Hi Guys
A lot of this will depend upon your attitude to things but this is my own experience. As with most people when the vehicle is new and within a warranty period I will have it serviced as per 'manufacturers specifications' but not necessarily by the franchised dealer. This is all that is required to ensure that the warranty remains valid under the EU directive. Depending upon the actual dealer depends whether they get my business or if I use a local independent, who are without exception cheaper in my experience. But a bit like the bargains you strike up on the intial purchase of the vehicle the same can be so at the dealership for servicing, it is a question of asking and negoitiating.
My 05 GS was out of warranty and I had it serviced by Mark Holden in Bromley who was a former workshop mechanic in both BM and Honda dealerships. Recently I had the full three year full jobby done, the full works, and saw change from £200 on that occasion. It too came back with a full report and felt like a new bike with throttle, clutch and gears 'just so' and lots of little details attended to, you can tell it had had a good job done.
Even when I found that the rear seal had gone I got BMW to fix it as a good will gesture and the form that the dealer submitted had a question - has the bike been regularly serviced?- which of course it had been. There were no additional issues not even the fact that I had bought it second hand the dealers knew the fault and pushed BM to stump up which they did (Thanks Coopers TW).
Equally as important was when I was looking at trading the bike in for a new 08 model when I was asked if it had a FSH and I replied yes, it was serviced by Mark Holden, not only did the dealer know him and his work, but it made no difference to the trade in value, as they were going to be happy putting the bike on their approved scheme. In the event the bike was such a nice example that I had no trouble shifting it in the middle of winter for far more than the trade in value with the buyer knowing the bike was not BMW dealer serviced.
Recently my car an Audi, was due for a service and up until now I have managed to get good deals on servicing through the dealer, but I always ask for a 'quote' not an estimate as you always should. As with the BMW bike dealers they are very reluctant to give a quote they prefer to fob you off with 'about so much', then hit you with a big bill. When I asked this time I was given the fob off so did not book, later I got a call from the dealership reminding me that a service was due etc, and I told them they were not getting my business as they had failed to quote me the 'workshop time' and quote me the price.
Hey presto, a firm quote and a reduced rate was offered to me which I then accepted. As with all of this make sure they have to call first to authorize if additional work is required over the service you have been quoted for, later on they they then tried to hit me for £70 to replace 'a rubber thingy on the end of the metal shaft that drives the wheel sir', once I explained that I knew all of the component parts of the drive shaft and I would be able to get it done locally for a pint they said £25 then?, but ended up doing it for free! So over the four years this car has cost £150 a year to service which has been price worth it to me to keep the Audi FSH.
When I asked at the various BMW dealerships for a quote for the 05 GS bike service I was fobbed off and found it hard for them to commit to a price, I even asked Brain Giles at Pembury for a quote but he did not give me one and then said he would call me back with one, which he didn't, so I went back to Mark in Bromley. This was slightly dissapointing as I have heard good things about Brian and was keen to try him but he didn't want the business obviously. So it can be OK to keep it franchised dealer serviced if you are shrewd and it need not cost an excessive amount but you have to ask and be insistant. But with the BM bike I found it difficult, so after warranty opted to go independent route and it worked out fine, there are plenty of good ones out there!
And with the New 08 GS it will be into the dealers soon for its first service at a price that was negotiated as at the time of the sale so it featured in the cost comparision when I deciding who was going to give me a good deal on the new bike. After that I am not sure, it will be cheaper to service than the Servo braked models, as the brakes will be easier to do and take less workshop time, but I don't fancy paying £450 a throw - I could service my car for years and years for that much!
Hope this helps a bit.
JH
