Warranty repairs abroad
- Thread starter mirboo72
- Start date
I don't think there is a standard response. It all depends on the type of failure, the availability of parts & workshop time.
I've been with someone in Metz who experienced the ring antennae fault. There were no parts available locally and as it was the last day of our trip the bike was recovered back to the UK and the rider & pillion were flown back. On other occasions, I've read here that the same part was replaced locally.
I've been with someone in Metz who experienced the ring antennae fault. There were no parts available locally and as it was the last day of our trip the bike was recovered back to the UK and the rider & pillion were flown back. On other occasions, I've read here that the same part was replaced locally.
you take your chances anywhere away from your local dealer, afterall your new best mates have had none of the money from the original sale, servicing and don't know or ultimately care about you. All they have is your broken bike in the workshop and you by the nuts, Cos your not likely to come back and buy a bike....if you have a good expirience great or if it's bad well what difference does it make to them... the only noticable difference will be in your bank account.
certain things are like Amex (don't leave home without'em)
there's heaps of lists of stuff people take... my personal advice is sense of humor, humility and time... most things can get fixed if you have in these abundance while on a run out.
Also do your homework before you go so you know what the dealer network is in the region your travelling saves heaps of time trying to make sense out of locals who want to sell you oranges or show you a tractor they've in the state lottery...
certain things are like Amex (don't leave home without'em)
there's heaps of lists of stuff people take... my personal advice is sense of humor, humility and time... most things can get fixed if you have in these abundance while on a run out.
Also do your homework before you go so you know what the dealer network is in the region your travelling saves heaps of time trying to make sense out of locals who want to sell you oranges or show you a tractor they've in the state lottery...
When I was travelling in the USA & Canada (2004) and had a warranty issue I had to pay for the repair and then claim the money back (keep all your receipts) when I returned to the UK - there is no reciprocal warranty arrangement.
BMW GB paid promptly on my return (I took the receipts along to my local dealer, who forwarded them to BMW on my behalf).
I should point out that I contacted BMW GB before authorising any repair/replacement work in the USA and would strongly advise you to do the same if you find yourself in similar circumstances.
Mike
BMW GB paid promptly on my return (I took the receipts along to my local dealer, who forwarded them to BMW on my behalf).
I should point out that I contacted BMW GB before authorising any repair/replacement work in the USA and would strongly advise you to do the same if you find yourself in similar circumstances.
Mike
Gatesy
Registered user
Local dealer in Caen wont do warranty work unless you pay up front. Also the case for recalls. My dealer in Shipley advised to wait until return to UK if poss as there is no direct route to get your money back from BMW. However they did say they would complete warranty work for foreign riders in UK ad claim in the usual way. Bit of a mixed bag it seems.
Not warranty work but when my FD went on the 1150 a few years ago in Austria the local BM dealer in Kaprun put other servicing work to one side and did the job the next day. i would assume a lot is down to the dealer and their customer service.
Local dealer to me the reply would probably be we're busy book it in for a week next Friday.
Local dealer to me the reply would probably be we're busy book it in for a week next Friday.
When I was travelling in the USA & Canada (2004) and had a warranty issue I had to pay for the repair and then claim the money back (keep all your receipts) when I returned to the UK - there is no reciprocal warranty arrangement.
BMW GB paid promptly on my return (I took the receipts along to my local dealer, who forwarded them to BMW on my behalf).
I should point out that I contacted BMW GB before authorising any repair/replacement work in the USA and would strongly advise you to do the same if you find yourself in similar circumstances.
Mike
Assuming the OP was asking what happens under a BMW backed warranty, that is a very good and accurate answer to the question. The same basic rule of thumb vis-a-vis BMW backed warranties applies to claims in mainland Europe, outside of the UK
If the OP has a third party warranty (as opposed to one backed by BMW) I suggest he contacts his warranty insurer to get a definitive answer to his question.
BWM Narbonne wanted payment up front.
BWM Gb contacted first though - by me.
All went smoothly.
BWM Gb contacted first though - by me.
All went smoothly.
Brakes failed on 1200RT north of Benidorm.
Called BMW warranty number in UK.
Truck turned up and took me and bike to dealer in San Juan.
Couldn't fix it that day so sorted taxi to Avis in Alicante.
VW Golf waiting for me.
Used car for 3 days until bike sorted.
Took car back to Alicante and taxi waiting for me to take me to dealer.
Picked up bike and rode back to UK.
Cost ... Zero
Called BMW warranty number in UK.
Truck turned up and took me and bike to dealer in San Juan.
Couldn't fix it that day so sorted taxi to Avis in Alicante.
VW Golf waiting for me.
Used car for 3 days until bike sorted.
Took car back to Alicante and taxi waiting for me to take me to dealer.
Picked up bike and rode back to UK.
Cost ... Zero
I was recovered to Brest with TPS failure, had to pay up front and recover money from BMW via my local dealer, took a couple of months.
