Service Schedules!!!

[IanC]

After buying my 3rd new 1200GS a month ago, after clocking up near 100k miles total and carrying out 95% of servicing myself I noticed that unlike every other vehicle I've ever owned, no service schedules were available (and it seems they're still not!). So I emailed BMW to ask for them. Here's their reply, over three weeks later:

Dear Mr Chappel

Further to my recent email dated October 10, 2012, I would like to thank you for your patience and for the further information I requested in order for me to escalate this matter to a BMW Technical Manager.

A BMW R 1200 GSA of this age has Condition Based Servicing so the services will depend on the age and mileage. We would not make the information you require available on our website as CBS is tailored to each individual bike.

CBS employs sensors to monitor the condition of worn parts and to ascertain the extent to which servicing is necessary. Maintenance is not needed until such times as wear progresses to defined limits. This flexibility in defining maintenance intervals and the scope of maintenance work required, means that only those components that the sensors show to be due for maintenance are serviced. In essence, this system allows each service to be tailored to the requirements of each and every BMW motorcycle.

Should you wish to provide me with more information, I would be happy to refer this again.

Yours sincerely


BMW UK
Heather Bamforth
Customer Information Executive
Ellesfield Avenue
Bracknell RG12 8TA

Tel: +44 (0)800 325600
Fax: +44 (0)870 5050 205
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.bmw.co.uk


From: Ian Chappel [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: 11 October 2012 12:39
To: BMW Customer Information
Subject: BMW R 1200 GSA Service Schedules [SRNUMBER=1-8623094674]

Heather,

It is: WB10470##########. Is the model number I quoted (0470) not enough?

Info would be apprecaited ASAP please. I'm baffled as to why this is taking quite so long - it's so far been two-and-a-half weeks since my original enquiry!!

Ian

On 10 October 2012 10:51, <[email protected]> wrote:

Dear Mr Chappel

Further to my previous email in response to yours dated September 23, 2012, regrettably, I would require further information to progress your enquiry.

Please respond with the frame number of your bike.

Thank you once again for your patience.

Yours sincerely


BMW UK

Heather Bamforth
Customer Information Executive
Ellesfield Avenue
Bracknell RG12 8TA

Tel: +44 (0)800 325600
Fax: +44 (0)870 5050 205
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.bmw.co.uk


From: Ian Chappel [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: 23 September 2012 20:42
To: Customer Service - UK (BMW)
Subject: R 1200 GSA (0470) Service Schedules

I like to carry out my own maintenance - I've owned 1200GS's since 2004 and m now on my third.

Where can I download service schedules? I think you used to have them on your website? And is there a way that I can be notified of amendments to these, i.e. a mailing list?

So is this all B/S as I suspect? I'm now going to ask if these are not correct!

 

[AberdeenAngus]

By 'service schedule', do you mean this.....
http://www.r1200gs.info/R1200GS-Maintenance-Schedules.pdf

For bigger stuff - like the man said - its done 'on condition'.
Have you got a GS-911 ?
http://www.hexcode.co.za/products/gs-911

 

[IanC]

Yes, I have a GS-911. Maybe I've confused the issue by using the word service rather than maintenance?

The link you gave is to the older (pre-2010) model I think? The link at the end of my post does provide for different models.

 

[AberdeenAngus]

My apologies. I didn't see the link.
If you have the service schedule, what other scheduled maintenance did you have in mind ?

 

[IanC]

That's it really, but I would rather have had them from BMW UK, in case of any warranty issues etc. It doesn't seem right that they won't provide them!

Plus, in this age of bulk email lists etc, I think they should advise if there are any revisions. An example that springs to mind is when they reduced the volume of oil on the Final Drive due to problems. If you decide to carry out maintenance yourself, I don't think you should have to rely on finding such info by chance!

 

[AberdeenAngus]

I doubt they will go to any trouble to make it easier to do the work yourself. They're wanting their hand thrust deep in your pockets, man

 

[skywalker]

Why don't you just go to your dealer and get him to print off a service schedule ????

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Why don't you just go to your dealer and get him to print off a service schedule ????

Exactly !!

These people buy the bikes & then ask where they can get BMW spare parts/ advice/ service schedules from ??

