Getting new GS - would have been RS but let down by BMW

[fred_jb]

Mine brought me a cup of tea in the garage a while back and said enquiringly” oh do you still have the Moto Guzzi then?” ..... I’d told her I’d bought the Honda 2 years earlier to replace the Guzzi ..... she left and I never heard another word about it .

Unfortunately my wife is much more attentive to my motorcycle "investments" and no way would a change of bike escape her scrutiny! To be fair she is quite involved, as she started doing European trips with me when I got the GS, albeit sometimes as a "Ryanair pillion" since she often cheats and flies out to meet me somewhere warm and scenic, leaving me to do the shlepping south through France, or braving the rough Bay of Biscay seas on the ferries when heading for Spain.

Fred

 

[fred_jb]

I don't think that it will do you any harm to write - I have always found them to be very amenable. Keep to the facts, avoid any inflamatory or agressive wording and be reasonable. A friendly approach always seems to get a favourable response. Also, when they do reply (or call you), have an idea of what you would like in recompense. Discounts, servicing and accessories might be easier than cash!

Good luck.

Thanks - I will probably do that, and you never know - they might offer something.

 

[Matty589]

Given that you were never told a delivery date, not sure why BMW UK need to offer anything? It was announced, but dealers will take a deposit on anything that has been mentioned, whether it is in manufacture or not. Surely the dealer should be doing the offering?

 

[fred_jb]

Given that you were never told a delivery date, not sure why BMW UK need to offer anything? It was announced, but dealers will take a deposit on anything that has been mentioned, whether it is in manufacture or not. Surely the dealer should be doing the offering?

Well there was a lot of information out there from various sources, but presumably originally from BMW, that suggested availability in March. The new R1250RS was shown at EICMA in I think October, and I sat on one at the NEC show in November, so I think March availability was a reasonable expectation, and to effectively completely cancel the 2019 model year for the RS after the new model had done the rounds of the shows seems to be an unprecedented move which has caught out a lot of people including all UK dealers.

To be fair to my dealer, they have already been very helpful and the deal I have been given does somewhat reduce the cost disparity between the RS I had originally ordered and the GS I now have on order, though I do still have to find some additional unbudgeted cash. The bigger problem is that despite this, swapping from GS to RS once the latter is available sometime after September, would still be costly for me unless BMW were to step in and support the dealer to do a no-cost swap for me, which is what I would ideally like. Given the circumstances I don't think it would be fair for the dealer to take the hit on any such deal, but I don't think I should lose out either.

Fred

 

[Rushy]

Unfortunately my wife is much more attentive to my motorcycle "investments" and no way would a change of bike escape her scrutiny! To be fair she is quite involved, as she started doing European trips with me when I got the GS, albeit sometimes as a "Ryanair pillion" since she often cheats and flies out to meet me somewhere warm and scenic, leaving me to do the shlepping south through France, or braving the rough Bay of Biscay seas on the ferries when heading for Spain.

Fred

Oh Louise is involved alright , she used to come pillion everywhere until Phoebe was born 9 years ago . We even did a 10 day 3500 miles Baltic Tour in 2008 prior to the baby. . I bought the Guzzi to get her back on pillion but it only happened once, I bought the Honda a few years later to replace the Guzzi and she’s well aware of the difference.

 

[Baked Bean]

The last two bikes have been bought with the idea of the misses going pillion again after kids , i just forget to sell the last one Up to three now Hopefully get around to a bit more touring this year.

 

[falernia]

The bigger problem is that despite this, swapping from GS to RS once the latter is available sometime after September, would still be costly for me unless BMW were to step in and support the dealer to do a no-cost swap for me, which is what I would ideally like. Given the circumstances I don't think it would be fair for the dealer to take the hit on any such deal, but I don't think I should lose out either.

Fred

I had a not too dissimilar situation on a 5 Series a few years ago (although I suspect that my claim was not as stong as yours). With my dealers approval, I approached BMW direct and they were very sympatetic to my cause. Initially they offered a discount off a new car, however I explained that my dealer would offer me the same discount as a repeat customer. I then suggested that if they would meet me half way on the depreciation of my current vehicle, that would seem fair. Without hesitation, they agreed. £4500 - Result.

I think that this could work for you too.

 

[fred_jb]

I had a not too dissimilar situation on a 5 Series a few years ago (although I suspect that my claim was not as stong as yours). With my dealers approval, I approached BMW direct and they were very sympatetic to my cause. Initially they offered a discount off a new car, however I explained that my dealer would offer me the same discount as a repeat customer. I then suggested that if they would meet me half way on the depreciation of my current vehicle, that would seem fair. Without hesitation, they agreed. £4500 - Result.

I think that this could work for you too.

That's encouraging - thanks for posting.

Fred