Fingers Crossed...

[Deleted account 210609001]

My bike's at the dealers having an oil leak between engine and gearbox investigated/sorted. It isn't a serious leak YET but moved beyond a little misting around the joint, to dripping oil underneath. As I'm about to head of to the wilds of Belgium (!) this weekend, I booked it in to be sorted - I don't want the leak to get worse and knacker the clutch.

What I'm hoping for is "It's all done, sir, new seals fitted, job went like clockwork, BMW GB agreed to do the lot as a goodwill gesture." (Bike is 2005 and I didn't extend the warranty due to cost at the time.)

What I'm fearing is "It's done, but clutch needed replacing. Tricky job and the tchnician struggled to pull the clutch off without resortign to a sledgehammer. Also need to order some parts so it won't be done until Friday. BMW say you should have extended the warranty when asked. That'll be £580,please."

So, as the title says: fingers crossed.

 

[ebbo]

I think my mate paid around half, he let them know he knew it was a known failure and they spoke to BMW, but he did the negotiating before getting it done

Good luck,

 

[Owen Snell]

I found an oil leak on my 05GS in the same place, gearbox seals on input shaft. I had bought is used from the Triumph dealer in Lincoln who had it in PX. The salesman looked a bit sheepish - my guess is that they spotted it when they cleaned the bike up and that their warranty was insurance based, so better to fix under warranty than to fix first. Anyway, they did it no problem, but BMW declined to help with the cost or parts. Said my bike was not on list with the known dodgy batch of seals.

Seems if you have an oil leak and it is from the dodgy batch, they fix it or contribute, otherwise not. Seal is still dodgy (my bike 6,000 miles when I bought it) either way

 

[Hexme]

Hope all goes well Robin

 

[Dickieboy]

Don't worry Robin, I mean what's the worst that could happen, it's only an oil leak

 

[Deleted account 210609001]

I think my mate paid around half, he let them know he knew it was a known failure and they spoke to BMW, but he did the negotiating before getting it done

Good luck,

Coopers have sorted me out in the past. It needs to be done either way - the only difference will be whether I feel mildly annoyed that it happened in the first place, or majorly hacked off at the inconvenienece AND the cost.

Don't worry Robin, I mean what's the worst that could happen, it's only an oil leak

You're one of those "cup half full" people I've heard about, aren't you?

 

[Deleted account 210609001]

Still Waiting...

... for the call. Better be tomorrow - if I can't pick it up until Friday, I'm not going to catch my ferry on Friday pm.

Can I take their loan bike abroad? Anyone done this?

 

[Deleted account 210609001]

Un-fecking-believable!

Despite (a) being booked in for the work three weeks in advance, at a date suggested by them, and in the knowledge that I needed it back by today and (b) despite me dropping it off at 8.30 on Tuesday morning as agreed, my bike has not yet been done!

In fact when I called them today at 12:00 to check all was well, THEY HADN'T EVEN STARTED THE WORK!! Apparently they've "been busy with breakdown work from the weekend." I struggled to explain that my bike was broken down and I'd booked it in weeks ago, so bikes that have broken down since shouldn't get priority.

Their initial proposal - "We'll do it as soon as we can but it won't be before the weekend" - wasn't good enough. After several calls, they eventually started work on it at three o'clock this afternoon. They hope to get it done by tomorrow afternoon. As the ferry I've booked for the camping trip to Belgium leaves at 2.20, this means I'll be travelling over late, on my own rather than with my friends, and reaching the campsite at midnight rather than 8.00. That's assuming they actually get it done tomorrow, and that it is done properly and doesn't fail on the way home or the way to Belgium. Dealer performance so far doesn't exactly inspire confidence...

I can't take the loan bike as it won't be covered by their insurance. I can only insure it third party as I don't own it. And anyway, I don't fancy riding soemone else's bike without all the proper paperwork overseas - I can just imagine some over-efficient Luxemborug cop seizing the bike and throwing me in jail.

Had they had a response to the "goodwill" claim to BMW GB for the original oil seal failure? Stony silence; they hadn't even started. When I said whether or not this was agreed, I was expecting a hearty discount for their appalling service and the disruption caused to me, I got a grudging "we might be able to do something."

This is not some backstreet garage, this is an all singing, all dancing BMW main dealer. What a shambolic farce! Now, where did I put that Triumph Tiger catalogue...

The bike dealrship "brand manager" is going to call me back tomorrow morning. He was on some BMW course today. I do hope he's in a generous mood.

 

[CeeJay]

Can't believe the difference in dealers.

