non franchise servicing

[7mwm7]

while it may not be every ones cup of tea/coffee - BMW motorrad in dalkeith are now doing mot's and servicing /repairs on any bikes - the badge is only a front to a really good bunch of guys who have provided me with great service
and a really good laugh recently......they have 3 technicians that have an immense pool of knowledge for bmw,honda,suzuki,kawasaki,yamaha and triumph.
the big plus was they do a keener labour charge for non bmw repairs
so if your hacked off with the lack of choice for service and repairs - give them a try again I know a small number wont agree but as they say "you can please some of the people" etc.......good guys/funny and helpful in the extreme

 

[hank]

Sounds great, take your Beemer in for a service and subsidise the repairs on some other buggers Honda.

Aye right.


Hank.

 

[Wicker]

The alternative view is that servicing the other makes of bike may subsidise & maintain profitability across the whole of the business. Perhaps Dalkeith also then need to keep their rates competitive with other garages

 

[7mwm7]

servicing

fair comment
but could have spent same money at other franchise dealers and I know
that the feel good factor would have been missing - being treated as a customer and with respect costs nothing

7mwm7

 

[Schtum]

Alternatively - since Suzuki are now advertising that all their franchised dealers will service any make or model of motorcycle, take your BMW to Saltire Suzuki and get Calum's boys to take care of your GS.

Whatever happened to the good old days when in order to be a real motorcyclist you had to be able to rebuild the bottom end of your engine with a toothpick and a plastic fork at the side of the road.....?

 

[7mwm7]

servicing

again true

but having had experience of other dealers , the point was more about how people feel and get treated in an already discriminated industry , where all and sundry feel they are being ripped off - its about choice and opinion
just expressing mine
dont have a bmw badge at present - so dont know if that causes a sore point

never yet done an mot at the side of the road - with or without a tooth pick ...........a few head gaskets and a water leak or two
and the odd puncture


7

 

[cunning fox]

Alternatively - since Suzuki are now advertising that all their franchised dealers will service any make or model of motorcycle, take your BMW to Saltire Suzuki and get Calum's boys to take care of your GS.

Gaun for new tourances on sunday

 

[capt geeze a five]

again true

but having had experience of other dealers , the point was more about how people feel and get treated in an already discriminated industry , where all and sundry feel they are being ripped off - its about choice and opinion
just expressing mine


7

I had my GS in for some warranty work, to mottorad cen dalkieth, then 12 weeks later ! the service manager? (who arranged the work and informed myself there would be no charge.) phoned asking how I was going to pay.
was that fair treatment?
also How can a garage charge a different rate, for a different make ! how would you feel if you were charged more than the person in front of you, for your bacon sarnie n tea, at a burger van, for example.

 

[hank]

fair comment
but could have spent same money at other franchise dealers and I know
that the feel good factor would have been missing - being treated as a customer and with respect costs nothing

7mwm7

The customer service I got when I went to buy a used bike from Motorrad Central West was so good that I bought my Beemer from a Moto Guzzi dealer.

Hank.

 

[skyenet]

The customer service I got when I went to buy a used bike from Motorrad Central West was so good that I bought my Beemer from a Moto Guzzi dealer.

Hank.

Personally I have had nothing but exemplary service from both Motorrad Central West and East over the past 3-4 years. No complaints at all. Taken part in their ride outs and regularly attend their launches and events. Always made welcome at either dealership. Far better service and atmosphere than any other motorcycle dealers I have ever used in the past.

 

[skinnersscotch]

Everybody has diferent experiences with dealers. My bike has been back for warranty work a number of times in 5 months. Getting a little chessed off with the GS but at least I enjoy the company when I am at the dealers (60 miles roudn trip).

I rarely had a problem with Two Wheels when I had my Honda but other people ranted about them with complaints.

Horses for courses.

And I cannot even change a light buld without referring to the owners manual so the good old days of self-servicing were a misnomer as far as I am concerned. Better leaving that to people who know what they are doing.

Does that make me a bad motorcyclist?

Answers on £10 to....

 

[hank]

And I cannot even change a light buld without referring to the owners manual so the good old days of self-servicing were a misnomer as far as I am concerned. Better leaving that to people who know what they are doing.

