Full BMW history saved my bacon

[Cornwallis]

I've heard the pros and cons for main dealer servicing once the two year warranty has expired, so I wanted to share a recent experience that's convinced me that the pros are greater than the cons.

One month before my 06 plate GS was five years old, I needed to have an ABS pump at over of £1500 fitted. Yes, it did make me pucker-up a bit when I received the news! As a major component, and with a full BMW service history on the bike, my dealer managed to get BMW to pay for the part which saved me around £1300. I just paid £225 for the labour and brake fluid.

So, if anyone has a bike with a full BMW history, my advice is to get a service in just before it's five years old.

 

[Pukmeister]

Deja Vu, must be a glitch in the Matrix.

 

[MacFarlane]

Good dealer.

Braking news, ABS is great................. at £1500, I'll pray to a different God

 

[Goose]

we are always quick to judge and slow to praise!

Well done to you and the dealership!!

 

[Slowdown]

On the flip side, I service myself.

Say a dealer service averages out at £200 a pop and I do 12000 miles a year. Doing it myself costs say £50 in parts/oil etc, so I'm saving £300 a year. Over 5 years that's £1500. So I'd be £225 better off than you if I was in the same position. Not that I've got an ABS pump, but you get the jist.

Just saying, like.....

 

[Rasher]

Funny how when you buy the bike ABS is a £995 add on, when it goes wrong just part of it is £1300.

Lets hope nobody's dynamic pack fails!

A great result from your dealer, if BMW had some consistency I would stick with their bikes and dealer servicing, but I cannot figure out how they pay up in full for a relatively uncommon £1300 part, yet tell owners with low mileage FD failures to p*** off, and refuse to replace £80 FPC's which have failed - due to their own design flaws and poor quality.

The dilema is you can save a lot of money by dodging BMW servicing, but to gain firstly you need a very large (or several smaller) failures AND for BMW to agree to cover the cost.

Seeing as they won't even send me the bloody warranty book I should have received when I bought the bike I won't be trusting my dealer to give me any £1300 freebies.

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

But I cannot figure out how they pay up in full for a relatively uncommon £1300 part

I bought the bike I won't be trusting my dealer to give me any £1300 freebies.

ABS Pump, not an uncommon part to fail.....................more common than you would believe - especially Servo ABS pumps

 

[Rasher]

ABS Pump, not an uncommon part to fail.....................more common than you would believe - especially Servo ABS pumps

But not as common as the FD / FPC / EWS I hope.

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

But not as common as the FD / FPC / EWS I hope.

Pretty common

 

[Cornwallis]

I get the feeling that your friendly BMW dealer will pursue any major component failure providing the bike is less that 5 years old and has full history. I'm therefore surprised that an FD isn't considered as being a major component. I've had fuel pump controller and ring antenna failures but they're not considered as major components.

On related note, when my bike was less than 2 years old and under warranty, it wouldn't start and Mondial arranged a recovery but they failed to turn-up. It was a bit inconvenient but they arrived after a second attempt. My dealer was surprised at this and suggested I kick-off. I did and walked away with a £200 gesture of good will.

However, I should add that if I could do all of the routine servicing myself, including the 24K and the bleed test, I probably would......