Try a fecking Motorrad main dealer first, you might get a pleasant surprise

 

[Bobbin-Man]

It's not really possible to print off the service schedule because it's "condition based servicing".

I had our 1-Series BMW serviced yesterday - we've had it from new and it's 6 years old but it's only done a little over 30,000 miles which doesn't really work with the concept of a traditional service schedule. If I'd chosen to use a main dealer, on arrival they drop the key fob into a docking station and it shows them on the computer what needs doing based on age/condition/mileage etc. However, I use a local independent to do the servicing and although he specialises in BMW's and Audis, he's not prepared to invest £7K in the key-fob reader so he needs to do it manually .... and he kindly showed me what's involved ...

Ignition on, then use the column stalks to toggle through service information - oil, brake fluid, pads, vehicle check etc. and it reports what needs doing. An example is the brake pads which are fitted with 2 sensors - the vehicle initially assumes a predetermined mileage but when the pads wear to the first sensor, the OBC calculates the mileage and decides how long the pads can run for - if it gets as far as the 2nd sensor a dash light comes on. But in the meantime the repair guy will know when they're likely to need doing without having to physically check them. The result is each service is tailored to each individual vehicle and driver/driving style - we have a 5 Series as well and CBS is actually very cost effective. It doesn't help if you want to do the maintenence yourself though!

I assume on the later model GS's there must be a way of getting the CBS info from the gauge display otherwise CBS would not be possible? This is all the information you need plus the "vehicle check" interval which I assume would be 12 months?

Stu.

 

[Pukmeister]

My GS911 gives no condition based information for my 2008 GSA other than the option to reset the time and mileage based service indicators, call up and reset fault codes, and test inputs/outputs in real time such as side stand and clutch switches, lambda output etc.

Sounds like just a simple a time/mileage based dealership money spinner to me.

Doesn't the REPROM give you all the service and maintenance information you require?

The wife's 2008 mini cooper is the same setup as the 1series BMW, I'm buggered if I'm paying main dealer prices when I can service it myself same as the independents, at 92,000 miles it's just run in nicely.

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

I love my 1150GSA..............

Every 6000 miles - Oil, Filter and Valves

Brake and Clutch Fluid every other year

Every 12000 miles - Air Filter,Gearbox and Final Drive Oil

Every 24000 miles - Alternator Belt and Plugs

Consumables, replacement by inspection........... not sensors

Pretty simples.................

Feck this CBS malarkey, controlled by stupid sensors

What happens when the fecking sensor goes duff

 

[Beemerman59]

I love my 1150GSA..............

Every 6000 miles - Oil, Filter and Valves

Brake and Clutch Fluid every other year

Every 12000 miles - Air Filter,Gearbox and Final Drive Oil

Every 24000 miles - Alternator Belt and Plugs

Consumables, replacement by inspection........... not sensors

Pretty simples.................

Feck this CBS malarkey, controlled by stupid sensors

That's why I love my '08 1200GSA

I do pretty much the same except I change the FD oil every 6K as thats cheap and easy to do and there's no need to change clutch fluid. Do the later bike's actually have these sensors fitted?

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

That's why I love my '08 1200GSA

I do pretty much the same except I change the FD oil every 6K as thats cheap and easy to do and there's no need to change clutch fluid. Do the later bike's actually have these sensors fitted?

+1

Can't see what's really changed, it's only a motorbike after all

 

[tanneman]

The maintenance and servicing schedules are listed in the Haynes Manual under chapter 1 including the non scheduled maintenance.

BMW R1200 twins 04-09
pre-ride checks
600mls initial
6000mls and every 12000mls thereafter
12000mls and every 12000mls thereafter
24000mls
24000mls or 2 years
24000mls or 6 years
2 years
4 years
non-scheduled maintenance

Is that the info you are after?

I use it to do my own maintenance on an 09 GSA and my local dealer is very helpful with any of my queries. I let them deal with the more specialised jobs and those that I detest in doing like brake fluid change.

By the way the motorbike tells me when the next service is due in calender time and mileage when I turn it on.

