BMW quality dropping

[islandbob]

I have a 1200GSA Triple black, bought new in 2013. Previously I had Hondas for a number of happy years with remarkable build quality finishing with 2 Varaderos in a row. Then I fancied something different so I bought a 1200GS. Brilliant, a very nice bike. I was then tempted a year down the road by the 1600 GTLE, brilliant or so I thought, 3 months and 1200 miles it developed a major oil leak and needed a new short engine!!! I rejected the bike for a new one! Within the year I had a rotary switch fail and the speedo misted up plus a few other minor things. I had absolutely no faith that when setting off around Europe I would ever see England again. So after a year I reluctantly chopped it in for a 1200 GSA Triple black.
3 years on the bike has been reliable and covered just 21k miles. I am very festidious about keeping the bike clean and tidy, its always in the garage and although used for regular commutes it is always treated with ACF50 etc, its in superb condition. The bike will be 4 in Sept and I was most frustrated to recently discover significant corrosion on the front engine casing on one side and the legs on the front wheel hub where the rotors attach. If the bike was abused I would understand but the bike is in mint cond and even the dealer recently commented on how clean the bike was.
BMW have made a very mild offer to assist with the repair but what concerns me is what is happening to BMW.
I posed the question to their customer services who really dont give a damn but Iasked them if they would consider spending £18k on a bike when it was going to desolve in 3 years!!!! Just like Suzukis used to!
I can see its soon time to move away from BMW, yes I know that most bikes have dropped their quality but atleast I wont spend £18k to watch it fall apart.
I would be interested if others have had similar experience. BMW seem very arrogant.

 

[Rusty]

I personally have never had a problem but I know some years ago BMW sourced some of their work out to Spain and I believe, some on here will know, that the strict criteria of build quality wasn't quite up to their teutonic standards ... paintwork and centre stand construction but to name a couple .. I believed it was all resolved with Pedro being told to get a grip or their orders would go elsewhere .... anyone know the details ?

 

[DRAIN MAN]

Welcome to BMW !!!!!

 

[Deleted account 190920001]

Been like this for quite a number of years and why I don't have one anymore.

 

[Micky]

Been like this for quite a number of years and why I don't have one anymore.

Slowly deteriorating since I had my 1979 R100RS ... and probably from long before then

I have my 2008 F800GS and a 2007 650 Xcountry ... they will be my last BMW's for sure

But then I'm 70 and the bike's have hundreds of thousands of miles left in them ...



.... I hope I have

 

[Santa-2512]

70, really?!!!

or is this a wind up

Mart

 

[Micky]

70, really?!!!

or is this a wind up

Mart

Yes .... and I'm nowhere near the oldest on here

Seventy ... going on eighteen and three quarters

 

[mw3230]

It is a genuine concern - premium product, premium prices but not premium quality. I'm onto my fourth BMW and the last three K1300GT, K1600GT and 2015 GSA) have had parts replaced due to corrosion - more than one in the case of the K1300. It really begs the question "What next?"

It's very difficult to quantify exactly the extent of the problem. I asked my local dealer the other day and they were very cagey about answering suggesting to me that the problem wasn't too bad. The evidence on this forum suggests otherwise (although we must bear in mind that the vast majority of BMW owners are not participants in this forum and the most vocal are the most dissatisfied)

What of the alternatives? Leaving out chain drive bikes, which I prefer to do, there isn't a lot to choose from to rival the GSA or the RT. The Triumph Explorer is very good but the Trophy is crap and they too have had quality problems. Honda? Don't make me laugh - it would be step back in time to go there, they need some serious development in the sports tourer and adventure departments to become competitive.

I can't believe BMW are not addressing this problem, but then again why would they? They are selling bikes in the tens of thousands and we are the mugs (is that the right word?) who return time and again. Thank goodness for the warranty, wouldn't be without it.

Anyone seen the black Hammerite?

 

[wileeeeeey]

Maybe we all just stay on the pcp merry go round until BMW is of the quality we expect and then keep a bike for a few years. I would be too paranoid to have a BMW outside of warranty after all this.

 

[Deleted account 190920001]

Maybe we all just stay on the pcp merry go round until BMW is of the quality we expect and then keep a bike for a few years. I would be too paranoid to have a BMW outside of warranty after all this.

