6000 mile service abroad?

[APB]

Any thoughts on getting a service done abroad? My bike is only on 4400 miles but a trip to Portugal in March will put it on 6000 nicely as I hit Lisbon!
Should I just get it serviced early here instead?

Thanks.

Andy B

 

[jailon]

nah.... I had this dilemma last year when I did a trip..... Decided to get it done at home before hand for peace of mind....

 

[mechcanico lee]

Get it done early so if theres any issues its easyer to sort out here, you dont want any troubles whilst your touring .

 

[Wapping]

Get it done abroad. After all it's what the locals do, is it not?

Contact the local dealer in Lisbon telling them you want to book a 9,600 km service, if possible on such-and-such a day. Have in mind that they may be closed some days of the week and be shut at lunchtimes.

Use Babel fish to do a very simple translation and put the English underneath. Better still, ring them up first; chances are somebody in the place will speak enough English to get by. Some places work better by fax than email, I have found.

It will be fun (I guess) talking to the bods in the shop while you wait and chances are they will sort you out ASAP. I had my Honda serviced in France and Germany. I speak no German but we all got by, some how.

 

[GSband]

With €/£ exchange rates, you may want to find out the cost first.
Besides which, I'd rather have it done at home before departure. Why have the hassles underway, why loose a day's riding in such splendid surroundings ?
And if you're not a confident Portugese speaker, how do you want to discuss anything that may not be to your liking ?
Seems a no-brainer to me.

 

[Wapping]

GSband, do you get your 1200 serviced in Belgium, or bring it to the UK?

Take the opportunity to see something in Lisbon, for a morning or an afternoon It's not a bad city. Here's some http://www.holidaycityflash.com/portugal/lisbon_things_todo.htm

Take a look at the port bodegas, maybe? Flick through a copy of the Rough Guide or the Michelin Green guide. Have a half decent lunch at a pleasant restaurant. All posible while your bike is undergoing a very basic 6,000 mile service. It will be a chance to see something you might not otherwise see. Who knows, you might want to stay?

..... Or stay real safe and get it done before you go.... or push the envelope of daring and and get it done when you come back.

 

[Tank]

I would be tempted to have it done before you leave on your trip. If they mess anything up, which can happen, and then you will have the language hassles trying to understand what the problems are, as GSband says.

I would never have my Triumph Tiger 955i serviced here in France, for example, as they use a different fuel mapping here due to the reduced BHP requirment so it would come back from the service with a retuned ECU and slower!!!!

Take the uncertainty out of the equation and get it done before you go.

 

[GSband]

GSband, do you get your 1200 serviced in Belgium, or bring it to the UK?

Take the opportunity to see something in Lisbon, for a morning or an afternoon It's not a bad city. Here's some http://www.holidaycityflash.com/portugal/lisbon_things_todo.htm

Take a look at the port bodegas, maybe? Flick through a copy of the Rough Guide or the Michelin Green guide. Have a half decent lunch at a pleasant restaurant. All posible while your bike is undergoing a very basic 6,000 mile service. It will be a chance to see something you might not otherwise see. Who knows, you might want to stay?

..... Or stay real safe and get it done before you go.... or push the envelope of daring and and get it done when you come back.

- I live in Belgium, so there's no point of me going to the UK to have my bike serviced there, although I may reconsider, the £ being where it is now...
- If I travel to a country where I don't speak the language, I always try to eliminate forseeable avoidable discussions. Seems reasonable; adventure to me lies in having fun. This leaves the unforseeable hassles that will pop up anyway, on any trip. I've had my R12GS's breaking down in the UK, France, Germany, Spain. Although I speak these languages fluently, I don't master all technical terms, and knew I was at a disadvantage when communicating.
- I've been to Lisbon, and agree that it's worth visiting while a bike's being serviced. But perhaps that wasn't the OP's idea. Your tips may be helpful though.

 

[GSmonkey]

Have it done early, who want to faff about on holiday trying to find some dealer who won't speak the language. Fek that.

 

[T.REX63]

Any thoughts on getting a service done abroad? My bike is only on 4400 miles but a trip to Portugal in March will put it on 6000 nicely as I hit Lisbon!
Should I just get it serviced early here instead?

Thanks.

Andy B

At 6,000 miles, all that's needed is a engine oil/filter change and valve clearance check.

I don't know what you schedule looks like, it might be fun finding a garage in a small village along the way and do it yourself. Just bring the tools, filter and crush washers ...

I always enjoy interaction with the locals. This would definitely be a fun way of doing it. You might end up with a dinner invitation and new friends...

 

[APB]

Our Lass is running the lisbon half marathon so will meet up with her for a week around the Cascais/Lisbon area. We will be sight seeing/afternoon drinking so an odd "wasted" day getting the bike serviced might not be wasting time so much as relaxing!!!!
See points about language problems etc and my last 1200 had new bevel drive bearings on its 6000 mile service!
Glasgow BMW didn't seem to have a problem when I suggested servicing abroad. So I will make some enquiries and keep you posted.

Thanks for the info one and all.

