is it worth dealer servicing my bike?

[birdseye]

My 2012 TC is due a service. Being and old phrrt, I learned to ride drive in the era when you did so on old bangers that you had to maintain yourself. So a routine service is childs play. However it seems to me that many younger riders dont understand basic engineering and so place a high value on a dealer service record. Not justified IMO but then my opinion doesnt matter that much when eventually it comes to selling the bike.

So what do you reckon? Is it worth the £200 the dealer wants to do an engine and gearbox oil change, or the £30 that it likely would cost me to do the work? And at what age of bike do you switch over from BMW dealer service to DIY?

 

[SteveM]

DIY IMHO

 

[fenj66]

for warranty issues you obviously need to keep up the dealer history.
if you might be selling it on in the near future it looks good to a potential buyer to have the full history on what will still be an expensive purchase.
if your planning on keeping the bike for a good few years i would do it all myself and keep all receipts for parts used and keep a record of all works done.

 

[mrjim130]

If your going to keep the bike, DIY is fine. If you want to set the next service or fault find, you'll need to get a GS911 tool.

 

[comberjohn]

Another way is to find a good independent mechanic. Ask here for recommendations for someone local. Much easier to pay.
I've had to maintain old bangers too in the last century but these aren't Austin A40's.
If you were selling your 2012 bike and asking the kind of price you would expect, I would run a mile without some kind of valid proof that it has been professionally serviced. Just doesn't have to be a BMW dealer.
Older the bike, less of an issue it becomes.

 

[birdseye]

Well I suppose I will have to go and waste £200 then. Seems daft to me - my father ran a car and truck dealership when I was younger so I know just how professional the professional mechanics really are!

Thanks for the comments anyway.

 

[kevingambrell]

I have serviced avery bike I have had with the exception of my last Hayabusa and that was keft to the dealers as it was a new bike.
I dont like the cost of going to a dealer but as was said further up this topic if you want to sell for decent money then a FSH is well
worth having.
Think about it this way, if you were going to buy a bike and you had a choice of two both at the same money. One with a FSH and one
with out which bike would you ride away on?
I hate to have to admit it but past iregular oil changes I will use a dealer for servicing on my 1200 jut on the off chance that I may
want to sell it.

 

[AustinW]

I service mine myself. It is very easy (in fact one of the easier bikes I have DIY serviced) and with the money "saved" I have invested in a second hand GS911 and a vacuum gauge.

All oils and filters are real easy as are valve clearances to check. Its shims to adjust the valves but looks easy enough. All 4 plugs are very accessible. Alternator belt is a wee bit fiddly but once I cut a rectangular piece of plastic out an old oil can it came off easy enough. re-fitting one is easy. With the GS911 throttle body balance is a simple enough task. Brake callipers are standard and easy enough to pull apart and clean/grease and changing pads is about as straightforward as it comes. Umm, thats it so far for me. I tend to spread servicing over 3-4 sessions of a couple or three hours at a time and take my time, use a torque wrench and the right tools. Haynes manual is good enough for guidance. Personally I find modern bikes far easier to service than older ones - they are better made and with EFI seem to stay in "shape" and in tune for longer. I have had the bike 2 years and 42,000 miles (now on 52,000)

Anything much bigger though and its off to a local mechanic.

 

[Smug]

If you can do it properly then do it yourself and you will save money and know that the job has been done correctly.

If you can't do it yourself then you have no choise but to pay.

Personally I wouldn't like to ride a bike that someone else had serviced or repaired.

 

[Sgt Bilco]

Well I suppose I will have to go and waste £200 then. Seems daft to me - my father ran a car and truck dealership when I was younger so I know just how professional the professional mechanics really are!

Thanks for the comments anyway.

I'd do it myself of get an independent. I don't think it will have any adverse effect on the resale and if it were done by a good independent, it would enhance teh value to someone with half a brain.

To be honest, I'd spend a tank full of fuel and run it across to Mikeyboy in Melton Mowbray. He will do a proper job and you will know everything has been done properly and you will have spent your money wisely. He also makes a decent brew and best of all, he cleans it.

