Park Lane

[Commuter]

I just wanted to share the EXCELLENT experience from Park Lane. Roy called and asked if I would like another test ride on the GS as the other one was short due to being SUPER busy.

Said that wasn't sure on the GS on the motorway and whether a overnight loan would be possible. Answer. No problem, here's the keys a full tank of juice and see you in the morning.

Needless to say the bike is f**king fantastic and I am trying to get them to find me a new blue white with all the extras on.

Professional, fresh coffee and go out of their way for you.

Now all I need is the call for the bike to be available.

 

[londonw1]

I'm going to brust your bubble now...

I had the same experience when I bought my Adventure 1st of March, everything upto riding off on my new bike was fantastic and the sales staff there are among the best that I have come across in the biking world.

BUT!!!!!!!!

The problem comes from the service department, firstly it is out near Heathrow airport, not great for a central London dealer, took two weeks and 4 phone calls and one email to get them to get back to me (which ment a 600 mile service at 1000 miles!), if I was not locked into the dealer for the first 'free' service I would have gone elsewhere.

The only problem I had with the bike was one of the fog light bulbs had blown, they replaced it OK, but it was only when I got home I noticed half of the light was missing.. so another trip to a dull industrial estate (they are in an old warehouse)... and not even cleaned......

As I said Great sales but as service centre has no link with sales it is like using Motorcycle Sh*tty (oh all the staff on the bike side were very happy to tell me they were ex Motorcycle city until it closed down.......).

Your choice, but have used Guildford before who seem to really like their customers even when they 'just' want it serviced.

 

[Greg Masters]

SPC better?

It's good to learn when dealers give good service. I too visited Park Lane with a view to buying a new F650GS for SWMBO. The salesman treated me well, but couldn't offer me a discount greater than the cost of the heated grips (£175?). The dealership is owned by *** GB Ltd and the poor guys trying to shift the iron have little lattitude on price.

Shortly after leaving the dealership, I was on the phone to Ron Simpson at SPC. I got the very same bike from him at a massively discounted price, with delivery to Chez Nous in a van (we live about 70 miles away), and my lady has received not one, but two Autoglym goodie bags. Ron and Steve deserve to do well!

The only problems with SPC are:

• location
• the miserable doughnuts (which I understand are supplied by an Andover bakery)

Greg

 

[BAKERMAN]

Re: SPC better?

The only problems with SPC are:

• location
• the miserable doughnuts (which I understand are supplied by an Andover bakery)

Greg

Lets get this wright my doughnuts retail at 70p each thats £7 for 10.

You can buy 10 in a bag from TESCO`s for a £1 ( bargin )

 

[Jim-Adv]

Greg,

Have you got the co-ordinates of the Tesco's in Spain and Morocco, might be nice to pop in for a few doughnuts on the way down!

 

[Greg Masters]

Jon

The only outlet I can locate is at:

N 51 12.546
W001 30.397



Greg

 

[pint6x]

Re: SPC better?

The only problems with SPC are:

• location
• the miserable doughnuts (which I understand are supplied by an Andover bakery)

Greg

Greg - sorry to set you right on that, but according to Judge, the SPC doughnuts are from somewhere else. Judge usually does the rounds - visit to the Bake house, then down to SPC for the free coffee & biccies. He advised NOT to eat at the Bake House because the food is better at SPC.

 

[City Slicker]

My 2c on Park Lane is that they are the most useless lazy bastards I've ever met.

If you got someone who actually took an interest in you it must have been near the end of the month and the guy must have been on his last warning.

I know several people aside from myself who would never go there to buy after their experiences.

As for Park West, curates egg... Will and Richard on bikes are quite good (Thanck fuck that David Silver buggered off)

Go to SPC if you can, SLM if you want something closer and still good.

 

[littleredrooster]

Whooooossssh!!!

Bit caustic for a Friday night, City! Bin eating raw meat again?

Or are they really that bad?