 

[Deleted account 211025001]

Spot on JB and exactly what I do to my 1200 - condition based servicing appears to just be a way of further mystifying the servicing thus ensuring that peeps use dealer servicing.

Andres

 

[IanC]

Spot on JB and exactly what I do to my 1200 - condition based servicing appears to just be a way of further mystifying the servicing thus ensuring that peeps use dealer servicing.

That's what I figured. Guess it's the same as the older (single-cam) bikes. But I still think the manufacturer should give you the info, at the very least when you ask for it! It's accepted now that you don't have to get servicing done by an authorised dealer (I think by an EU ruling?), so how can you maintain properly as they require, if they won't tell you what should be done?

There are differences - for instance the running-in service schedule I've downloaded here now doesn't specify an oil change or valve adjustment.

So do any dealers actually do this 'Condition Based Servicing', and if so do they do less or more, and if so what exactly? And what sensors are there on the bike? And why are there fixed schedules on a US dealer's website?

UPDATE: Actually, as I'm writing this, I've just spoken to the service guy at my dealer and he's never heard of 'Condition Based Servicing'! So WTF BMW are trying to baffle me with I really don't know. Oh, but they say you do change oil at first service, in contradiction of the only schedule I've been able to obtain! (Which I would do anyway).

If this CBS thing is for real, surely the GS-911 should be giving us the info?

I think I'll just have to use my judgement and/or what I've done on my single-cam GS's.

 

[skywalker]

CBS is a all encompassing term brought over from the car side. Why people are so mystified by the service schedules is quite baffling.
To try and simply things here goes.

1st service is 600mls
Next service is 6000mls then at 12k ,then 18k and so on
The annual part is where people get confused. The annual side is 1 year from the date the bike was PDI'd an can encompass a brake fluid change and some oil changes depending on the schedule, and then every year and so on depending on time related items.

For example Mr X picks up his brand new bike on Jan 1st 2012 -silly sod I know cos its probably snowing. His bike was PDI'd that day so his mileage service clock is set to come on at 600mls. His date service date service clock is set to come on at Jan 1st 2013. Remember there are 2 service clocks.
He does his 600ml within the week and has the 1st service (running in service). The MILEAGE service clock is set to come on at 6K but the DATE clock is left alone.
He does 6k before August and has his 6k service Again the MILEAGE clock is set to come on at 12k. By December the mileage is 12k so he has his 12service done and because we're 12 months down the line he has some time related items done. In the 1st year this is a brake fluid change and a gearbox oil change.
The MILEAGE clock is set to come on at 18 k AND THE DATE clock to come on 1year from the date of the 12k service.
Next year he does only 1k the whole year and so the DATE clock will appear. So he has items done that are time related. In this case it would be an oil and filter change.
If he did 1k again the following year he would have exactly the same again but also a brake fluid and gearbox oil change because 2 years have elapsed since they were last done.

Its simple

 

[IanC]

Yes, that's the old system I've followed since 2004.

So what's the difference with CBS? What sensors are there? And what could be omitted or added based on readings from the sensors?

What I'm getting at is, does this CBS thing really exist, and is it actually used on newer bikes (as BMW UK are telling me), or are they bullshitting?

Like I said, my dealer's service manager said he's not heard of it! He did say however that they punch in the serial number and out prints a service schedule, so maybe that's it? Not sure if that's after connecting to the diagnostic socket though - I wouldn't have thought so as I'm pretty sure he said they enter the VIN number, which they wouldn't need to if it was connected.

 

[Bobbin-Man]

The schedule described by Skywalker is not CBS, but it is the schedule BMW Motorrad have used for quite some time.
CBS is based upon Skywalker's described "date" schedule for some aspects but then "condition" not "mileage" for others, eg. oil and brake pads. CBS certainly exists for BMW cars but unless there's an array of sensors monitoring the service items it's not possible that it exists on a BMW bike, therefore yes BMW would be bullshitting to suggest so.
My experience with BMW cars over the last decade is that CBS does actually save money, it's not just marketing cr4p.

 

[Beemerman59]

All it needs is for someone with a 2012 bike to look at the front brake calipers and determine if there is a sensor there or not that can measure pad thickness. No sensor = no CBS = BS by BMW. Or a mis-communication of course.....