 

[Sgt Bilco]

Personally I wouldn't like to ride a bike that someone else had serviced or repaired.

So you wouldn't ride or buy a bike unless it had been dealer serviced?

 

[Nice 'n' Fat]

for warranty issues you obviously need to keep up the dealer history

No you don't, but if you want to make a goodwill claim outside of the manufacturers warranty period then a dealer serviced bike will help your cause

 

[adventuredon]

"for warranty issues you obviously need to keep up the dealer history." No you don't! I have never been asked by BMW to see my record or service book when getting warranty work completed. Yes they have it logged on their system, but i don't think the dealerships and servicing are linked. So if you used 2 different dealers they wouldn't know. Even if they could, they haven't asked me to verify anything and I have had warranty on a few items. Again, how would a dealer servicing the oils avoid paying warranty on a part that is not in their service schedule like ABS, ESA..? Anyhow, all that is stipulated in the warranty is that it must be a genuine BMW part.

 

[adventuredon]

agreed completely. Nice 'n Fat. ..and when you use a different dealer, they don't like giving out goodwill. Goodwill comes from the fact you spend money in the 1 dealership, not because you spend money on a BMW product at differing locations....that's how I know the systems aren't linked ...@)

 

[Deleted account 190920001]

DIY, when I traded my 09 in for another bike the dealer couldn't care less. I kept a record and receipts for all the work I had done. The only dealer servicing I had done was while it was in warranty. I know I didn't have to but it was one service.

 

[nick.ct]

If it's just the recording the service history for future that's bothering you, service it yourself, take a few pics at the time of servicing and keep the receipts for the parts used.

When you come to sell the bike, any purchaser will be 'impressed' with the care you have lavished on your bike as proved by your record keeping.

 

[Nice 'n' Fat]

agreed completely. Nice 'n Fat. ..and when you use a different dealer, they don't like giving out goodwill. Goodwill comes from the fact you spend money in the 1 dealership, not because you spend money on a BMW product at differing locations....that's how I know the systems aren't linked ...@)

That's not been my experience as the goodwill often comes straight from BMW and it is them that will want to know what kind of service history your bike has. It will not matter to BMW which dealer you gave your hard earned to provided it was a dealer within their network. On occasion a percentage of the goodwill contribution may come from the repairing dealer and a contribution will sometimes be requested (by BMW) of the customer. It's often a benefit as a customer to make a contribution to a goodwill repair as by doing so the warranty on the spare parts used passes to the customer regardless of how much or little they contribute

I've always found BMW to be accommodating when a goodwill claim is requested provided you can back up your claim with confirmation of a BMW Motorrad service history

 

[adventuredon]

That's not been my experience as the goodwill often comes straight from BMW and it is them that will want to know what kind of service history your bike has. It will not matter to BMW which dealer you gave your hard earned to provided it was a dealer within their network. On occasion a percentage of the goodwill contribution may come from the repairing dealer and a contribution will sometimes be requested (by BMW) of the customer. It's often a benefit as a customer to make a contribution to a goodwill repair as by doing so the warranty on the spare parts used passes to the customer regardless of how much or little they contribute

I've always found BMW to be accommodating when a goodwill claim is requested provided you can back up your claim with confirmation of a BMW Motorrad service history

Unfortunately my experience with good will has been dour. I know that the goodwill budget(so to speak) is owned/provided by BMW head Office but each time I have asked I have been given a very firm no...That includes flappy valve first time, heated grip failure and switchgear...Anyhow, it is what it is..still love my bike!

 

[oyster]

Well I suppose I will have to go and waste £200 then. Seems daft to me - my father ran a car and truck dealership when I was younger so I know just how professional the professional mechanics really are!

Thanks for the comments anyway.

highly recommend Stroud motorcycle co, my bike feels a lot better than Dealer Serviced

 

[Martyn H]

highly recommend Stroud motorcycle co, my bike feels a lot better than Dealer Serviced

I'll second that. http://www.stroudmc.co.uk/