bonova
Race Dog
- Joined
- Feb 18, 2008
- Messages
- 3,139
- Reaction score
- 0
- Bike
- KTM 950 Adventure S
Use this, don't use this. I'm gonna try to state only the facts on this one, but I get pretty worked up. 
Take my x-challenge in for 20000 km service at atlantic BMW. I hear they are super and good and all these things. Me, i'm VERY particular about my bike.
I tell the dude : " i'm very particular about my bike dude - that's why i'm coming to you - i hear you guys are good"
Excellent.
There are one or 2 warranty issues, and i go through the bike before handing the keys over.
The following are the issues (I’m very specific):
1: The rear suspension has developed a serious squeak - please find and fix
2: the rear shock is worn badly from the shock protector - please see if serious and possible warranty claim.
3: The console lights are messed - warranty please
4: There is a snapped bolt that i replaced in the subframe - please make sure my replacement is OK
5: DO NOT - i ask please - clean the unifilter. The prefilter IS dirty, i'll clean and oil it when i get the bike back (less work for you - nice)
6:the pipe that connects the sump to the airbox, it’s oozing oil since the last service)
7: take your time, i don't mind if it takes time, i just want it done properly.
Awesome, i drive my bakkie back home. They got the bike for maybe 2 days, and over the w/e cause i couldn't fetch it. Monday i run along to get my bike - i'm excited.
Check it over while waiting for them to be ready for me. I see the sqeak in the shock – it’s still there. Otherwise, looks good, nice and clean. I ask about the squeak, and they tell me they greased and oiled all the shock attachments. I’m not impressed – well done mate – high fives…, didn’t sort the problem. They say it might be the shock. I ask – did you check the swingarm bearings – no he says, that would take ages (ok, scratch the bit about me not worried about time.) anyway he says, it’s probably the shock, and when they do the warranty replacement (maybe) they can check it after. I’m satisfied, but a bit miffed at the way he blew me off. I ask about the bolt – they say they didn’t take it out – something about the locktight I put in. It’s lasted 15000km, so I accept it.
Pay my R2300-00 odd and take my bike
Next day – ride to work in the afternoon (this is getting long winded – sorry… be patient). While I’m riding, I put my hand over the light to check if it’s working… nada.
Get to work and phone BMW and get onto the mechanic that did my bike – what could you have done to my HID unit? Maybe you changed something? (I’m not cross, just trying to fix the problem before I ride home (in the dark) ). They say check the fuses. I do that and check all that I can without tools. I notice that the dim bright switch still pulls the globe back for brights, so power is getting to the system, just not to the HID ballast. I phone BMW again and speak to the mechanic again. He says now (and only now) – (I’m gonna shout just now–sorry) he noticed in his PRE-SERVICE inspection (he always does this in case he needs to order spares before starting…) that the light wasn’t working. Then he noticed it is an HID and decides to leave it alone (fair enough, I don’t expect him to work on my HID). So, I ask – WHY DIDN’T YOU TELL ME? I’M RIDING AROUND WITHOUT A LIGHT- THAT’S DANGEROUS? He says that reception should have told me. Ok, so it’s all suspicious, but I can understand a mistake (everyone makes them hey?).
I ride home in the dark, my park light my only protection.
Now I’m curious, so I get out my headlamp and start to strip the bike (I’m gonna put in the old light bulb). I think I’ll just check through the system, and low and behold, I find that of the 4 wires going to the battery, 3 (yes, that’s 3) are connected to the positive terminal (now, I can understand the confusion – the frame is normally the negative, but my HID was giving trouble, so I wired it direct to the battery). I connect it back up right and viola- works again. (Now before I start shouting again, I’ll get something straight. I’m not pissed about the mistake – given, all he needed to do was phone me… but I can understand)
But PRAY TELL DAMMIT, how did that wire mysteriously jump across between me dropping off the bike and him doing his PRE SERVICE check???? Now I’m getting mad – I don’t like people LYING to me.
To change the subject slightly, some other things that pissed on my battery so to say.
1: the chain – no cleaning envolved – just pour on chain OIL. It’s an OFF-ROAD BIKE. The already sandy and dirty chain – now with oil???? Use your imagination.
2: there is lube everywhere (EVERYWHERE) ALL around the shock pivot points, on the back of the engine. It takes me ages to clean it off.
3: the Unifilter has been cleaned and oiled with “the same stuff we use in our race bikes” …. Well yippee for you. does your race bike have a unifilter? No… it doesn’t.
Why the f%$k did you do that? Now I’ve got to go and clean it agin and use the special oil that I got from AUS to oil it right. I’m guessing there is a reason they use a specific oil on their filters (but I’m just an idiot hey, what do I know)
Cut a long story short, I rant and I rave. I’m told they were busy (“it’s no excuse I know” says the guy. – Damn right it’s no excuse. I said “Keep the bike AS LONG AS IT TAKES”. I get blown off and told I’ll be phoned the next day. OBVIOUSLY I’m not phoned the next day, and when I phone, and talk to the SAME guy, he doesn’t even remember why I’m phoning.
Now, my bike needs to go in for the warranty issues sometime. Maybe I must do it myself. What with a lying mechanic (who knows what else he didn’t / did do?) and service like that. With tears in my eyes, i ask you...
Am I being petty? We pay a lot for our bikes to be serviced, and I expect them to do it properly – period.
