Servicing costs

[fast and bulbous]

I know this must have been asked before but I am new to BMW and bought a r1200 gs last summer. I want to get it serviced and have been quoted £270 by the dealer whereas my local guys who serviced all my previous bikes (suzukis etc) do services on BMWs and quote me £130 to do the same.oil/filters/ clearances /brakes. The brake fluid was changed last year so it doesn't need doing.

What do I get from the BMW service that is worth the extra £140? How much is the dealer stamp on the service record going to affect the resale price if I want to sell

thanks

John

 

[RickG]

Like so many things, it depends.

A full service history will make your bike more attractive to some, and therefore in general terms if all else is equal its worth having. If you do few miles a year the extra you pay for the serviceing may just be repaid in terms of the bikes value a couple of years down the line, just. But I reckon it's marginal. The often quoted reason to have dealer servicing in order to maintain the conditions of the warranty, but even that point is legally questionable provided you use approved parts.

If, like me, you do big milages AND do your own servicing then the whole equation swings in your favour as the bikes are an utter doddle to service, it would be hard to see how to make it any easier so it's quick and simple. More importantly you save a fortune which more than compensates for any devaluation attributed to the lack of a FSH. Over three years I reckon to have saved about £3000 in service costs, I could therefore afford to knock say £1k off the resale value of the bike to compensate for the lack of a dealer FSH and still be £2k better off.

Choice is all down to your annual milage and attitude as far as I can see.

 

[fast and bulbous]

Rick thanks very much it makes total sense and while I dont want to service my bike myself any more, the local guys I have used over the years are really good and the extra £140 i can spend on wonderful and pointless accesories....so there goes the warranty

all the best

John

 

[arrybash]

I bought my GSA new in July last year. I plan to negotiate with my dealer as to how much he will let me do and still get him to stamp up the book.

Chris

 

[Big Lee]

TBH seeing as you lot live in the north west go to RGM , http://www.rgm-uk.com/ I use him and he is excellent. Ask anyone on here Customer service is brilliant and I stood over him all day asking questions while he serviced my 12 and he didn`t mind at all. Other places your bike disappears and the next time you see it you`ve paid a fortune and not really be sure they`ve actually touched it!

 

[jimbogs1200]

I was talking to a Honda main dealer yesterday and discussing using independent servicing chaps for my GS... He told me that the EU ruling about cars(allowing you to use independents) does not apply to bikes...so, "to maintain your warranty you have to use a main dealer for servicing". Is this true??

Coopers quoted me about 350 quid fro the 24k, incl all fluids and vat...

 

[RickG]

I was talking to a Honda main dealer yesterday and discussing using independent servicing chaps for my GS... He told me that the EU ruling about cars(allowing you to use independents) does not apply to bikes...so, "to maintain your warranty you have to use a main dealer for servicing". Is this true??

Coopers quoted me about 350 quid fro the 24k, incl all fluids and vat...

I think the is utter b****cks but I'm not a legal type so don't take my word for it. I also think the situation with regard to the warranty is actually far more in your favour insofar my understanding is that provided the bike has been serviced at the intervals specified, and serviced using parts and fluids of the recommended specification, and you have some evidence to this effect, then the warranty still holds regardless of who did the service, including the owner.

No doubt a more well informed Tosser can clear this up?

 

[FatBob]

I warn you now, I am completely ill-informed...

Legally the warranty may hold so long as you have the bike serviced according to the manufacturers spec, but maybe the dealers will show more good will for things not strictly covered by the warranty if you have the bike serviced by them? Ultimately they aren't going to do anything for free though, maybe the dubious warranty work they let through has already ben paid for by the servicing costs?

 

[Paul Wakefield]

You can use anybody to service the bike under the new bike warranty (though BM say they will look on any goodwill claims more favourably if you use a dealer).

The extended warranty (and , I think, the AUB warranty) is an insured product and insists on dealer servicing.

E&OE

 

[jimbogs1200]

Considering i do not own a Honda and am not likely to... I was surprised the Honda chap was adamant about it...He is a decent bloke too, with 'no axe to grind'...

 

[Balders1450]

I think the is utter b****cks but I'm not a legal type so don't take my word for it. I also think the situation with regard to the warranty is actually far more in your favour insofar my understanding is that provided the bike has been serviced at the intervals specified, and serviced using parts and fluids of the recommended specification, and you have some evidence to this effect, then the warranty still holds regardless of who did the service, including the owner.

No doubt a more well informed Tosser can clear this up?

As long as the bike is serviced to manufactures specifications, using genuine parts, then the warranty is not affected. anyone who tells you different doesn't know Jack!

This applies to both 2 wheels and 4!

 

[Owen Snell]

Self servicing is easy, so I am sure a competent independent can do the job cheaper than the dealer purely on labour rate. The only issue is the ability to plug into the computer, but you can always get a GS-911 for that. Also, see if the FD oil has been changed in the past and get him to do it as well if possible - a small job that may save a lot of trouble later.

 

[Steptoe]

As long as the bike is serviced to manufactures specifications, using genuine parts, then the warranty is not affected. anyone who tells you different doesn't know Jack!

Only a BMW dealer can do any firmware upgrades on the 1200 models.


So how only using an independant will cover this point is questionable. As i make clear to whoever's bike i work on that's still in warranty.

. The only issue is the ability to plug into the computer, but you can always get a GS-911 for that. .

A GS-911 is only a diagnostic unit/reader, with no capacity to alter a bikes firmware or apply any upgrades.

 

[GSTourer]

Just booked my 07 1200GSA into NOG for its 24000 service and was quoted just under £400.