Long Term GS Ownership - Post Warranty

[cookie]

(assuming they pay out).

i think that's the important bit. don't forget who's behind those guarantees, insurance companies

they love to pay

bought a vw extended guarantee for mrs cookie's vw golf, bunch of crap. they even had 2 different schedules. one they gave us when we paid and another they used when we claimed

not bothered on her new car.

i'd keep the 280 quid in my pocket personally, but then i'd be fixing anything myself

 

[Micky]

Soooo true!

i think that's the important bit. don't forget who's behind those guarantees, insurance companies

they love to pay

bought a vw extended guarantee for mrs cookie's vw golf, bunch of crap. they even had 2 different schedules. one they gave us when we paid and another they used when we claimed

not bothered on her new car.

i'd keep the 280 quid in my pocket personally, but then i'd be fixing anything myself

Bought a new VW Camper when I retired, when the twelve months was almost up THEY invited me to pay £700 for an extended further three year warranty. Now I'm no gambler, but I thought that if THEY were prepared to cover me for whatever, taking seven hundred quid off me... I'll call their bluff, and gambled, and didn't pay it... and won

Ten years later it's not cost me so much as a bulb

 

[JimVonBaden]

...

That only leaves the corrosion issues to deal with. Maybe I've just got to buy a new front engine plate every year

...

Pardon my very likely ignorance on this, but what would be the effect of having it powder coated? Seems like a decent, inexpensive, longer term solution.

Jim

 

[Gipsy]

I suspect that most of us here have heard tales of 3rd party warranties not being worth the paper they are written on, but does anyone have any actual experience of using on of these policies? I too am very concerned about the possible costs involved in GS1200 long term ownership, and even though I'm not pleading poverty, I don't intend tying myself into a cycle of renewing a bike every 2 or 3 years.

 

[BBB61]

Doing a bit of research found this link to a discussion on the Tiger forum. If you have a look round, you'll see similar corrosion issues on the later Tigers.....but you get to ride round on a top heavy bouncy castle as well

Bit of a touchy bunch there. I contributed to the thread and some complete merchant banker (who I have crossed swords with before over at triumphrat.net) got so touchy when I told the tales of my Triumph experiences

PS Its on page 7

 

[GSmonkey]

Pardon my very likely ignorance on this, but what would be the effect of having it powder coated? Seems like a decent, inexpensive, longer term solution.

...not sure about inexpensive. Still got to arrange to have the plate removed (doesn't look that simple), blasted, coated, re-fitted. All this time the bike is off the road.

 

[Barrie]

I can not believe all the problems you guys have had with the 1200 GS !
I would go mad if I had all that, it would have underminded my confidence and I would sell.
I have an 87 Harley (since new) never let me down yet.......my 1150 GS has been perfect for the past three years, I would not change it for a new 1200 after hearing all your problems.....
Barrie.

 

[Flip]

Extreme PARANOIA springs to mind.

 

[GSmonkey]

Extreme PARANOIA springs to mind.

...not really, my bike is just back from 3 weeks in the garage with the full drive train in bits having new seals installed in engine, gearbox and bevel box. New clutch. New rear disc. New throttle cable. New seat catch + a service. This is on a 19.5k bike. It will be going back next year (just before warranty is up) to sort corrosion on the front engine plate, rocker covers and front wheel. This probably equates to £1500+ of work. Just made me think about post warranty times.

Don't get me wrong, I still think the GS is the best bike to ride bar none.

 

[ianm00]

...not really, my bike is just back from 3 weeks in the garage with the full drive train in bits having new seals installed in engine, gearbox and bevel box. New clutch. New rear disc. New throttle cable. New seat catch + a service. This is on a 19.5k bike. It will be going back next year (just before warranty is up) to sort corrosion on the front engine plate, rocker covers and front wheel. This probably equates to £1500+ of work. Just made me think about post warranty times.

Don't get me wrong, I still think the GS is the best bike to ride bar none.