I spotted my engine gearbox seal leak about 2 weeks before a trip to Scotland.... Arrgghhh I thought... my holidays ruined... Manchester and Southport could do anything for 3 weeks. Tried ther trusty old North Oxford and they claimed 3 weeks aswell...... Bugger it i thought I'll take it to NOG and then I can borrow my old mans bike while I'm down there... Take it down a week early and say I'll leave it with them while im away. 2 days before my trip I get a phone call, we've managed to fit your bike in and its all repaired and ready to go !! Bargain ! So my trip was back on, bike fixed and I had a mint time round Scotland. North Oxfords customer service is exceptional. No wonder they're always so bloody busy !!

 

[Paul Wakefield]

It never ceases to amaze me how NOG manage to get things done and are prepared to pull the stops out.


(Matt, about that discount on the next service.......................... )

 

[Deleted account 210609001]

Eventually got the "it's ready" call at 2.00 on Friday. I collected it at 3.30, and since then given a damn good thrashing - 630 miles to, round, and back from the Belgian Ardennes. All working fine.

The dealer, who eventually started to take things seriously, hasn't charged me anything yet. They say they are still "trying to sort the goodwill claim with BMW." I expect the dealer to meet the rest, although I might pay for the parts so I get the 12-months parts warranty.

On that basis (and that basis only) I think I can just about live with the farcical delay and resultant chaotic reorganisation of my weekend.

Now, I've had front engine plate corrosion (twice), fuel pump controller and now gerbox oil seal. If my EWS fails, do I get a set of six glasses or something?

(EDIT: I still love my bike. Can't think of anything I'd rather have been on for the weekend I've just been on, or indeed anything else I'm likely to do on a bike.)

 

[Wapping]

Eventually got the "it's ready" call at 2.00 on Friday. I collected it at 3.30, and since then given a damn good thrashing - 630 miles to, round, and back from the Belgian Ardennes. All working fine.


Now, I've had front engine plate corrosion (twice), fuel pump controller and now gerbox oil seal. If my EWS fails, do I get a set of six glasses or something?

(EDIT: I still love my bike. Can't think of anything I'd rather have been on for the weekend I've just been on, or indeed anything else I'm likely to do on a bike.)

One short I'm afraid. No final drive going kapput.

Glad it all worked out.

 

[good'oleboy]

Hey Robin glad your trip turned out OK. I've just bought this 1200 GS. conked out on 2 days after getting it home. Still have'nt figured out what went wrong. I talked to a mate join the ukGSer's he says I duly pays me 12 quid and here I am. And although all the guys and gals who chat here are a great bunch. I do keep thinking all these expensive bikes that break down and cause no end of hassle have one thing in common they appear to be the same faults. I really like the GS it does what it says on the tin, but... lets be positive and hope that it remains reliable. Canbus, WHY? for a bike thats supposed to go around the world it seems unduly complicated. maybe I'm missing something. Can I here a positive story so I can sleep with that silly grin on me face after a good day with the boys.

 

[Deleted account 210609001]

One short I'm afraid. No final drive going kapput.

Glad it all worked out.

You're local-ish. If you fancy a weekend jaunt, maybe we could get a group of GSers out for a weekend?

Hey Robin glad your trip turned out OK. I've just bought this 1200 GS. conked out on 2 days after getting it home. Still have'nt figured out what went wrong. I talked to a mate join the ukGSer's he says I duly pays me 12 quid and here I am. And although all the guys and gals who chat here are a great bunch. I do keep thinking all these expensive bikes that break down and cause no end of hassle have one thing in common they appear to be the same faults. I really like the GS it does what it says on the tin, but... lets be positive and hope that it remains reliable. Canbus, WHY? for a bike thats supposed to go around the world it seems unduly complicated. maybe I'm missing something. Can I here a positive story so I can sleep with that silly grin on me face after a good day with the boys.

The positive story is that we had such a good time and, as I said, I wouldn't change it for any other bike. Charging out of corners, being able to enjoy the scenery without breaking your neck, steady 100 down the autoroutes. What else could you want?

 

[Deleted account 210609001]

End of the saga: the dealers phoned me today to say that BuMW weren't up for a goodwill contribution but because of the faffing around, they (the dealer) would stand the labour costs if I could see my way clear to paying for the parts - £45. I don't know what the labour charge would have been, but I'm guessing the cost to me would be three or four hundred at least.

So, in summary: Bike broke much sooner than it should, and for aknown problem. The dealer f*cked up. They just about recovered the situation to meet my deadlines. And they're not charging me.

All in all, I'm happy.