Warranty Claims Abroad
Hi all, I had to have the oil seal on the FD replaced in France earlier this year. Bike is a 2005 GS bought in January from Jeffries in Baildon (Shipley). I was recovered to BMW dealers by BMW assist and the oil seal was replaced there and then. I did however have to pay for this, 85 euros. Upon my return to the UK I went to Jefferies who forwarded the bill to BMW warranty dept and I was reimbersed within a couple of weeks. Could not fault BMW assist or the French BMW dealer. Just remember to have your credit card with you just in case.
Hi all, I had to have the oil seal on the FD replaced in France earlier this year. Bike is a 2005 GS bought in January from Jeffries in Baildon (Shipley). I was recovered to BMW dealers by BMW assist and the oil seal was replaced there and then. I did however have to pay for this, 85 euros. Upon my return to the UK I went to Jefferies who forwarded the bill to BMW warranty dept and I was reimbersed within a couple of weeks. Could not fault BMW assist or the French BMW dealer. Just remember to have your credit card with you just in case.
chartswood
Registered user
Hi , I had final drive oil seal failure in Interlaken Switzerland on a two and a half year old GSA. Rode into the dealer, who said go have a coffee, and half an hour later came and gave me the keys , fixed. As the Swiss get 3 years warranty and it happened there, no charge. Top service 
I could say why are you worried about the warranty abroad because according to some on this forum :
' NO BMW MOTORCYCLES HAVE EVER GONE WRONG AND BMW HAVE NEVER HAD TO ENTERTAIN A WARRANTY CLAIM IN THE ENTIRE HISTORY OF THE COMPANY. IT IS HERECY TO SAY OTHERWISE AND FOR EVEN ENTERTAINING THE THOUGHT YOU SHOULD BE CASTIGATED BY ALL MEMBERS AND FORBIDDEN FROM EVER POSTING ON THIS FORUM IN THE FUTURE !'
' NO BMW MOTORCYCLES HAVE EVER GONE WRONG AND BMW HAVE NEVER HAD TO ENTERTAIN A WARRANTY CLAIM IN THE ENTIRE HISTORY OF THE COMPANY. IT IS HERECY TO SAY OTHERWISE AND FOR EVEN ENTERTAINING THE THOUGHT YOU SHOULD BE CASTIGATED BY ALL MEMBERS AND FORBIDDEN FROM EVER POSTING ON THIS FORUM IN THE FUTURE !'
looney
Registered user
As others already noted, it seems to matter a lot where and under what circumstances something bad happens to your bike.
My story
: on a ~5000km trip to GB and back through France in 2008 my bike (October 2006 GS) just died in the middle of nowhere at a crossroads in north-western France. Defective battery (OEM piece of crap, but that's a different story). Called BMW assistance in Switzerland as I'm a Swiss citizen, with Swiss numberplates on the bike; truck turns up couple hours later, carries bike and rider some 100km to the next BMW dealership, they diagnose a dead battery and replace it straightaway (with another OEM POS; but again, thats another story, finally cured 1 1/2 years later with an Odyssey PC535) .
Cost to me: zero in money without any advance payments, half a day of time stuck in and around Amiens (F).
As far as I'm concerned I was rather pleased. And I also want to add that this was the first and - knock on wood - only time in more than 300'000km (sorry, lost count) of riding a GS that I was in need of help out on the road.
YMMV.
My story
: on a ~5000km trip to GB and back through France in 2008 my bike (October 2006 GS) just died in the middle of nowhere at a crossroads in north-western France. Defective battery (OEM piece of crap, but that's a different story). Called BMW assistance in Switzerland as I'm a Swiss citizen, with Swiss numberplates on the bike; truck turns up couple hours later, carries bike and rider some 100km to the next BMW dealership, they diagnose a dead battery and replace it straightaway (with another OEM POS; but again, thats another story, finally cured 1 1/2 years later with an Odyssey PC535) . Cost to me: zero in money without any advance payments, half a day of time stuck in and around Amiens (F).
As far as I'm concerned I was rather pleased. And I also want to add that this was the first and - knock on wood - only time in more than 300'000km (sorry, lost count) of riding a GS that I was in need of help out on the road.
YMMV.
Sort of similar experience;
Oil seal failed (final drive) on 1200GSA near Sachsenring
Called BMW warranty number in UK.
Truck turned up and took me and bike to dealer in Chemnitz.
Couldn't fix it that day so sorted Mercedes A class hire car.
Gave me Garmin NUVI to use-no extra charge.
Used car for 3 days until bike sorted.
Took car back to hire co. and taxi took me to dealer.
Picked up bike and rode back to UK.
Cost ... Zero
Added bonus; BBC MotoGP commentary team were staying at our hotel, they witnessed the truck taking the bike away, the next night over drinks in the hotel bar Matt presented my son Josh and I with VIP AAA passes for race day-we were guests of the BBC, every cloud..............
Glyno
Registered user
Bought mine from a Midland Bm dealership via the net, ok my mate test rode it for me and the deal was done. They, the dealers knew from the offset it was coming down here for good i.e. exported. Came with the usual 12 months approved european cover/warranty which I paid for up front. Flew over to collect and rode it back without any probs. Never got any paperwork re the warranty so I telephoned to ask what would happen if I needed to claim. Their answer was to pay up for any repairs and claim it back when you return to the UK. 
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