Smithey
Race Dog
And so after almost 5 months i have been shown the back door by BMW and sent packing with my still faulty bike.
I have no other alternative at this point but to share this experience and to inform the biking community of the service levels expected from BMW regarding the X-Challenge.
Both parties tried to come to a suitable conclusion on the matter, but after 5 months and numerous emails between us it seems my temper and sarcastic remarks did NOT fall on deaf ears. After 5 months i do believe i was justified with my remarks.
We could not reach a financial agreement whereby BMW would buy back my bike, the offer was at retail value and less than the bikes actual worth. An offer of "Goodwill" on their part as im sure will be argued that they came to the table to try and solve the problem. It would solve my problem if the offer covered my outstanding finance with the bank, sure, but not the inability of BMW to maintain one of their products.
Remarks have been made that the TouraTech headlight system could be the fault. https://www.touratech.com/shops/008/product_info.php?cPath=3_48_385&products_id=8087
The headlight system was disconnected by BMW and the fault still persisted so i do not understand the occurring reference to the after market parts being the issue.
Quote from an email 6th October
"A new cluster was fitted which did not resolve the problem. Subsequently the circuitry connected to the aftermarket components was diagnosed and the cause was traced to a defect in the left high beam circuit (transformer). This circuit has been left disconnected and your left high beam is not operational at this stage. The headlight system that you have fitted to your motorcycle is not BMW approved, which ultimately complicated the diagnosis process."
Quote from an Email 14th October
"Hello Dave this is a coincidence as they just came to collect your bike and fortunately I decided to start the bike and check that all is good but not as when the workshop re assembled all the fault is back so I am looking into as we mail.
I will report back ASAP"
So, fellow X-Challenge owners, pray you do not get the same fault i have with the bike as it will not be fixed by BMW.
Following, is an email sent to BMW to give you some background into my situation. Followed by a few responses and the final "I now consider this matter closed." from them.
-----------------------------------------------------------
To Whom it may concern
This is the last few months of my life with BMW MOTORAD South Africa.
Im the owner of a BMW X-Challenge 650. The first X-Challenge to be kitted with the Touratech G650X Rallye conversion from Touratech in South Africa. My bike was in numerous bike magazines in the country depicting the “Man in the street can have an adventure” just like the professionals that ride the Dakar.
I bought the bike from BMW Donford situated in Stellenboch South Africa in April 2009.
The bike performed flawlessly for the first year, taking me on numerous trips with friends, across South Africa, the Lesotho highlands and Swaziland.
This was all a warm up for the trip of a life time, CAPE TOWN to LONDON, the reason why I bought this bike, if Charlie and Ewan can do it so could I.
Finances didn’t work out quite as well as I planned and I was not able to do the trip to London. But I have the bike built for an adventure, so a re-plan was in order.
I resigned from my job in South Africa the end of July planning a two month trip via the neighboring countries of South Africa before I parted the shores for the United Kingdom. Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia, Botswana, Namibia, and then back to South Africa.
Two weeks before i was to leave on my trip in August, I started to have intermittent electrical issues. The instrument cluster started cutting out, the indicators worked sporadically and finally the bike losing all power during a ride.
I took my bike to Lyndhurst Auto, a BMW dealer in Johannesburg South Africa to have the issue fixed. I was cutting it fine with only two weeks before I was to leave on my trip
Lyndhurst Auto was un-able to find and rectify the issue after 6 weeks. The instrument cluster and the wiring harness were replaced during this time. The bike was sent to BMW South Africa for diagnostic’s and further investigation.
During this time period I re-located to the United Kingdom and got to FLY over Africa !
Early October I sent an email to BMW South Africa stating that I was not happy with the service I was receiving and that I was disgusted with the responses I was getting. I was dually informed the next day that the aftermarket headlight system from Touratech was the fault and after disconnecting it the issue was resolved. WOW, all I had to do was complain enough and my bike was fixed within 24 hours.
A very tactical maneuver being pulled here, blame the after market supplier so that BMW could wipe their hands of the matter and send me packing.
On Oct 14, I contacted BMW South Africa to enquire when my bike would be sent back to the dealer so that I could arrange a pick up. Fortunately the person now helping me started the bike before it was sent to the dealer and the issue was still present. No surprise.
Numerous emails have been sent back and forth regarding the bikes progress since October. It also came to light that my bike is not the only one experiencing the same problem.
Gentleman, it is now the 6th of December and the last response from BMW was the 18th of November.
What am I supposed to do now ?
My bike is under an HP agreement with a finance house. The last 5 months ive been making payments on a vehicle in your work shop. My insurance is also going the same way. I am losing money every month on a vehicle that I cannot use or re-sell because BMW cannot identify the fault and repair it.
I would appreciate answers to the following questions before I send my story to numerous biking magazines, internet forums and seek legal advice on the matter.
Is BMW prepared to compensate me financially for the loss I have encountered?
Is BMW prepared to replace my bike?
Regards
Dave Thomson
-----------------------------------------
I have attached a picture of my bike so that you understand why i could not sell it at retail value.