Why would they ever change if you keep buying their products via pcp or otherwise?

 

[wileeeeeey]

Why would they ever change if you keep buying their products via pcp or otherwise?

Because sooner or later people will switch teams and go for a different premium bike. If I can't be bothered with the BMW nonsense I'll go for a KTM or a Ducati. Probably the Ducati. Chain adjusts will be a small price to pay.

 

[Deleted account 190920001]

That's not what your stating though by "staying on the pcp merry go round" you are either supporting them via whatever purchase method or your on a different brand. Only when their volume is hit will they change what they are doing.

 

[wileeeeeey]

I know what you're saying but I mentally there is a difference between having a bike on pcp within warranty and buying a bike to keep for 5+ years. If I was in the market to buy a bike with cash for the foreseeable it wouldn't be BMW.

 

[comberjohn]

Friend of mine bought a low miles, mint KTM 1190.
He doesn't use it much and the quality of the paint is poor, mainly frame and bits of the chassis in general.
He's had several bits replaced under warranty, but I wouldn't like to guess what'll happen long term.
One of his led indicators filled with water and stopped working. KTM replaced it under warranty, with the later different shape!
He had to buy another himself.
His is younger and less than half the mileage of my 2010 TC, but not wearing as well.
I don't commute on mine but use it all year, except on snow and ice. Not that stupid. It gets regulary used and washed and cleaned. Even still on the original battery after 42k miles.
A bike sitting in the garage all winter doesn't do it any good. Ever see the condensation on the casings in cold weather?
Use it or lose it.
Recent pick of my 'old' BMW.

 

[Steptoe]

It's nothing to do with quality control.

It's the laws that limit what can be used in the metal finishing. No more lead. Mostly water based coatings.

 

[matchlessman]

Fashion has taken the place of common sense. Look at the effectiveness of the front mudguard (on any bike). Standard guards ensure the front of the engine is shot blasted on every ride as is the rear shock. The front of the engine has got no chance of surviving no matter how good the paint is. Even my fender extender and mudsling aren't perfect, but they help.

Why do I need to spend £150 to correct these basic design flaws is the big question for me.

 

[UturnTony]

My 2011 TC has done 54K over a great variety of terrain and still, without me taking an anywhere near OCD interest in it's
care other than mechanically it still looks very presentable if a little worn, marked and corroded here and there.
Do i care too much? Nope, it's my bike, it's staying, i ride it in all weathers/conditions, i love it and i'm not bothered about resale value.
I can refresh it with a paint job if i want which is not a complex job as there aren't a lot of plastics so, happy days
For me, life's too short to worry about such things, use it, ride it and stop worrying about it

 

[comberjohn]

Fashion has taken the place of common sense. Look at the effectiveness of the front mudguard (on any bike). Standard guards ensure the front of the engine is shot blasted on every ride as is the rear shock. The front of the engine has got no chance of surviving no matter how good the paint is. Even my fender extender and mudsling aren't perfect, but they help.

Why do I need to spend £150 to correct these basic design flaws is the big question for me.

Said it yourself. Fashion!
And would we really buy one if they had sensible mudguards?
Wouldn't fit the image. We're all as guilty as each other when it comes to styling.
I was going to leave the front engine protector off mine until I spotted the hammering it had taken from stones from the front tyre.

 

[Santa-2512]

It's nothing to do with quality control.

It's the laws that limit what can be used in the metal finishing. No more lead. Mostly water based coatings.

Bring back hexavalent 6, & Trike

 

[oddshapedballs]

It is a genuine concern - premium product, premium prices but not premium quality.

I think you, and most, know that BMW is not a premium product...but they do make good things and have a very, very clever and expensive (short term loss for long term gain) marketing department.
If they put a celeb on a bike and sent them to the shops they'll be covered by a massive tech back up and an all encompassing contract which forbids the mention of anything even slightly negative toward the mechanicals, do you really think two 1150's got round the world without blowing the final drives, they didn't, but no one will ever be allowed to tell you that...it's all about the contract and the marketing.

I love my TC GSA, it's great, but I don't expect it to be any more or less reliable than anything else I have owned, I put 40k on a Ducati MS1000 in a year (2006) and it never went wrong, it fucking should've, if you believe all you read, haven't put 40k on a BMW yet without it having to go into a dealer for something to be fixed! But I like it.