Gotta say that SPC get my vote. Mine may not have been the best used GS ever, but they are showing excellent customer service in sorting it.

 

[thesanguine]

Don't sound too bad compared to my experiences!

 

[the celt]

have to agree with city slicker, had very poor service from park west parts department I was total by member of staff that only bmw outlets sell castrol gps oil at £7.99 a litre, also the place was empty and it took 10 mins before somebody arrived at bike department this was after reception had called them, very, very poor service. I use SLM top class service and no problem too small.

 

[londonw1]

another four messages left

and no-one from Park West has returned my call to find out what has happened to the back of the fog light they fixed at the service last week. Once this is sorted I will NEVER go back to Park West or Park Lane.

This is a shame for them as the sales experience was first rate but without the backup I just feel fleeced!

 

[Big Tony]

I recently bought an Adventure from Park Lane and had a similar experience to Commuter. Absolutely no problems with the Sales staff but the Service Department at Park West wants nuking.

I telephoned Park West to book the bike in for the First Service. After booking it in, I enquired if there would be a charge as some places (Jap dealers) charge for oil and consumables and was told that I would have to pay in excess of 200 quid (I forget the exact amount). To which I said sod it and got the work done by Cannon Motorcycles for 125 quid.

Also, after a couple of days use of the bike, the handle bars dropped when I was accelerating away from a set of traffic lights. Evidently the handle bar clamp bolts had only been hand tightened and not torqued up presumably by the Park West workshop when they built the bike.

The above has been reported to Park Lane sales and they have undertaken to pay for the First Service which should have been free and investigate the handlebar incident but I'm still awaiting their cheque and the outcome of the investigation.

After I had placed the order for the Adventure in January several people warned me about Park Lane / West sadly it seems they were right.

It seems almost unbelievable that the only dealer actually owned by BMW has one of the worse reputations.

 

[Greg Masters]

... that the only dealer actually owned by BMW ...

I think that there are others - the one in Manchester comes to mind.

Greg

 

[judge]

Re: another four messages left

and no-one from Park West has returned my call to find out what has happened to the back of the fog light they fixed at the service last week. Once this is sorted I will NEVER go back to Park West or Park Lane.

I fear following our 'moment' in Rye today this is far from over...

 

[londonw1]

Yup ten days after the bike was in with Park West they have not returned my call about the back of the light they did not refit, but today at Rye I found out why it was not refitted.....

They did not fix the problem!

Stranded by a blown fuse again! If it were not for Pat and his heated jacket fuse (sorry for the chilly ride back!) I would still be waiting for BMW Assistance!

Wonder if I will manage to get anyone to talk to me on Monday from there and if anyone else manages to talk to them, please ask them to call Kurt.............

 

[Pat Creagh]

You shouldn't be so Kurt!!!!
I'm sorry, I couldn't resist. Only 4 phone calls. That is not nearly enough.
Just talk to Mobitec, if it's service you want. One call generally does the trick. Picks the bike up from your work or home and gives it a right good seeing to in the back of the truck. OOh Err!!
Pat Keenan is the man. Trained by BMW but much more customer focused. Probably why he left PW.
BTW I believe PW/PL are no longer owned by B&W GB and have been cut loose to compete on price and service. Some hope...
I wish them the very best.
Pat.
p.s. Isn't the web great for whingeing;-))

 

[londonw1]

Yup, but I'm done now, life is too short and the roads are calling again!

 

[Commuter]

This is turning into an interesting thread. I pick my bike up in a week and if there is one thing I am going to go balistic.

I am a very calm person, but when you are parting with a lot of cash I expect some service.

I am just waiting for there to be a mistake, I will not pay the full amount and shout like a lunatic. I have only done this once before when the Honda muppets in Bedford dropped my bike in the work shop.

6ft 6 inch and big with it normally gets people attention.

Of course it could all going swimmingly well!!!!

 

[londonw1]

Well if you're in there could you ask them for the pannier liners they still owe me, at 5'9 and slim I don't seem to have the required presense........

Cheers