Are there only unhelpful people working at Cannon BMW Braintree

[Lord Vader]

Do they know what they are doing??
My GSA1200 developed a a little problem a little while back.The red Triangle of Death(Brake failure) came on and my speedo going ballistic.After reading up on it on here and suffering a Heart attack or 2(the final drive doing his thing).
As the bike was still within warranty (by 4 days) and i had her booked in anyway for a service i was a bit upset but not to alarmed as she still was in warranty.
When i phoned Canon i told them what i read on here and ask them to please check the final drive as well.
The service was done and when i ask about the final drive they said it was all within the limits.!?
Now i do not know anything about bikes so i got to believe what they tell me.Also they said that it was only a faulty sensor.
Ok fast forward around 500 miles and a couple of weeks and the light came back on.I brought her back and ask them to check it out.I was than told that this was a different problem and they could not replicate it
I than did our Charity run the longest day where we traveld 1900 miles in 4 days and yes the light came back on.
Again dropped her of at Cannon's and told them that i would be away on buisness for a week and i fully expect the bike to be sorted when i pick her up.
I than phoned the following Friday cause i did not hear anything from them at all during the week.Where i was told that the bike was ready but there would be a small charge.I was to pay for 45 min. labour for taking my after market bits of.(both covers for brake reservoir).
I nearly lost it on the phone and ask if there would be Management in the shop on Saturday when i was coming to pick the bike up,which was confirmed.
When i arrived on Saturday i did ask if they please! could tell me which parts they had taken of so i could understand where the 45 min came from.Girl behind the counter than said she had to ask the Mechanic as it was not on the job file.When she came back she told me there was a mistake as they only would charge me for 20 min.
She also told me that all 3 times it was the same problem and they did change some ABS thingy which lives under the Tank as i dont have anything in writing i can not tell you what it was.I was so angry at the time i forgot to write it down and forgot what it was
My reply was that the mistake was them trying to charge me and that i wanted to speak to management.I was than told that the Manager was given VIP tickets to Goodwood and was not in.I than ask for the person in charge and was told there was nobody!!!! in charge.As my voice was getting louder at that point she handed me the keys to my bike and told me the Manager would phone me on Tuesday about the outstanding Payment.Which of course did not happened
and guess what.Yesterday after 75 miles from picking the bike up again the lights where back on
I also noticed that at a steady speed at around 2500-3000 she started to surge a lot now,just not all the time.I is also heavier at the same time when the Speedo does his "ballistic" thing again.
I have now done around 4000 miles with that problem,can that still be the final drive causing it??
Now the question i have is.
What would be the best way to go about this whole thing?I lost all confidence in Cannon but i think they should sort the problem as they where dealing with it from the beginning.Is there a place(Head Office BMW maybe) where you can complain about Dealer ships?
Pete

 

[Wapping]

....and breath.

Lord Vader does not get that stressed, surely?

Help is at hand.

BuMW (UK) Head Office in Berkshire.

Simon Jack
Customer Service Executive
BMW (UK) Ltd
Ellesfield Avenue
Bracknell
Berkshire
RG12 8TA

Tel: 01344 426565

Fax: 01344 480203

Email: customer.service@bmw.co.uk

The nearest alternative dealer to you is possibly BuMW Battersea. Some people hate them... I find them quite helpful.

They sorted my 24,000 GSA with a similar (maybe the same, who knows?) problem. It was a disintergrating final drive. The drive effects the speed sensor in the rear wheel. Mine has ABS, so the brake failure waring light came on too, only because the front wheel speed sensor is reading normaly, whilst the rear (which drives the speedo) seems to think the bike is standing still. All fixed under warranty within three days, two if I had been quicker picking the bike up again, having ridden it down to them. There again, no extra bling to remove.

Go in peace....

 

[Lord Vader]

Thanks for your help
I normally don't get that stressed but for the first time in my live i was able to buy my Dream bike and within 6 month it develops a (possible ) serious problem
I just expected so much more from the Dealer,i don't think they even know how to spell customer service
I will change dealers as soon as this is sorted.Just got to wait and see what they say when i phone them and tell them my little light is back on

 

[Brian ROSEN]

Dealers!!

They can offer very different standards on services and repairs - I know there were certain dealers in the UK that I would not have any contact with - but it seems that, surprise, surprise they sem to have gone out of business!

 

[Navy Boy]

Lord Vader

Wow there fella! Firstly try and note down/catalog what's happened so far (I know you've written it in your messsage but try physically writing it down too).