Im feeling the same. My previous bike was VFR800VTEC no problems in the three years that I had it. I only had the first 600mile service done at the dealer as I was convinced of its quality and reliability. I did 35000miles on this bike.

However my 1200GS March 2005:
Less than 6000miles and the ABS provides intermittent faults. After having rear ABS sensor replaced twice, I ended up having a complete new ABS sysytem fitted.(All ABS sensors, ABS control unit and complete wiring loom).

Not long after this the fuel guage failed resulting in complete new fuel pump assembly being replaced.

Last week I had the gearbox oil leak (now 15000miles) resulting in all 3 gearbox seals and complete clutch assembly being replaced.

All this on a bike which is only 9months old!

Normally I wouldn't even bother with Dealer servicing as I can do my own servicing but with all these problems I have had to have it serviced to keep the warantee valid.

Im not sure what I will do after the 2 years either.

Surely there must be a way of getting these concerns fed back to BMW maybe they will provide extra warentee to bikes with major problems. This should definitely not happen on a 10K bike. This is my first BMW and Im not at all convinced with the "so-called BMW quality"

Ian

 

[ianboydsnr]

Bit of a touchy bunch there. I contributed to the thread and some complete merchant banker (who I have crossed swords with before over at triumphrat.net) got so touchy when I told the tales of my Triumph experiences

PS Its on page 7

oo eer missus, touchy on thre arn't they

 

[Deadskin]

If its been in Australia all its life then it has had an easy life from the corrosion perspective.

Thats true enough - but i was comparing 1100's 'in general' in the UK.
They just 'seem' to be better for corrosion.

yeah - and slower and uglier etc

Gotta agree with Motomouth
much better for corrosion

 

[ianran]

Warranty Issues

Just as a matter of interest how many people have had to payt anything towards these warranty claims, I havent and have had the opportunity to have several days test rides on other bikes while theyve fixed them

The BMW advert says about 1200ST whwn you buy a tourer you get a surprise sports bike for free, ...............

With the GS is you get all of em for free!!!

 

[chasr]

I can not believe all the problems you guys have had with the 1200 GS !

We don't share one bike, you know

 

[oddball]

Close to my heart this, my 1200 is two years old in September next year and I am already thinking about the warranty issue.

I am not keen to keep the bike without having a proper (BMW) warranty in place, its a fantastic bit of kit but there are to many tales of sadness for me to just take the risk.

So, if the economy does not fall on its ass next year and the trade in for my 1200 is reasonable, I will buy a new GS in silver (not adv, better bike than me and I never go off road) in September. If one or the other does not meet my level of expectation it will be a BMW extended warranty for me.

I had an Aprillia that rotted and they would not accept the claim as I had ridden through winter (ok Italian bike + winter = pile of s**t). I had an Varadero that rusted on the rear subframe (they all do) that was dealt with twice under warranty. The BMs no exception with warranty claims as is evident from this thread.

 

[~Stef~]

extending the warranty is an option...worth the six hundred quid for the peace of mind...

But why should you have to ?

 

[birdseye]

Pardon my very likely ignorance on this, but what would be the effect of having it powder coated? Seems like a decent, inexpensive, longer term solution.

Jim

Wouldnt make much difference Jim. Neither would 2 pack epoxy. The problem is whart happens when the paint is chipped by something thrown up by the wheel. Then corrosion starts and works its way under the paint, lifting it as it goes. Same thing happens if corrosion starts where the plate has been machined for example for a bolt hole.

Epoxy is tough paint and will resist chipping but never totally prevent it.

Best solution is the old fashioned bar aluminium, but that always looks dirty. Failing that you could try having it anodised - that is an enhanced cosmetic version of the oxide coat that forms normally on ally, so nothing can get underneath it. But it does wear and discolour eventually.

Been working on my old Norton today. Lovely polished ally - looks a treat and is easy to maintain. So much for progress.