Just had a 12000 mile Service at SPC.

[fatnfast]

Just had a 12000 service at SPC. Included in this was a brake fluid change (which is not part of this service normally).

Good Points:
1. Even though I booked this over a month ago they were expecting me and had the correct details of what I had asked them to do.
2. My bike occasionally cuts out after a high speed thrash, then pulling up quickly - ie approaching round-a-bouts. I reported this on the day, and the service seems to have sorted this out.
3. I marked all the parts to be changed with 'tipex' including the rocker covers, brake reservoir cap, air filter box cover. All marks had been disturbed, a good sign that valves etc were checked.
4. I needed to pick my boy up from school early, told them, and they made sure it was finished and ready in time.
5. Free internet, coffee.
6. The bike appears to be running noticeably better.

Bad Points:
1. £20+vat for a loan bike or hang around the shop for 5 hours, bit salty that.
2. The loan bike had very little fuel, so first stop was a garage (they had no fuel at SPC).
3. Oil filled above the top of the sight glass - only just, and I know what a pig these bikes are to check, but still....
4. Thats about it, Service staff were very polite.

Cost:
£278 all in. This also included a brake fluid change.

But......
A mate came with me to check out the F650 Dakar. The guy there was not interested in helping/showing him around or discussing prices (he is considering a second hand one).

Verdict:
A fine service and recommended, although that guy is losing them sales! And why do we pay for a loan bike?

 

[ianf]

Just had a 12,000 mile service from Steptoe. Over a hundred quid less, including annual bits, and the 95,000 mile GS to tootle about on for the day.

Much better balancing/sync than it ever had after an SPC service as well.

He never washed it though....

 

[Mouse]

My 12,000 mile service from Southport Superbikes was similarly priced to the Steptoe product.

£278 seems very steep.

 

[Ste@SSB]

Loan bikes ... oh good god ... I have nightmares about them ... we have too many ... but not enough ... they are all too big - too -fast - too small - not fast enough ...
We also try to rely on customers putting fuel in them ... but nobody ever does ... which is a bit cheeky when they actually cost us money to run and insure ... we also rely on the customer actually telling us that they need one before they appear at my counter ... sometimes my psychic power runs low ...

We've even had cheeky barstewards asking ... no ... demanding one as they cannot possibly wait around while there bike is being mot'd ...

We don't charge for ours ... but only because I don't think I could get away with it ... if our insurance keeps going up we will have to in future ... as it is now ... if you bend it ... you mend it ... (unless its not your fault)

Hopefully this year our courtesy bikes will all be F650s of some flavour or other ... I am sure that some people will complain as its not a "big bike" but thats the way it is ...

Ianf ... did you expect him to wash your bike?... only asking as its something we don't currently do ... we clean up after ourselves but thats it ...would you have paid extra to have it cleaned or did you just presume that they would?...

 

[Droopy Dick]

SPC seem to be very good about washing the bike.

Of course, the cost is wrapped up in the overall service cost, but it's still a nice touch.

They absolutely HATE dealing with Baglux tank covers though .......

 

[ianf]

Ianf ... did you expect him to wash your bike?... only asking as its something we don't currently do ... we clean up after ourselves but thats it ...would you have paid extra to have it cleaned or did you just presume that they would?...

Yes, I was outraged ...

 

[GSAde]

originally posted by Ste@SSB

Ianf ... did you expect him to wash your bike?... only asking as its something we don't currently do ... we clean up after ourselves but thats it ...would you have paid extra to have it cleaned or did you just presume that they would?...

My car is much cheaper to service than my bike (12,24 & 36K+MOT main agent services added together only came to £350 AND it is always cleaned - so why can't bike dealers do it at their highly inflated prices, never mind paying extra for such a "service"

Ade

 

[Shep]

Hi all

My 12000 service was about the same (£278.00) but included the BMW annual inspection and a loan bike. SPC again.

Regards Shep

 

[Steptoe]

Ianf ... did you expect him to wash your bike?... only asking as its something we don't currently do ...

He's winding you all up -with his tongue stuck firmly in cheek -

i don't wash my own bike - so i'm certainly not going to wash a LAZY customers bike, thats what a wifes for

 

[judge]

Steppers has serviced my bikes for two years - he never washes them and usually leaves indicators of where he has been on the bike during servicing - coppaslip fingerprints everywhere!! I guess thats a bit like you did when you tipp-ex'd all the bits SPC should have touched.

So I have a policy of taking the bike to him as dirty as possible and then wash it after his coppaslipped mits have done their worst.

The moral of this story....

Next time when you go to Stepper's you can save yourself over a ton a bottle of tipp-ex!!

 

[Ste@SSB]

He's winding you all up -with his tongue stuck firmly in cheek -

i don't wash my own bike - so i'm certainly not going to wash a LAZY customers bike, thats what a wifes for

Ha ... erm ... can I phone a friend?... oh no wait ... I think the answer is "bang to rights" ...

Some people do think that its gonna come out clean ... dunno why ... if someone wanted their bike cleaning ... I would nail their hat on for every minute ...

 

[ianf]

On a serious note...

I think the washing after a service thing probably stems from BMW as a whole, and particularly down south. I know folk (and used to do this as well) that simply never cleaned their company bmw cars and let the dealer do it once all the little lights on the dashboard had gone out every 6 months or so.

SPC washed my bike a year ago, but it was a foul february day. I had 30 miles of A/M roads to go home, it looked the same as it went in.

I bet on a modern big car like an E-Class or 5 series. It takes a lot less time to change the oil, and check ECU log than it does to valet the car to the satisfaction of the typical co. car owner.

I just bung the local russian car wash £12 to clean the wife's wheels every month, much cheaper.

 

[Ste@SSB]

I think that washing your bike is one of the most important things an owner can do ... if something is hanging off or leaking you would probably notice it whilst cleaning ... well ... I would hope so ...

But then some people just use them like a car ... if it starts ... its good enough ... they get a big bill somewhere down the line ...

 

[Deleted Member I]

SPc used to clean the bike after a service, as a "little bit extra". There was no additional charge as such, but nothing is ever free in life ...


They seem to have stop that. Probably was costing them money they couldn't recoup in the rates and probably people don't value it.

 

[Pint6x]

I'm there this weekend for 12k + annual - will tell all afterwards