I’m gonna be sending a letter to the highest person in BMW I can find. Lets see what they do.
And I’m not making any threats at all, but I’m guessing they will loose business on this one. IMO of course
Take my x-challenge in for 20000 km service at atlantic BMW. I hear they are super and good and all these things. Me, i'm VERY particular about my bike.
I tell the dude : " i'm very particular about my bike dude - that's why i'm coming to you - i hear you guys are good"
Excellent.
There are one or 2 warranty issues, and i go through the bike before handing the keys over.
The following are the issues (I’m very specific):
1: The rear suspension has developed a serious squeak - please find and fix
2: the rear shock is worn badly from the shock protector - please see if serious and possible warranty claim.
3: The console lights are messed - warranty please
4: There is a snapped bolt that i replaced in the subframe - please make sure my replacement is OK
5: DO NOT - i ask please - clean the unifilter. The prefilter IS dirty, i'll clean and oil it when i get the bike back (less work for you - nice)
6:the pipe that connects the sump to the airbox, it’s oozing oil since the last service)
7: take your time, i don't mind if it takes time, i just want it done properly.
Awesome, i drive my bakkie back home. They got the bike for maybe 2 days, and over the w/e cause i couldn't fetch it. Monday i run along to get my bike - i'm excited.
Check it over while waiting for them to be ready for me. I see the sqeak in the shock – it’s still there. Otherwise, looks good, nice and clean. I ask about the squeak, and they tell me they greased and oiled all the shock attachments. I’m not impressed – well done mate – high fives…, didn’t sort the problem. They say it might be the shock. I ask – did you check the swingarm bearings – no he says, that would take ages (ok, scratch the bit about me not worried about time.) anyway he says, it’s probably the shock, and when they do the warranty replacement (maybe) they can check it after. I’m satisfied, but a bit miffed at the way he blew me off. I ask about the bolt – they say they didn’t take it out – something about the locktight I put in. It’s lasted 15000km, so I accept it.
Pay my R2300-00 odd and take my bike
Next day – ride to work in the afternoon (this is getting long winded – sorry… be patient). While I’m riding, I put my hand over the light to check if it’s working… nada.
Get to work and phone BMW and get onto the mechanic that did my bike – what could you have done to my HID unit? Maybe you changed something? (I’m not cross, just trying to fix the problem before I ride home (in the dark) ). They say check the fuses. I do that and check all that I can without tools. I notice that the dim bright switch still pulls the globe back for brights, so power is getting to the system, just not to the HID ballast. I phone BMW again and speak to the mechanic again. He says now (and only now) – (I’m gonna shout just now–sorry) he noticed in his PRE-SERVICE inspection (he always does this in case he needs to order spares before starting…) that the light wasn’t working. Then he noticed it is an HID and decides to leave it alone (fair enough, I don’t expect him to work on my HID). So, I ask – WHY DIDN’T YOU TELL ME? I’M RIDING AROUND WITHOUT A LIGHT- THAT’S DANGEROUS? He says that reception should have told me. Ok, so it’s all suspicious, but I can understand a mistake (everyone makes them hey?).
I ride home in the dark, my park light my only protection.
Now I’m curious, so I get out my headlamp and start to strip the bike (I’m gonna put in the old light bulb). I think I’ll just check through the system, and low and behold, I find that of the 4 wires going to the battery, 3 (yes, that’s 3) are connected to the positive terminal (now, I can understand the confusion – the frame is normally the negative, but my HID was giving trouble, so I wired it direct to the battery). I connect it back up right and viola- works again. (Now before I start shouting again, I’ll get something straight. I’m not pissed about the mistake – given, all he needed to do was phone me… but I can understand)
But PRAY TELL DAMMIT, how did that wire mysteriously jump across between me dropping off the bike and him doing his PRE SERVICE check???? Now I’m getting mad – I don’t like people LYING to me.
To change the subject slightly, some other things that pissed on my battery so to say.
1: the chain – no cleaning envolved – just pour on chain OIL. It’s an OFF-ROAD BIKE. The already sandy and dirty chain – now with oil???? Use your imagination.
2: there is lube everywhere (EVERYWHERE) ALL around the shock pivot points, on the back of the engine. It takes me ages to clean it off.
3: the Unifilter has been cleaned and oiled with “the same stuff we use in our race bikes” …. Well yippee for you. does your race bike have a unifilter? No… it doesn’t.
Why the f%$k did you do that? Now I’ve got to go and clean it agin and use the special oil that I got from AUS to oil it right. I’m guessing there is a reason they use a specific oil on their filters (but I’m just an idiot hey, what do I know)
Cut a long story short, I rant and I rave. I’m told they were busy (“it’s no excuse I know” says the guy. – Damn right it’s no excuse. I said “Keep the bike AS LONG AS IT TAKES”. I get blown off and told I’ll be phoned the next day. OBVIOUSLY I’m not phoned the next day, and when I phone, and talk to the SAME guy, he doesn’t even remember why I’m phoning.
Now, my bike needs to go in for the warranty issues sometime. Maybe I must do it myself. What with a lying mechanic (who knows what else he didn’t / did do?) and service like that. With tears in my eyes, i ask you...
Am I being petty? We pay a lot for our bikes to be serviced, and I expect them to do it properly – period.
I’m gonna be sending a letter to the highest person in BMW I can find. Lets see what they do.
And I’m not making any threats at all, but I’m guessing they will loose business on this one. IMO of course