The response to this email from BMW is to follow.
I have no other alternative at this point but to share this experience and to inform the biking community of the service levels expected from BMW regarding the X-Challenge.
Both parties tried to come to a suitable conclusion on the matter, but after 5 months and numerous emails between us it seems my temper and sarcastic remarks did NOT fall on deaf ears. After 5 months i do believe i was justified with my remarks.
We could not reach a financial agreement whereby BMW would buy back my bike, the offer was at retail value and less than the bikes actual worth. An offer of "Goodwill" on their part as im sure will be argued that they came to the table to try and solve the problem. It would solve my problem if the offer covered my outstanding finance with the bank, sure, but not the inability of BMW to maintain one of their products.
Remarks have been made that the TouraTech headlight system could be the fault. https://www.touratech.com/shops/008/product_info.php?cPath=3_48_385&products_id=8087
The headlight system was disconnected by BMW and the fault still persisted so i do not understand the occurring reference to the after market parts being the issue.
Quote from an email 6th October
"A new cluster was fitted which did not resolve the problem. Subsequently the circuitry connected to the aftermarket components was diagnosed and the cause was traced to a defect in the left high beam circuit (transformer). This circuit has been left disconnected and your left high beam is not operational at this stage. The headlight system that you have fitted to your motorcycle is not BMW approved, which ultimately complicated the diagnosis process."
Quote from an Email 14th October
"Hello Dave this is a coincidence as they just came to collect your bike and fortunately I decided to start the bike and check that all is good but not as when the workshop re assembled all the fault is back so I am looking into as we mail.
I will report back ASAP"
So, fellow X-Challenge owners, pray you do not get the same fault i have with the bike as it will not be fixed by BMW.
Following, is an email sent to BMW to give you some background into my situation. Followed by a few responses and the final "I now consider this matter closed." from them.
-----------------------------------------------------------
To Whom it may concern
This is the last few months of my life with BMW MOTORAD South Africa.
Im the owner of a BMW X-Challenge 650. The first X-Challenge to be kitted with the Touratech G650X Rallye conversion from Touratech in South Africa. My bike was in numerous bike magazines in the country depicting the “Man in the street can have an adventure” just like the professionals that ride the Dakar.
I bought the bike from BMW Donford situated in Stellenboch South Africa in April 2009.
The bike performed flawlessly for the first year, taking me on numerous trips with friends, across South Africa, the Lesotho highlands and Swaziland.
This was all a warm up for the trip of a life time, CAPE TOWN to LONDON, the reason why I bought this bike, if Charlie and Ewan can do it so could I.
Finances didn’t work out quite as well as I planned and I was not able to do the trip to London. But I have the bike built for an adventure, so a re-plan was in order.
I resigned from my job in South Africa the end of July planning a two month trip via the neighboring countries of South Africa before I parted the shores for the United Kingdom. Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia, Botswana, Namibia, and then back to South Africa.
Two weeks before i was to leave on my trip in August, I started to have intermittent electrical issues. The instrument cluster started cutting out, the indicators worked sporadically and finally the bike losing all power during a ride.
I took my bike to Lyndhurst Auto, a BMW dealer in Johannesburg South Africa to have the issue fixed. I was cutting it fine with only two weeks before I was to leave on my trip
Lyndhurst Auto was un-able to find and rectify the issue after 6 weeks. The instrument cluster and the wiring harness were replaced during this time. The bike was sent to BMW South Africa for diagnostic’s and further investigation.
During this time period I re-located to the United Kingdom and got to FLY over Africa !
Early October I sent an email to BMW South Africa stating that I was not happy with the service I was receiving and that I was disgusted with the responses I was getting. I was dually informed the next day that the aftermarket headlight system from Touratech was the fault and after disconnecting it the issue was resolved. WOW, all I had to do was complain enough and my bike was fixed within 24 hours.
A very tactical maneuver being pulled here, blame the after market supplier so that BMW could wipe their hands of the matter and send me packing.
On Oct 14, I contacted BMW South Africa to enquire when my bike would be sent back to the dealer so that I could arrange a pick up. Fortunately the person now helping me started the bike before it was sent to the dealer and the issue was still present. No surprise.
Numerous emails have been sent back and forth regarding the bikes progress since October. It also came to light that my bike is not the only one experiencing the same problem.
Gentleman, it is now the 6th of December and the last response from BMW was the 18th of November.
What am I supposed to do now ?
My bike is under an HP agreement with a finance house. The last 5 months ive been making payments on a vehicle in your work shop. My insurance is also going the same way. I am losing money every month on a vehicle that I cannot use or re-sell because BMW cannot identify the fault and repair it.
I would appreciate answers to the following questions before I send my story to numerous biking magazines, internet forums and seek legal advice on the matter.
Is BMW prepared to compensate me financially for the loss I have encountered?
Is BMW prepared to replace my bike?
Regards
Dave Thomson
-----------------------------------------
I have attached a picture of my bike so that you understand why i could not sell it at retail value.
The response to this email from BMW is to follow.
