Vines Guildford

[casbar]

Think they are all a bit hit and miss. Not a fan of Bahnstormers at Alton, had a few issues with them over the years. Started to use Balmer Lawn at Brockenhurst. They didn't do a great job on my last RT service, fairing not screwed on correctly, broken fairing tab, bike not ready until the next day, when told to collect at 16:00, got there not ready, couldn't keep the loaner, so they eventually gave me a fiat punto which stank

 

[Nice 'n' Fat]

Think they are all a bit hit and miss. Not a fan of Bahnstormers at Alton, had a few issues with them over the years. Started to use Balmer Lawn at Brockenhurst. They didn't do a great job on my last RT service, fairing not screwed on correctly, broken fairing tab, bike not ready until the next day, when told to collect at 16:00, got there not ready, couldn't keep the loaner, so they eventually gave me a fiat punto which stank

I'm confused. Who didn't do a great job? Bahnstormers or Balmer Lawn?

 

[twizzle]

in their defense , my bike did look like a sack of shit , but it had many miles on the clock .
i used to be a Guzzi dealer , bikes with high mileages are to be celebrated not ostracized .

I parked my 120,000 mile battered EVO Electra Glide at Sykes HD - the Sales guys came out, photographed it and posted it on their Instagram account celebrating high mileage bikes, it then went on to get quite a few likes…

different styles…

 

[casbar]

I'm confused. Who didn't do a great job? Bahnstormers or Balmer Lawn?

Bahstormers, Balmer Lawn, take your pick. But the fairing issue was Balmer Lawn.

 

[Stepdoug]

Had a fall out with reiten near Sudbury,
Having bought two bikes from them one used and one a new 1250 GS,
I thought ok I'll go over on my gsx1400 and take a GSA out. To try but also to see if I really need the gsa or the GS would do what I need. Well after x ammount mins of sitting on bikes and drinking the free coffee watching the staff laughing and faffing about with each other I asked if someone could let me take out the gsa for a test ride. Oh speak to (so and so) not saying any names, that's not fair.
Stood back inside all sales were with customers, and as one finished with his customer he went straight over to a guy who had just turned up near coffee machine totally ingnoring me so stood looking like a spare pirck at a wedding being totally ignored by everyone. In total 35 mins of being blanked was enough. So sod them, had a row with one of them on the way back to the carpark who said oh come inside we'll have a chat so sorry. , Told him to go do one and oh by the way you have just lost a cash sale on a new 1250 gsa. So up yours . Will spend my cash elsewhere, WILL NEVER go back
Went home called a dealer in York and pick it up on the 9th of September

 

[richardbd]

What's going wrong at bahnstormer rich?

Been using vines for years,never had a problem both buying many bikes or the service dept,go figure?
My s1000xr is going in on Tues for the big 18000 service,they want it 3 days but will give me a loan bike for the duration and just charge for 1 day.

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I think they’re just getting too big. To be fair, I haven’t had any problems myself but tales of bods who have are becoming more common than they ever used to be. Standards also seem to vary significantly between Alton and Maidenhead…

 

[ChazzyB]

What's going wrong at bahnstormer rich?

Been using vines for years,never had a problem both buying many bikes or the service dept,go figure?
My s1000xr is going in on Tues for the big 18000 service,they want it 3 days but will give me a loan bike for the duration and just charge for 1 day.

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Three days for an 18000 service? Has anyone told Trevor yet?

 

[autogs]

I think they are going to fit it in,despite the call centre saying when I rang to book it would be 6-8 weeks before they could do it I phoned and spoke to someone I know on the desk and it was booked in for 2 weeks later,so have a bike till it's done its no bother.

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[Max_W]

I can't comment re Vines but there has been plenty of comments re Bahnstormer. I've bought 4 bikes from them in the last few years and have been well looked after each time. I had a huge number of warranty issues on my 2014 R1200 GSA (which would have cost more than the value of the bike were I to have paid for them...!) and they were brilliant in resolving them with BMW UK, as well as the very few issues on bikes since. The customer service is definitely less personal than it used to be, you now feel like a customer rather than a friend, as used to be the case, but that's no doubt due to how they've grown. Having read most dealer-related threads, I've not heard of any other dealership providing better service overall, so will continue to use them happily. For those who have had an issue with any dealership, have you escalated it for senior management attention? At Bahnstormer, I know Alistair takes a keen interest in resolving issues.

 

[casbar]

I can't comment re Vines but there has been plenty of comments re Bahnstormer. I've bought 4 bikes from them in the last few years and have been well looked after each time. I had a huge number of warranty issues on my 2014 R1200 GSA (which would have cost more than the value of the bike were I to have paid for them...!) and they were brilliant in resolving them with BMW UK, as well as the very few issues on bikes since. The customer service is definitely less personal than it used to be, you now feel like a customer rather than a friend, as used to be the case, but that's no doubt due to how they've grown. Having read most dealer-related threads, I've not heard of any other dealership providing better service overall, so will continue to use them happily. For those who have had an issue with any dealership, have you escalated it for senior management attention? At Bahnstormer, I know Alistair takes a keen interest in resolving issues.

CW were the best dealers I have ever dealt with. Bahnstormers Alton have been good and not so. Took them 6 weeks to sort out my non functioning SOS button on my 1250. Yes Alistair has helped in the past. We have used them for our blood bike fleet and we and I have used Balmer Lawn. Had issues over the last 9 years at Alton and recently with Balmer Lawn. Think it is just the way it is, customer service gives way to profit.

 

[Steve398]

WM Snell are excellent, I’ve bought several bikes from them. Their after sales is excellent and why I drive by Moto Corsa at Winchester to get to Alton.

Snells have been there for years, I used to drop in there when I was walking the beat at Alton in 1970.

Totally useless piece of info and nothing to do with the thread… Alton is the birthplace and place of early death of Sweet Fanny Adams
https://www.hgs-familyhistory.com/2014/10/sweet-fanny-adams/#:~:text=The%20expression%20'sweet%20Fanny%20Adams,euphemism%20for%20'sweet%20nothing'.
I would never have known but for a very cold and wet beat day when I ducked into the museum for a warm brew.

 

[theoneandonly]

Totally useless piece of info and nothing to do with the thread… Alton is the birthplace and place of early death of Sweet Fanny Adams
https://www.hgs-familyhistory.com/2014/10/sweet-fanny-adams/#:~:text=The%20expression%20'sweet%20Fanny%20Adams,euphemism%20for%20'sweet%20nothing'.
I would never have known but for a very cold and wet beat day when I ducked into the museum for a warm brew.

learn something every day .