EWS Farce

  • Thread starter Thread starter big gav
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big gav

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Hello.

I am new here.

I have just traded in a KTM Super Duke for a 08 GS. Right now I am wondering why. Let me explain...

I ordered the bike 10 days ago from North Oxford BMW. A GS riding friend at work said "Before you pick it up, get them to change the ring antenna for the new one. Check out the forum's - the ring antennas are crap"

So, I came on your lovely forum and saw the numerous threads on EWS warnings and took down the part number of the new "safe" ring antenna.

I call NOG on Tuesday last week, as I was due to pick my brand new bike up on Thursday last week. The phone call went as follows...

"Hello. Please could you fit the new ring antenna part number xxxx - 247 before I pick my bike up, because I am told that all the other ones fail"

Pause and then a response from them as though I had just asked them to gold plate the whole damn bike...

"Why on earth do you want us to do that?!"

"Because I have heard they are crap and they always fail and are due for a recall"

"Who told you that?"

"I read it on the forum"

"Hah! The forums! You don't want to believe the forums! They exaggerate things! Trust me. I have been riding BMW's for years and it has never happened to me. There is nothing to worry about. They are fine. If they weren't, we would know about it."

"No, seriously, please just swap it over. It is a £30 part. This is a £12k bike. I could really do without the hassle of the bike breaking down."

"No, sorry sir, we can't do that. We can't replace a part until it fails."

Anyway, like a fool I relented and let it go, and picked my bike up on Thursday without them changing the ring antenna over"

Today is Tuesday, I have done 370 miles on it, I go to start it after work 2 hours ago and surprise frickin' surprise, the EWS sign flashes up and the thing wont start.

BMW Assistance say it will be 90 mins for a car to "assess" the bike, and another 90 minutes after that for a recovery truck. I will be lucky to get home by 10pm. It is now 7pm and no sign of anyone.

I ring NOG and (lucky for him) the salesman is on his day off. The very nice Matt from service then tells me that the recall letter went out last Friday, the day after I picked my bike up. Do you think they just might have known about this problem and the recall when I asked them about it last Tuesday?!

Anyway, words fail me.

A great welcome to the world of BMW, their dealers and their Assistance service.

Big Gav

P.S. The silver lining to all may just be that Matt said he would wait back tonight at NOG for me to arrive on the recovery truck and give me a loan bike. My cynicism says that he probably wont be there and that will just be the final straw, but if he is true to his word, then he is a top man (he didn't need to do that).
 
I'd insist that the guy who fobbed you off stay and wait for you to arrive :green gri
 
Perhaps he's going to try and sell you one of their little cars.


Then you'll truly have had a mini adventure!
 
Big Gav

I know it's really frustrating and there is no justification for it at all.

However, once you've calmed down and got your bike bakc, I'd say the crowing rights this gives you over the salesman will be well worth it. Make sure you give him hell - recount the whole saga to him in front of his boss and ask for an explanation of why he didn't fit the part you requested.

I have a friend who had a few issues with a new 1200RT from a dealer. Put simply, it hadn't been PDI'd properly and left the showroom with some seriously dangerous defects. I think he has free servicing from now until hell freezes over...
 
Someone on here made a big rumpus about a bit of run out on their rear wheel and came away with a free Akrapovic silencer. Wasn't me, unfortunately. I just meekly gave in....

So give 'em hell and look for some serious bling.....
 
If I may ...

When did the recall become 'official'? Was it before your call to NOG, or after?

If it was after, then you were basically asking the dealer to replace a (then) perfectly good part (at least that's how BMW would see it when it came to NOG trying to claim under warranty to BMW) just because of an internet forum? The cheek of some dealers:blast Perhaps put the lynching mob on hold for now?
 
Hi Big Gav

Welcome to the forum. Thats a bit of a change there from a supeduke to a GS. I'd be interested on your thouughts once you get a chance to know your GS a bit.

I have an 08GSA which I got in late April but have not had the chance to rack up much miles on it. All the talk on here about the EWS had made me a bit nervous about long trips. I'm hopin that this recall their talkin about means I'll get mine replaced at latest at the first service.

I have an 05 superduke as well and just could not bring myself to trade or sell it when I was getting the GSA. I just luv the thing. I luv ridin the GSA as well. Both bikes are completely different but both really great in there own way.

Anyway all the best with the bike when you get it sorted.
 
Thanks for all your messages. Just got back home about 9.00pm.

Matt the service manager at NOG was true to his word and did wait for me and was still waiting for me when I finally got there at 8.15pm.

The icing on the cake came when the SOS recovery van very nearly reversed over my bike as he left. Now that would have been a story...

Matt was great - loan bike ready and waiting for me out front.

Top Man. If only more people at BMW or NOG were like him.
 
Big Gav,

I have had the EWS issue 4 times (see previous threads).

Matt at NOG is a top bloke and take it from someone who can genuinely say "I've been there" when you get your bike back it will be worth it.

This is my third GSA (now have an 08 Magma Red one) and I've done 6,000 miles on it since February, I've had about 50 bikes in my time and nothing comes close to the GSA (in my opinion).

Your troubles should now be over and hopefully you will enjoy many trouble free miles.

Enjoy
 
Will said:
If I may ...

When did the recall become 'official'? Was it before your call to NOG, or after?

If it was after, then you were basically asking the dealer to replace a (then) perfectly good part (at least that's how BMW would see it when it came to NOG trying to claim under warranty to BMW) just because of an internet forum? The cheek of some dealers:blast Perhaps put the lynching mob on hold for now?
Click to expand...

It's not a recall apparently it's a campaign which basically seems to mean dealers do the work when the bikes come in for servicing rather than get people in specially.
 
Letter

Thunder said:
Never thought of that, your right I suppose, I only got the details when I asked about it and when I questioned why no direct contact was told about the campaign bit.
Click to expand...

I checked with my local BMW shop - they told me that:

1. My bike/VIN ('08 GS ADV) was not affected.
2. In Norway at least all affected wil get letters directly from BMW Norway (my understanding is that this is an automated process with the DOT reg section database).
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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