Exceeding BMW service interval.

[RichLew]

By how many miles can you exceed the BMW service schedule and retain a full warranty?
My 800GS is due for a service at 6600 miles. I am going to Morocco in September (2800 mile trip). The bike's mileage will be around 7200 miles on return. I have tried to get some sense from BMW customer services (see email below) but they will not commit to what they would accept as a reasonable margin by which the service mileage can be exceeded. The result is that I will have to fork out £185 on a service with half the service mileage yet to run. I might as well throw £90 away! At the end of the day everything has a tolerance.
Does anybody know how many miles I can get away with?????


Dear Mr L

Thank you for you further email dated July 26, 2012, in regards to the servicing of your motorcycle.

As previously advised, the figure that is quoted in the Owner’s Handbook is an approximate figure only. The service may be carried out prior to this mileage, as the service light may illuminate. However, BMW UK would never recommend that a customer exceeds the stated mileage.

Additionally, your motorcycle’s two year Dealer Warranty will not be directly affected, should you decide not to follow our recommendations to not exceed 6000 miles. However, if a fault becomes apparent which has been caused by failure to adhere to our servicing guidelines, any repair work would not be covered under warranty.

Nonetheless, if you are outside of the UK when your bike requires service work, I can only recommend that you take it along to the BMW Motorrad Approved Dealership which is most local to you at that time.

Once again, thank you for contacting BMW UK . I trust the information clarifies our position on this matter.

Yours sincerely

BMW UK
Craig Pickett
Customer Service Executive
Ellesfield Avenue
Bracknell RG12 8TA
Tel: +44 (0)870 5050 160
Fax: +44 (0)870 5050 205
Mailto: [email protected]
URL: www.bmw.co.uk

 

[Kahuna]

Just my 2p's worth - As stated in the letter - if you don't have a defect that appears on the trip after 6k you will likely be OK and I would bet if it happened up to 7.2k you would be fine too - with the argument that there was no dealer in close proximity.

However the problems may lie later, if you have a defect appears at say 15k and the dealers suggest that the defect started because of contaminated oil or something during your extended service period - then they would have the opportunity to bounce any claim. When you get the service done be sure that they record all was A-OK.

My dealer has always been brilliant and that sort of over run (600 on a 6k service) would be no problem for him (Coopers Sunderland).

Don't get too worried - just enjoy the ride.

 

[GS_or_bust]

I think they have made it fairly clear. If you exceed the 6000 miles interval they will not automatically cancel your warranty. However any damage done by delaying the service will not be covered which makes sense to me.

Your choices are:
'Waste' £90 on an early service and know that you will never have to argue about future warranty work.
Book a service at a BMW dealer in the south of Spain to get it done at the right time but waste a day of your trip.
Get it serviced when you get back and take the risk that they might query some element of future warranty work.

Personally I would go with option 1 and consider it a small extra cost on the Morocco trip. Once you are riding through Morocco you will forget about it, you will be having such a good time.

 

[Spout]

...and after 3000 miles of Moroccan roads/pistes the bike will need another service.

Mileage between services isn't as important as the way it's been ridden and the terrain it's been ridden on.

No harm in pampering your bike with "extra" services.

It could save your life.

 

[ferrol]

What's the option of going early?

Always been 2000 miles early on my bike as bought at 10k with 12k done, the 16k had 18k service.

Bike is still in warranty.

 

[v8legend]

Book a service at a BMW dealer in the south of Spain to get it done at the right time but waste a day of your trip.

This would be my option. Spain's in the crap at the moment, so you'd probably get a good deal. All you need is a stamp in the book. There might even be a dealer in Morocco. I'm sure you can find this info via the local Motoradd website. Unless it's a really big service, then it should take no more than 2 hours. Call them, tell them you're on a trip, they'll probably do it whille you wait.

 

[ricfrench]

I'd say get yourself an oil and filter change for now and go on your jollies

 

[jonnie comet]

I'd say get yourself an oil and filter change for now and go on your jollies

You beat me to it.........

 

[Blackal]

I was told 1000 miles outwith the interval - based on your last service.

i.e. - if your 6k service was at 6.5k, you could run to 13.5k and stay in warranty.

(I think)

Al

 

[Doofus]

Hi

I bought an approved used BMW bike for which they messed-up the mileage they thought it had when they sold it, meaning the 12k service was already late. When I mentioned the defective service history as one of the consequences of the mileage mess up they waved it away with an assurance that anything up to 1k late was fine. Of course it was in their interest to tell me this having messed-up on the bike sale!

Darren

 

[RichLew]

I'm struggling to decide whether or not to get the bike dealer serviced before or after the trip. I suppose the root of the issue for me is the fact that the service is so expensive (£185 for an oil change and a quick look around the bike).
Getting it serviced in Spain on the way home is a good idea, I just dont think it would be fair for the other five guys on the trip to have to hang around for me whilst it is done.
If I drop the oil and filter myself before the trip it will cost me a good £40? which I might as well put towards the dealer service.
Cheers
Rich

 

[Animal]

I'd get a full service before you go and a minor oil and check-over service when you get back.

Worth it just for peace of mind.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[JJH]

Lets get some sence on this tou dint have to get main dealer service on a new bike to keep warrenty as long as you use genuine parts. So why not bring oil and filter if you are so worried about it.personally i would not bother.

 

[ricfrench]

Have your service done, but have it done by a BMW specialist instead of main dealer, much cheaper and your warrantee will still be in tact as its not a warrantee condition that it HAS to be BMW main dealer.

 

[StumpyFingers]

I would have the bike serviced before going abroad.
If it is serviced you should expect it to be trouble free while away.
If it is left and something goes wrong you could lose the warranty and a lot more dosh with recovery and repair bills.