Does that make me a bad motorcyclist?

Answers on £10 to....

No it doesn't make you a bad motorcyclist but it it leaves you at the mercy of others.

I have just returned from a run which saw me stranded at the side of a single track road on the moors with a puncture in the rear tyre. Day light was fading fast and as it was exposed to the full blast of the wind it was getting cold. I doubt Motorrad or any other dealer would have been available to help.

Option 1. Phoned mate with trailer. Sorry but I'm 200 miles away, at least 4 hours before I get to you.

Option 2. Phone Carol Nash recovery service, try to explain to some one in a nieghbouring country where I am stuck, and sorry but I dont know the name of the road I am on, it's a wee gravelly road with grass growing in the middle and not sure if it will be on a map other than OS.

Fortunately I carry a plug and go kit with some gas cannisters so ten minutes of sweat and swearing later I am back on the bike sitting almost on the tank, motoX style to keep the wieght of the back wheel. Handling was a bit squirly but it got me the last 10 mile to home.

Once home I checked the pressure in the tyre 10psi, not good. Have blasted it up to 45psi with compressor so will see what it is like in the morning.

So no you are not a bad motorcyclist just a cold, tired, hungry and lonely one sitting beside your bike in the dark on a wee scary road out on the moors and the battery on your mobile is about to run out of juice.

Meanwhile I am sitting at home with a cold Guinness and the smell of roast chicken is just starting to waft through from the kitchen.

Sorry I posted this here and not on a £10 pound note, but it looks like I am going to have to put the tenner towards a new tyre.

Hank.

 

[7mwm7]

servicing

I had my GS in for some warranty work, to mottorad cen dalkieth, then 12 weeks later ! the service manager? (who arranged the work and informed myself there would be no charge.) phoned asking how I was going to pay.
was that fair treatment?
also How can a garage charge a different rate, for a different make ! how would you feel if you were charged more than the person in front of you, for your bacon sarnie n tea, at a burger van, for example.

its that badge thing again - oops silly me

 

[Blackal]

I had my GS in for some warranty work, to mottorad cen dalkieth, then 12 weeks later ! the service manager? (who arranged the work and informed myself there would be no charge.) phoned asking how I was going to pay.
was that fair treatment?

All aboard the Deja Vu Express!

Al

 

[Uinneag]

Let me run this through my head

I buy a new BMW and get it serviced at the Bmw dealer but I have also bought a say Suzuki

The service charge from the Bmw dealer for the Suzuki will be cheaper than the BMW

Not kissing the badge I'm a Katoomer

 

[kmackgti]

Sounds great, take your Beemer in for a service and subsidise the repairs on some other buggers Honda.

Aye right.


Hank.

fiddle
sorry but i work as a mechanic for a main dealer and ok its not bikes its cars i feel i have a point here, we service/MOT any make of car. we have a competitive price for non franchise cars that come in (its called business), in turn this is because when you take your BEEMER to a BMW main dealer you get your bike serviced by a BMW trained mechanic, they specialise in BMW not HONDA not SUZUKI not KAWASAKI, this is the same for us, we are trained by our specific company to deal with specific problems (ok some have experience with other marquees but every main dealer is obliged to send there mechanic on the franchise maintanence course)if a car comes in with something we cant solve we hand it over to said dealer with customer permission.

 

[7mwm7]

Let me run this through my head

I buy a new BMW and get it serviced at the Bmw dealer but I have also bought a say Suzuki

The service charge from the Bmw dealer for the Suzuki will be cheaper than the BMW

Not kissing the badge I'm a Katoomer

seems to have caused quite a stir - only trying to help
car mechanic gets the picture though - mind you I dont know where he came from - lonely I suspect

7

by the the way I know a good doctor to help with your katoomers

 

[Uinneag]

The tone of your replies to honest questions, may be doing more harm to your employer in Dalkieth's promotion than good

Great first post and introduction to the site

Maybe you should become a site sponsor to sell your wares or just log in under your Motorrad central username and advertise in the dealers section. If your employer lets you that is

 

[Uinneag]

.

And I cannot even change a light buld without referring to the owners manual ....

Maybe you should refer to a dictionary

 

[Schtum]

Maybe you should refer to a dictionary

Oh the irony......