It sounds as though you need to do the following, preferably in this order:

1. Speak to the manager in person about the whole affair, stating what you're not happy with, why you feel aggrieved and what you want them to do about it.

2. Draft a letter/E-mail (Print this out) to BMW head office and take this with you when you see said manager. Make Him/Her aware that you intend on taking the matter further.

3. If possible take pictures of the symptoms when they occur. I know this may not be practical but all evidence is of use in a situation like this.

4. Stay calm. Getting upset, whilst tempting and showing that you care, won't resolve things any more quickly.

You have thus far done the right thing by allowing Cannons opportunities to fix the problem. However you are now at the stage (I believe that you're supposed to give the vendor/dealer at least 2 opportunities to rectify it) where further action is clearly required.

Proof/evidence of what has happened is vital now.

Hope this helps.

 

[Deleted account W]

I've merged the answers to you're identical thread in the 1200 forum into this thread

 

[Hamster]

I've merged the answers to you're identical thread in the 1200 forum into this thread

30 minutes in the quiet corner for inappropriate use of an apostrophe!

 

[(RIP) maverick]

30 minutes in the quiet corner for inappropriate use of an apostrophe!

60 minutes in the quiet corner for using big words like apostrophe

LV sorry to hear about your misery dude, I am sitting in a similar position trying to get any service from SWB Hertford BMW getting a warranty issue sorted. Three times I have asked them to check something for me and everytime they told me it is within limits. I had to lose my temper and yell down the phone for a while before I got any response. At least I have only been waiting 3 weeks since that call for the service manager to get back to me in which time I have phoned back three times ending up leaving a message I suppose it is better to ride up there and make a scene on a busy Saturday morning with lots of potential new clients around

 

[Dusan]

Kan I . . .. ...... . .

Hi Maverick, kan I come and watch/support you when you go, I could also pick up my base plate too.
!~)
Kindest regards Dusan

 

[piebaps]

They sorted my 24,000 GSA with a similar (maybe the same, who knows?) problem. It was a disintergrating final drive. The drive effects the speed sensor in the rear wheel. Mine has ABS, so the brake failure waring light came on too, only because the front wheel speed sensor is reading normaly, whilst the rear (which drives the speedo) seems to think the bike is standing still. All fixed under warranty within three days, two if I had been quicker picking the bike up again, having ridden it down to them. There again, no extra bling to remove.

Go in peace....

Wot he said. I had the same symptoms plus the rear servo was sticking on and draining the battery. Went in three times before the final drive was changed but we got there in the end and all sorted under warranty. That was with the dealer up here though

 

[Lord Vader]

breath in



breat out


breath in



Hummmmmmmm
ok a bit calmer now
Just come back from Cannon BMW where i spoke to the customer Service Manager
I just said remember me i just picked up my GSA last week.
Oh yes,Hallo how are you?
-Just wanted to let you know that my Warning light is back on
looks at colleague - oh i just know what soandso downstairs is gone say
Colleague rolls eyes _what
-that the ABS control unit is faulty
-what the new one we just put in?
-yep he always blames them
Not one of the B*&%* was looking at me while they where talking,no one apologised to me about anything.
So i eventually interrupted there little Lunch time chat and said
-So what is gone happen now?
CSM-what do you want us to do?
count slowly to 10
and again
-How about fix my bike?
CSM- that is what we are trying,we are not doing this on purpose.Our equipment is not picking up the fault
-so what are you going to do
CSM- oh we got to phone BMW up
- why would that be
CSM- so they can tell us what to do
- will i get at least a courtesy bike in the mean time?
CSM- no we phone you when we heard from BMW
At this point i had to leave the Dealer ship as i would have lost it otherwise and hit him
There was just absolutely no interest in giving good service9or any form of service,for that matter)
So i guess its time to send a E-mail to head office.Now has anyone on here done that sort of thing before and maybe could give me a hand with that.As English is not my first language i want to make sure that the E-mail is 100% right and i use the right words/point out the facts correctly
Cheers Pete

 

[Brian ROSEN]

"......So i guess its time to send a E-mail to head office.Now has anyone on here done that sort of thing before and maybe could give me a hand with that.As English is not my first language i want to make sure that the E-mail is 100% right and i use the right words/point out the facts correctly
Cheers Pete...."
I would suggest that a registered letter would be better. It is important for YOU to decide whether you are 'going to town' on them or whether you want the bike fixed as soon as possible; once you start the Head Office route it may well all slow down....you will probably have to wait for the BMW rep; to come down etc.;
You do not say what is your first language. Perhaps just one more visit with an intelligent friend ( know any solicitors?) might get you back on track! What about "Dusan " who has offered to help.

