Good dealers

[Johnny Davies]

Hi everyone,

Wouldn't mind you views on good dealers in the south (east & west), as I've had very mixed experiences with a few and haven't been able to settle on one which I feel I can trust.

My experiences to date:

I live in Hampshire and bought my bike from SPC (RIP) and the service was alright - as it will always be when you buying a bike! I had it serviced there until it went under and things were OK.
Then I took it to Vines in Guildford, who were OK but not great! For example, when I went to pick my bike up they couldn't find it and I had to wait 10mins until they did and even then the guy didn't look like he knew his way around a bike and looked like he might drop it - so had to cut in and rescue my pride and joy from the fool. Overall not a great start, also it looked like they had car technicains working on bikes - in my opinion a recipe for disaster and the bike didn't feel quite right. You know that feeling you get when it doesn't feel all in order. So was left feeling a little cold from the experience.
Finally (and the for the last time) I took it Bahnstormers at the old SPC site, and to say it was a shit experience would be an understatement - IF YOU GUYS AT BAHNSTORMER ARE READING THIS TAKE NOTE AND BUCK UP YOUR IDEAS AND FIRE THAT NO GOOD SERVICE MANAGER, HE IS SHIT. Its too long to go into but the first word out of thier mouths was 'NO', no we can't do this, no we can't do that, no thats an issue for BMW and so on, and to top it off they started to add jobs and parts to the job sheet that I didn't even authorise! Surfice to say I will go back there and recommend you don't go there.

So I'm left with not a great deal of immediate local choice but don't mind travelling for good service.

Any ideas would be great
Thanks
Johnny

 

[JohnnyOldBoy]

Johnny,

Sorry to hear you had a bad experience but I found the opposite. I booked in for a service, described what extra work needed doing and agreed a price.

I was offered a loan bike or pick up from home ?

All done, in the time specified and to the price.

Very happy and would recommend them.

John

 

[Sparky GS'r]

Johnny, I have to totally disagree with your comments about Bahnstormers. I have been using them since they opened last year and have found them, polite, informative and the best BMW service centre I have ever dealt with. Free collection and delivery and great communications.

Check out the dealer section near the bottom of the forum, most would agree with me.

If you really have a problem, then either try North Oxford BMW or CW Motorcycles in Dorset. I have had some dealings with North Oxford and they too are very good.

 

[Nigel Statham]

More choices

Try CW in Dorchester, had 2 bikes from them and always good service. Or if you fancy a bit of a trip, Ocean BMW in Plymouth have given great service and are very approachable and friendly. Got my 1200ADV there and had it serviced. Nice mini cafe as well

 

[paddy]

Whinger Johnny

I think you should be careful what you say in blogs like this when you do not offer any real evidence of wrong doing by either BMW garage.


I am a Vines customer and have always found them really polite, helpful and above all keen to please. Also I don't know many car Techs who work on bikes.

Sounds like you may be the one with the PROBLEM. PAL.

 

[Johnny Davies]

I think you should be careful what you say in blogs like this when you do not offer any real evidence of wrong doing by either BMW garage.


I am a Vines customer and have always found them really polite, helpful and above all keen to please. Also I don't know many car Techs who work on bikes.

Sounds like you may be the one with the PROBLEM. PAL.

Maybe, but you have to say it how you see it sometimes, and with any blog - not just this one, opinions and views will always vary. Nuff said. PAL.

 

[MarkN]

I have dealt with CW Motorcycles in Dorchester for the last 22 years and would recommend them to anyone. They're not always the cheapest place to go but you do get value for money and workmanship to a very high standard. They don't finish in the top 3 dealers every year in the Rider Power survey for nothing.

They have a great service department headed up by Wally and Darren and they'll always go that extra mile to get things done right.

I now know them so well I will only buy my bikes from CW's or Sideways (same owner and service) as I know where I stand with them and like to repay the loyalty that they show me.

Cheers

Mark