Dealer overservicing bikes

[Acpantera]

Well....I just got back from getting my R12R serviced, It has 12k fun miles on it already. When I dropped it off I asked for a 12k service, jumped on the loaner and enjoyed a very nice 70 mile ride home. When I went back the next day they had the bike ready on time and I went to the cashier to pay the bill and got a real shock. $309 for the service, about $150 more than I expected(6k was only $119) and that was w/o oil/filter change which I like to save a little and do myself. It seems that they did more than what was required, like, r&r spark plugs $55 +labor(due at24k), r&r trans oil w/synthetic $19 +labor(due at 24k), r&r final drive lube $6 +labor(done at the 600 mile service and bmw says thats the last time it needs doing), and I peg the labor at maybe 1 hour($70) for all the work not required. I believe they are just trying to be overachievers but I don't feel that the should spend my cash with out telling me before hand. I said something to the owner and he got upset with me and that I should have told the service writer exactly what I wanted done (I asked for service due a 12k NOT 24k) He said he would give me credit, but now I feel uncomfortable dealing with them and they are the only dealer that I can get service at, next dealer is 120 miles away(thank bmws for the limited dealer network). Am i looking at this wrong? is this extra service a good idea or is it just a money grab??

[tobes]

It does sound like they went a little overboard. I was also surprised to hear from my dealer that the final drive oil gets changed now only at the 600 mile service and is good for life after that. No change required even at the 24k mark. Said they will do it at the customers request.

[Dan-A]

It seems about right to me. With all the incidents of final drive failures (though not on R's) I would want that done for peace of mind.

And unless I missed it in the description of work, I believe there is a valve adjustment due at 6K intervals. At least there is one due at 6K.

[lewellen]

Generally, this is a hard call.

I usually like to have my bike be serviced by "aggressive" shops (or myself) as that's a good way to catch problems earlier than they otherwise might have been.

That being said, I could see inspecting the spark plugs, but not replacing them unless there was a clear and visible problem with the installed ones. At the very least, they should have saved the old ones to show you what the problem was (e.g. cracked insulator), and should have called you first to confirm if this wasn't a standard procedure for this service. Also, you asked for the 12k service, and the bike was at 12k. If it were me, I might have agreed to the extra stuff (especially if they were going to check the trans. and final drive oil for metal shavings, *if* they had discussed it with me first.

Out of curiosity ... did they also check or change the air filter? That should be a standard part of any reasonably complete check-up.

Re dealer choice, that's a personal matter in part; it's a longer hike to the next-closest dealer, but you sound fairly unhappy with the closer one. How 'bout calling up the 120-mile dealer and asking what they do - and recommend - for the 12k service, and have a friend call your dealer and ask what they do & recommend for the 12k service?

For me, maintaining a good relationship with the service manager and mechanics is important; so when I bring in a bike for servicing, I usually try to stop at Costco and grab a container of cookies or something before heading over. It's an excuse to hang around for a few minutes and talk about stuff without as much chance of being seen as a pest. Also, whenever I bring in the bike for service, I'll ask for, say, the 600-mile or 6k service, but also ask just what they will be doing for that service and an estimate of the cost. That helps to avoid surprises, and also gives you a fallback if there are questions later on as to what was done, and why.

Good roads,

- Lewellen

[def38]

You say you perform the oil/filter change yourself to save money.....why not just do it ALL yourself. Sounds like you have the mechanical savvy, tools etc.

Most motorcycle dealers operate on modest margins and do not enjoy the volume of work of say an auto dealership. Also, I suspect that BMW does not pay much for warranty work so maintenance work is their moneymaker. The motorcycle business is a tough one. So, if you like to save money, get the factory CD or a good manual and perform your own maintenance.

I have done everything on my BMW except the first 600 mile head retorque and a warranty replacement of the FD.

[NCGS]

I prefer to let the dealer do the work until the warranty runs out. Then I'll do what I'm comfortable doing (oil changes, valve adjustments, etc).

I'd rather have an over-achiever dealer than an under-achiever dealer. Best bet is to ask up front what will be done and how much it's going to cost.

[DrD]

That was uncalled for. BMW is careful about specifying what must be done and when (600 miles, 12k, 24k, annual), so when you say, "12k service" it should mean what is in the manual. Anything beyond that must be approved.

Given your situation, it seems better to take the refund and give them another chance.

