BMW servicing and repairs

[red rider]

Can anyone recommend any independent garages etc that service and repair Bmw motorcycles around Bristol and into Wales. i just cannot stand main dealers and there over inflated pricing.

[mobile chicane22]

Any warranty left on the BMW in question ?

[red rider]

Yes, 1 maybe 2 years warranty left.

[shoestring7]

I was going to suggest Bath Road Motorcycles in Brislington who once did a nice job on my GSA1200, but sadly I see they've stopped trading a couple of years ago.

[mobile chicane22]

Have a chat with BMW about how if at all the warranty would be affected by non BMW main dealer service.

IIRC there is a UK law regarding the use of independents google block exemption for the exact details.

I had a 2010 Ducati multistrada which had full Ducati history and Ducati looked after me very well even over a year out of warranty, I had it serviced at Ducati just because there was nowhere else that I would trust with the Desmo system

[hiccy18]

Motorbikes are not covered by the same legislation as cars for servicing, manufacturers can and do insist on main dealer servicing to preserve warranty. If you're bothered about keeping the BMW warranty (and I would be) then find your nearest main dealer and book it in.

I'll add the caveat that IANAL, the law may have changed in the past couple of years.

[bogie]

We had a BMW warranty thread recently. I have a BMW under their 2 year approved used warranty. Seem like you have to use a VAT registered garage and provide proof of servicing with correct parts e.g. oil that meets the spec. Otherwise no reason you cant go outside the network.

I'm fortunate around here as their is a main dealer with a good rep and the labour rate is not excessively higher than good indy shops, so its not worth bothering to elsewhere to try to save 10-15% off a minor service bill. They have dealt with a couple of warranty claims very efficiently too.

[slime bomb]

I've just had two quotes for a gearbox seal and clutch plate. One from an independent BMW mechanic and one from Williams BMW Manchester. There is only £300 difference. Make of that what you will.

[hiccy18]

For the avoidance of doubt:

BMW Motorrad said:

Do I have to have my bike serviced at a BMW Retailer? Does this affect the warranty?
BMW Motorrad always recommend BMW Retailer service.

If your motorcycle is covered by the manufacturer's two year Warranty, the motorcycle must be serviced according to the BMW service requirements and using BMW Motorrad Parts and Oil.

If the motorcycle has a BMW extended warranty it must be serviced by a BMW Motorrad Retailer.

[-Cappo-]

hiccy18 said:

For the avoidance of doubt:

BMW Motorrad said:

Do I have to have my bike serviced at a BMW Retailer? Does this affect the warranty?
BMW Motorrad always recommend BMW Retailer service.

If your motorcycle is covered by the manufacturer's two year Warranty, the motorcycle must be serviced according to the BMW service requirements and using BMW Motorrad Parts and Oil.

If the motorcycle has a BMW extended warranty it must be serviced by a BMW Motorrad Retailer.

That’s interesting - in a FFS sort of way. I’m paying (a lot) for an extended warranty on my 1250, but the reason I took it out was because my Indy, who I’ve used on and off for many many years and who’s highly respected in his field, advised me to.

Another job to add to the Life Admin list

[podman]

Having had BMWs for around 9 years now, I don’t find the servicing that expensive and my local independent said he couldn’t really do it much cheaper anyway…

If you trust your local dealer, which I do, then maybe worth re-considering…You WILL need a warranty claim at some point , I know of one person who had a claim rejected from using a HiFlo oil filter, which BMW claimed was the cause of his oil leak, filter in question causing an excess oil pressure and popped a seal, I’d rather not be in that scenario to save a few quid .

[-Cappo-]

podman said:

Having had BMWs for around 9 years now, I don t find the servicing that expensive and my local independent said he couldn t really do it much cheaper anyway

If you trust your local dealer, which I do, then maybe worth re-considering You WILL need a warranty claim at some point , I know of one person who had a claim rejected from using a HiFlo oil filter, which BMW claimed was the cause of his oil leak, filter in question causing an excess oil pressure and popped a seal, I d rather not be in that scenario to save a few quid .

Unfortunately my nearest Motorrad dealer is spectacularly abysmally useless, so much so that I have had two separate lengthy discussions with two separate “Customer Experience Managers”, re two different massive cock-ups, and also told the salesman, who I liked and got on really well with, that I wouldn’t be buying anything else from them on the back of the non-existent aftersales. So I’m committed to the Indy, which is fine because he’s very very good, altho a similar age to me so he’ll probably be closing up shop soon.

[iansp]

From reading my extended warranty policy the servicing does not have to be carried out at a BMW Dealer but must be carried out in line with the manufacturer's recommendations, use BMW Motorrad genuine parts or parts of equivalent specification.
All repairs under the warranty must carried out by an authorised BMW Motorrad Retailer or BMW Motorrad Service Workshop that is authorised to carry out the type of repair required.

https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/62dff6f09cb5456...

-Cappo- said:

That s interesting - in a FFS sort of way. I m paying (a lot) for an extended warranty on my 1250, but the reason I took it out was because my Indy, who I ve used on and off for many many years and who s highly respected in his field, advised me to.

Another job to add to the Life Admin list

[bogie]

What I found confusing when claiming on the warranty, is that there are 3 BMW warranties you could have; the original factory, the approved used, and the insured product (what you buy yourself after the others expire) What is covered and the small print is different on each warranty....had this pointed out to me by service manager during discussions trying to process a warranty claim.

[-Cappo-]

iansp said:

From reading my extended warranty policy the servicing does not have to be carried out at a BMW Dealer but must be carried out in line with the manufacturer's recommendations, use BMW Motorrad genuine parts or parts of equivalent specification.
All repairs under the warranty must carried out by an authorised BMW Motorrad Retailer or BMW Motorrad Service Workshop that is authorised to carry out the type of repair required.

https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/62dff6f09cb5456...

-Cappo- said:

That s interesting - in a FFS sort of way. I m paying (a lot) for an extended warranty on my 1250, but the reason I took it out was because my Indy, who I ve used on and off for many many years and who s highly respected in his field, advised me to.

Another job to add to the Life Admin list

Thanks - I’ll dig out my policy when I get a moment and have a look. The Indy I use services many of the private bikes of the Met trafpol, he’s not given to untruths, so I’d expect his recommendation to be solid.

[FazerBoy]

Boxer Works is in Wotton-under-Edge.

Fred is pretty good and he will use BMW OEM parts - so your warranty is maintained.

[podman]

bogie said:

What I found confusing when claiming on the warranty, is that there are 3 BMW warranties you could have; the original factory, the approved used, and the insured product (what you buy yourself after the others expire) What is covered and the small print is different on each warranty....had this pointed out to me by service manager during discussions trying to process a warranty claim.

The extended BMW approved warranty also covers UK and European breakdown cover I believe so worth factoring that into any comparison.

[bogie]

podman said:

The extended BMW approved warranty also covers UK and European breakdown cover I believe so worth factoring that into any comparison.

Yes it does. I got a quote for my bike and will be taking it out when the 2 yr approved used warranty is up, thought it was quite good value considering it includes Euro breakdown. BMW parts are not cheap and if you do higher mileage chances are some things are going to wear out. Already had some coil packs and steering head bearings replaced under warranty.

[hiccy18]

Bought it for mine, will probably keep buying it whilst I own it. The european breakdown cover is pretty good, having to use it on a bike i'd owned for 10 days was less good...

ETA: what chance have we got when the FAQ says one thing and the policy document another?

[CoolHands]

Should have bought Japanese, then you wouldn’t need all this warranty discussion