Andy B

 

[Glyno]

If your bike is covered under BMW used approved warranty then bear in mind that if during service abroad any warranty issues crop up you will have to pay for the repair/replacement there and then. You claim it back on your return to the UK.

 

[thornley]

- I live in Belgium, so there's no point of me going to the UK to have my bike serviced there, although I may reconsider, the £ being where it is now...
- If I travel to a country where I don't speak the language, I always try to eliminate forseeable avoidable discussions. Seems reasonable; adventure to me lies in having fun. This leaves the unforseeable hassles that will pop up anyway, on any trip. I've had my R12GS's breaking down in the UK, France, Germany, Spain. Although I speak these languages fluently, I don't master all technical terms, and knew I was at a disadvantage when communicating.
- I've been to Lisbon, and agree that it's worth visiting while a bike's being serviced. But perhaps that wasn't the OP's idea. Your tips may be helpful though.

Reliable bike that. Broke down in 4 countries

 

[Riders Rest]

I would do one of two things...

1. Speak to the dealer in the Uk and see if they will do the service late for you without compromising your warranty when you return from your trip. then change the oil and filter yourself before you go.

2. Get it serviced in Lisben, I don't see any problems as it has a full EU Warranty and they know what they are doing if they are a BMW dealership.

 

[Wapping]

So APB, what ya gonna do?

Get it done at home. safe option as you speak the language and can deal with any 'technical matters' that might arise from a 6000 mile service?

Do it yourself, on the road?

Locate the BuMW dealer in Lisbon and ask them to do it, making arm wavy gestures if necessary?

Ask your local dealer if it's alight to overrun the service due date and get it done when you come back?

====

According to BuMW Motorrad International, there is a motorbike service centre:

Parque das Nações - Alameda dos Oceanos, Lt. 4,62,02
1990-392 Moscavide
Telf: 218 912 346
Fax: 218 912 394


and:

S Drive Motos
Rua do Proletariado, 19
Portela de Carnaxide
2790-138 Carnaxide
Telf: 210 430 369
Fax: 214 246 818

Failing that, I am sure these bods will know how they get their bikes serviced: http://www.bmwmotoclube.com/bmwforum/index.php?sid=a1bdc21c27eb8a8728b71081d1b85e41

 

[The Bede]

... Get a quote then decide.

... If it's cheaper to do it in Lisbon, definitely book ahead and get it done there. If it isn't, then if you get it done pre-departure you're only closing the gap to the 12,000 mile and therefore effectively raising your UK price. If you leave it till you return you may invalidate your warranty, another potentially more expensive option.,

... Lisbon is hardly pushing the envelope as far as distant and ill equipped destinations go.

... 6000 miles is a basic service, I'd be amazed if the bike wasn't still under factory warranty, therefore covered internationally.

... Oh, and don't be patronising, there are lot's of fine dedicated BMW qualified mechanics worldwide. It's pretty insulting to assume only 'we' brits could be trusted to do it right.

... EDIT - P.S. The Lisbon dealer will be chuffed to bits to have a brit bike in the workshop, my guess is you'll get better service than you've ever had

 

[bmwrover]

...
... EDIT - P.S. The Lisbon dealer will be chuffed to bits to have a brit bike in the workshop, my guess is you'll get better service than you've ever had

I second that, during my last visit at the German BMW dealer there had been a GSA 1200 from the UK in the workshop and the novelty factor of having someone from abroad really made the mechanics work harder to get that lad back on the bike.

 

[Wapping]

... Get a quote then decide. ... If it's cheaper to do it in Lisbon, ...... Lisbon is hardly pushing the envelope as far as distant and ill equipped destinations go....... 6000 miles is a basic service, I'd be amazed if the bike wasn't still under factory warranty, therefore covered internationally....... Oh, and don't be patronising,....... EDIT - P.S. The Lisbon dealer will be chuffed to bits to have a brit bike in the workshop, my guess is you'll get better service than you've ever had

Spot on, Bede

The world does not end when one crosses the Channel. The language thing is a complete irrelevance. I fouled the spark plugs with diesel but could not for the life of me remember the the French for sparkplug, nor fouling. But by taking the YOP scheme bod from behind the counter and pointing to the objects on a bike in the show room, all became clear. Four fingers held up (yes I do know the word for four, but it's funnier to make them laugh at the same time) and away I went.... on a borrowed motorbike, back to where I last saw my GS, 50 miles away.

Similarly, we visited a tractor repair shed (there is no other way to describe it) it in very rural Germany to borrow a circuit tester / volt meter / ammeter... No German words beyond, "Kaput", "Danke", "Bitte" and "Drinke, gutte" when giving the bloke five euro to buy himself a beer for lending us the device, all seemed to work.

There are often lots of foreign registered BuMW's in for work in BuMW Battersea. I have seen Mexican, American and Romanian to name but three. I can only assume they are more relaxed?

 

[APB]

Apparantly no problems with warrenty etc ( it is only 6 months old) I have emailed the dealer in Lisbon so will keep you all posted.

Cheers.

APB

 

[Wapping]

Apparantly no problems with warrenty etc ( it is only 6 months old) I have emailed the dealer in Lisbon so will keep you all posted.

Cheers.

APB

Good man