after routine service, about 5 years ago, when told I couldn't take bike away as needed new tank! No way was I ever going to pay for that one as bike was rideable in so reasonable to expect it to be rideable out! Quick argument sorted new tank from BMW (quite right) at no cost to me - except the high price we all pay for these things new!Stand your ground!onyack

 

[the celt]

And next time, even if you're in Norwich, take a ride down to see Steptoe.....he's on the other side of London but for the price difference, you could stay at a top hotel, have a night on the town and get some top class totty to do filthy things to you and still go home better off

Jaysus thats a great offer...Is it open to us foreigners ???
Would be worth a trip across the Irish sea
Might get a wee trip organised...
Dont worry Aidan we wont tell Mandy

 

[davegs]

Night out

Where do all these high class birds of the night hang out? hope you wernt
refering to Steppers in drag!. (or Morris dancing outfit!).
Dave (Abba fan) GS.