[Acpantera]

Lewellen, I did get an air filter, and I expected to get it because thats part of the service required at 12k
def38, I do have mechanical savvy(I'm a truck mechanic) I just need the dealer to handle the valves and tb synch, the rest I like to do. Most of the service is just just a visual inspection and documentation for any future warranty claims that may arise. I have no problem paying somebody for their skills when it comes to something I am not familiar with. I also think it is important to toss the the dealer a bone and give him some business.......I just feel like I got the "BUSINESS" instead.
I guess this is a lesson learned .... buy the service manual and get familiar with it.

[AllanCook]

$55 plus labor for spark plugs? If they did a valve adjustment, wouldn't they have removed the plugs? Why wouldn't the labor in the valve adjustment include the labor for replacing the plugs? $55 for sparkplugs? That sure seems high.

[bmwk100]

I had the same issue recently. I dropped my bike off for 18K mile service (Triumph Sprint ST) and they replaced the rear brake pads without asking me. I would have requested DP pads. Oh well.

[OU812]

$55 plus labor for spark plugs? If they did a valve adjustment, wouldn't they have removed the plugs? Why wouldn't the labor in the valve adjustment include the labor for replacing the plugs? $55 for sparkplugs? That sure seems high.

That does seem to be a "double" charge.

[BackNBlack]

wow - $119 for the 6K service? My dealer previously quoted over $300 when I asked them about what my upcoming 6K service would be. Sounds like I need to make a few phone calls to dealers, check out what's being charged, and make sure I dont get overcharged when I take in for 6K service. Buying the thing has already nearly got me broke, I dont need to pay more than necessary at this point.

[hoonu]

I'd rather have an over-achiever dealer than an under-achiever dealer. Best bet is to ask up front what will be done and how much it's going to cost.

Yeh, but I've had more than one service manager get testy with me when I asked the question: "What does the XXX service entail?" Even more testy when I indicated that I only wanted limited service done, OR that I wanted to be notified before any additional services or parts were added to the equation.

As far as concern for the dealers, their margins, warranty and all that: I'm not unsympathetic, but it's not my job to make sure they're profitable. It's not their job to pay the day's overhead on my bill. I look at it this way: You can shear a sheep over and over, but you can only skin 'im once!

[Acpantera]

Dealer credited my card $160, I am happy again.

[Byrdguy]

If you can change the oil yourself, you can do everything they did. Plugs are easy to change and don't really need changing that often. My 02 has just 15000 miles on the clock but I've never changed the plugs (I do all my own work) and the bike runs fine. Trans and diff fluid changes are easy also. $70 an hour is about the going rate, BTW.

[Biped]

This practice has been going on in the auto world for years and is unethical. My defense is to photocopy the maintenance schedule from the owner's manual, highlight the required service for the mileage, and ask for a quote when I walk in. I actually had a service manager say, "Oh -- you want the factory service." That's correct -- as opposed to the worthless, fuel-injector-cleaner, gas-additive, wax-the-oil-pan service they attempt to schedule while never mentioning that it adds considerably and unnecessarily to the factory requirements. If such dealers find business conditions difficult, I strongly encourage them to get out of it.

[Bill Stevenson]

The practice of providing more service than is called for by BMW is a scam and not only should you refuse to pay for it, I believe you should report the matter to the authorities, usually the state attorney general office, as well as to the local chamber of commerce. A lot of BMW motorcycle dealers are guilty of this practice and I believe BMW wants to hear about it too. Only if it is reported can something be done to stop it.

As you can tell from other respondents to your query, not everyone is unhappy to have their bike over-serviced. That doesn't make it right. If the an owner wants service above and beyond what is called for by the manufacturer that is their right, but they should ask for it to get what they want. This activity should be recognized for what it is and the customer who doesn't want it should not be made to feel uneasy or obligated to pay for service he or she did not ask for. When you spoke with the owner and he seemed upset and told you that you should have given specific instructions to the service writer, you could have pointed out that you did give exact instruction when you left the bike for the service specified for that interval. He was totally in the wrong, which any fair hearing would confirm.

BMW had a problem with this type of activity in their car division and the perception that it was extraordinarily expensive to maintain a BMW car was identified as an obstacle to new car sales. The company fixed the problem by including all routine service for a period of three years with each new car sold. Further, they provided service on pre-owned BMWs sold thru authorized dealers. The problem went away and car sales both new and used went up. I wish the motorcycle group would develop a similar program.

Bill