 

[Lord Vader]

No i think i want to go all the way to head office.I just think that we sometimes should stand up a bit more for our rights.I mean this is a bike which cost me the better part of £8000 and now i have a problem(still in Warranty) and nobody seems to give a S***.
I just think we should complain if the Service is not good enough
Well about my first Language,have a guess
p.s. Intelligent Friend?That is pushing it a bit.After 2 WW we don't have a lot of friends left

 

[Willow]

Judging from the title of this thread and the way you have written this................I would honestly be amazed if the dealer in question let you back in again.!!!!!

 

[illustratedman]

Problems

Judging from the title of this thread and the way you have written this................I would honestly be amazed if the dealer in question let you back in again.!!!!!

The dealer in question should then maybe fix the mans bike and not reply with stupid bloody questions like 'what do you want us to do', and maybe offer an apology and a courtesy bike. I think he's been pretty restrained.

 

[Deleted account W]

Judging from the title of this thread and the way you have written this................I would honestly be amazed if the dealer in question let you back in again.!!!!!

It's not the guys 1st language he's writing in and he's annoyed. Cut him some slack.

 

[illustratedman]

- that is what we are trying,we are not doing this on purpose.Our equipment is not picking up the fault

Cant the highly qualified mechanics diagnose a fault without plugging the bike into a computer to give them a fault code?

 

[Wapping]

It's not the guys 1st language he's writing in and he's annoyed. Cut him some slack.

So i guess its time to send a E-mail to head office.Now has anyone on here done that sort of thing before and maybe could give me a hand with that.As English is not my first language i want to make sure that the E-mail is 100% right and i use the right words/point out the facts correctly
Cheers Pete

Whatton is right.

I will give you a hand to write it.

Let me go through your posts and put something together for you.

Richard

PS I hope to have it done by tomorrow evening.

I can only write what I think you are saying, of course. From a quick read it could be said that the dealer is simply stuck for an answer, it's not impossible. Though they do have a duty to explain the issue clearly to their customer. They may well end up saying you simply didn't listen, being too angry. We shall see.

I think the best tactic is to write to Cannon first, then go higher if needed. You can always go up from the bottom. But if you start at the top, with BuMW in Bracknell, it's tricky to come back down.

PPS Could you fill in the dates for me when the several problems (with the bike) appeared and the dates of your two (or more) visits to Cannon's.

PPPS.

The first red light and triangle warning also had a speedo going ballistic.

Did the second, third etc. warnings also have the ballistic speedo?

 

[Attleborough]

Cannon appear to have a number of problems in the engineering department at the moment.

When I was in last week for a service I was told by Mrs Cannon that they were having a problem with sick absence at the moment which was why there were 3 chaps all waiting for their bikes at 16:00 which had been dropped off at 09:30 when they opened. Bit too much of a delay on a 2 1/2 hour service.

Unfortunately that was the same excuse they used at the last service my bike was in for 9 months earlier, and Mr Cannon was having to help out in the service bay again.

One chap had brought back his new RT (around 500 miles) which had had the EWS failure and Cannon had applied the fix which involved some drilling of the frame (apparently) and the swaff had gone into the fork seals - nice.

Added to which there were only two staff left in the place who were there when I bought my bike last year. I never think it's a good sign when so many staff have changed.

All in all, I won't be going back and many of the people I have spoken too since have got concerns and are now thinking of going else where too.

I also noted that they now charge for a loan bike while they have yours all day for a 2 hour service. Ok fair enough they loan you the bike but when you move your business to the outskirts of an industrial estate and then keep your bike for 8 instead of 2 hours - you would have thought they might have waived that when you're spending £100's with them and daft as it might seem, I take exception to not being offered a drink when I have been kept waiting 4 hours more than I was told to collect my bike.... Nope nothing.

The most disturbing thing for me was that when I spoke to Mrs C about all my problems, although to be fair she repeatedly apologised for the failings, she never once tried to persuade me to remain a customer - more or less suggesting I go elsewhere.

The beginning of the end for Cannon?

 

[Pressurized]

Cannon always gave me a reasonable service. Not perfect but OK.

They must have spent a fortune moving from a hut in Chelmsford to the boutique in Braintree and BMW prevented them from moving in at the last moment for two months because it wasn't up to their standards. (Whatever they may be)

It's a shame if they are going a bit downhill, dealers are a bit scarce in my neck of the woods (BMW ones, at any rate).

Kate Cannon is lovely, bright, intelligent and will hopefully inherit more than a debt. She is not a moron.