Ocean BMW

[Neil McGuff]

Put my trusty old 1100GS in for it's free MOT at Ocean this morning (when I bought it from Ocean 5 years ago it was part of the deal, "FREE MOT tests for duration of ownership").
Usual excellent service, but I was told that I wouldn't get a free MOT next year unless I had it serviced there as well. As someone who does their own servicing I was a bit miffed. Any faults they have found on the test I've got them to fix, throttle balancing, swing arm roller bearings etc and they've been great sorting it out there and then.
Now, I appreciate they are not making a lot of money out of me and it's hardly my fault that the 1100GS is built like a brick S.H. but I didn't suggest the free MOT's for the duration of ownership, Ocean did, and wrote it in "The Ocean Plymouth Difference" spiel. Just seems a bit off that they can choose to ignore the terms of the deal to suite themselves.
I know it's only £30 a year and they have to make a living, but it still cheeses me off, and that's why we have these forums!

 

[crampie]

Hi Neill

Apologies for any confusion over your free MOT offer - this is believed to have been offered by a former Sales Manager at Ocean but since I took over as General Manager 3+ years ago I have been unable to identify any documentation (letters/flyers/copy adverts, etc) that give any details of and/or support a free MOT offer.

I have instructed the guys at the desk to use their discretion when dealing with the few customers who still refer to this offer as my view would be that any offer was intended to support those customers who continued to use us for servicing. On this occasion we honoured the free MOT (and I believe your bike sailed through!) but did indicate that, it would charged to you next year.

You have mentioned that you prefer to do your own servicing and whilst I would very much like you to bring the bike back for that, as a gesture of goodwill, I'd like to at least offer you the ability to purchase parts for your next service at a reduced price - call Bill for details.

Kind regards

Peter Cramp
Motorcycle General Manager
Ocean Plymouth

 

[MerrickCampbell]

Bl**dy H**l Crampie you should stand by the Contract made at the time of purchase. " Free MOT for the duration of ownership...."

I hope my fellow tosser can find the paperwork that stated this ( and that it wasn't a condition that the services Had to be done at Ocean!!

If you want the Ocean experience to be different " and not just spiel" it wouldnt be too expensive to honour it anyway.

Although I am not living in Devon full time yet, but will be doing so what with retirement looming!, I have always anticipated that having Ocean as a local dealer will be good news. Thats been my limited experince of Ocean to date anyway.

I hope only to read good things about Ocean on this site as that is what I have believed up to now.

Best regards

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Bl**dy H**l Crampie you should stand by the Contract made at the time of purchase. " Free MOT for the duration of ownership...."

Blimey...........................you take a lot of pleasing

It was before his time and no-one can find any documention pertaining to that offer, from the time it was originally made

If the purchaser (OP) has the relevant documentation, with all the stuff from when he originally bought the bike, i'm sure they will honour it

In the meantime.....................in the absence of paperwork...............he's offered him a discount on service consumables, purchased from them, as a gesture of goodwill

Very reasonable of Peter Cramp, I reckon..........................reasonable..... which is what you're not being

 

[Neil McGuff]

Hi Peter,
Thanks for the reply, as I wrote in the posting I have always been very pleased with the service I have received at Ocean and appreciate that you are making an effort to rectify this minor upset. I was disappointed to read that you couldn't find any evidence of the free MOT offer made by the previous Sales Manager. However, good news, I have a print out of the motorcycle advert from the website for you.

I've attached it here, but can send you a copy if you prefer. I know it's probably not cost effective to give someone who doesn't change their bike very often an incentive like this, but those that did have the offer must be a dwindling group that will eventually dry up, assuming that they are not all as tight as I am!
Again thanks for the offer of cheap parts for my service.
Neil

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Job done..................well done Neil

 

[Big Nick]

Time to grin and bear it Ocean, I think the poster of this thread has you by the bollocks!

 

[MerrickCampbell]

Blimey...........................you take a lot of pleasing

It was before his time and no-one can find any documention pertaining to that offer, from the time it was originally made

If the purchaser (OP) has the relevant documentation, with all the stuff from when he originally bought the bike, i'm sure they will honour it

In the meantime.....................in the absence of paperwork...............he's offered him a discount on service consumables, purchased from them, as a gesture of goodwill

Very reasonable of Peter Cramp, I reckon..........................reasonable..... which is what you're not being

Well it transpires that he doe's have the paperwork.

Anyway I didnt think I was unreasonable so we will have to agree to differ on that.

My view though is that honouring something to a customer especialy something like this which would almost certainly be a diminishing liability would have said much more about the Dealership than waht Crampie said. I still believe that Ocean are good Dealers but Crampies reply will now cause me to be alert when I might not have been or felt I needed to be!

Anyway it was just an opinion and I respect yours. Do you know my EX WIFE?

 

[Sleepy]

Typical penny pinching dealer, no Idea of customer loyalty, one of the many reasons I don't go anywhere near them...

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Do you know my EX WIFE?

Is she fit

Now he has the paperwork, all should be well - but when you posted we didn't know it

 

[crampie]

Hi Neil

Thanks for supplying the Information, I only wish the former sales Manager had remembered writing it in the adverts when I quizzed him about it (and he claimed to remember very little) just a couple of hours ago!! Aargh!!!!

Anyway, contrary to some 'helpful' comments posted on here that question some of our core values, I can honestly say that we do appreciate customer loyalty and will of course re-instate your free MOT offer. I will naturally also stand by my previous offer of the discounted service parts (its in print now...... and hope that you will see fit to cross our threshold once again with your valued custom.

Kind regards
Peter

 

[polecat]

Well done Peter.

 

[Neil McGuff]

Thank you Peter, I shall look forward to thanking you personally when I next visit Ocean.
Regards,
Neil

 

[Big Nick]

Nice one Crampie

 

[Canuck]

Nice one crampie... Top bloke Perhaps this is why the last sale manager... is now the 'last' sale manager and not the 'present' sale manager... memory is a funny thing!

 

[Sleepy]

Nice One...

 

[Dave & Val]

Nice one Peter, this is the sort of service that has kept me coming back for all my servicing, fixing, MOT's etc. Apart from being honest and happy to help every member of Peters team are happy to have a chat and pass the time of day, to giving advice whether your buying or not.

Top Service, top guys and good coffee

 

[Dellis]

I do like a story with a happy ending especially one that benefits both parties

Dave

 

[kwallace21]

The last Sales Manager told me I could have a 1200 GSA for ten pounds.
I shall be in shortly.

Ta

 

[Mutley]

I don't live in Devon but I once bought a very small part for my 1150 GSA from Ocean. I just stumbled upon this thread so no axe to grind.

I sympathise with Peter and have to commend him on the way he dealt with this situation. It seems that in the absence of any supporting paperwork he made a reasonable commercial decision. I can't fault the way he reacted to the production of the original advert either.

It's embarrasing reading through the thread how others jump on a bandwagon. I bet Peter's pleased a few of you don't live near his dealership.