Battle with BM Dealer John Clark Tayside

[JackSnipe]

I purchased the K13 GT dated1/4/2015, private sale 5000 miles with FDSH (John Clark's all work) within 350 miles of John Clarks full service dated 16/3/15 I booked into Pidcocks BM Long Eaton for flange check. They orderd flange but told me rear wheel bearing are well gone (Demo how rubbly they were) need replacing ASAP. Asked technician and Service Manager is this a sudden onset, say in last few mile for example 350 miles ?, reply " No way happend over bigger mileage span than that, should have been picked up at 5000 miles service 16/3/15". Wheel bearing replaced on Extended warranty me stiffed for £100 excess as a result of IMHO lack of QA and care by Clark's of Tayside.  Took up case with Clarks and BM UK. BM UK sympathetic but white elephant no influence over dealer. Clarks politely told me to go and F..k myself !

I have doggedly been at them on and off ever since and tomorrow will be disussing same with their MD of Clark's (On phone). BM UK until I pushed them never bothered to check apparent disparity between performance of two of their dealers over a clear safety issue.

So the moral of the story is are all BM dealers C..p or is it John Clark's only based on my experience ?

You have been warned

JS.

[gramey]

To cut a very long story short some years ago I bought an approved used BMW car from my local dealer that had apparently gone through an extensive pre sales check to comply with the BMW Approved warranty scheme. I then had to take it back a few days later for a nose off the rear nearside wheel and they came back to me with an extensive list of faults that needed rectifying but it would all be covered under the warranty.

Feeling aggrieved that this supposedly thoroughly checked car had developed so many faults in such a short time I smelt a rat, if they carried out the work prior to sale it ate into their profits. If they said they'd checked it and then found the faults BMW's warranty scheme paid for it and they maintained any profit margin they had in the car.

What they didn't account for was a cynical copper, as I was then, contacting BMW UK who sent down an engineer on the agreed date that the car went in walked through the door just behind me, took the keys from the Service Reception and demanded a ramp be made available for him to inspect the car. The car was returned a week later, having been loaned a brand new demo car for the week, with all faults rectified and a large bunch of flowers for my now ex wife. The engineer stated that the defects could not have occurred in the short time I'd had the vehicle and the dealer was to repair them at their cost or BMW UK would take punitive action against them as a dealer.

From that day on the service I received was nothing short of exemplary!

Sorry not quite as short as hoped, I guess now their warranties are provided by a third party and it's not them being ripped off they don't care?

[Costas]

Regret to admit that in most cases dealers are moto.. F....... And son of b...... And sa se calo Theororos bere stealers. But there are exceptions out there.

[Twisty]

Two points :-

For BMW UK to say they have no influence over the dealer is just not true! They do have massive influence!!

I have used Pidcocks in Derby and now Long Eaton since I bought my first BM in 1978 and new Roy Pidcock from when I was about 16. I have ALWAYS had excellent and reasonably priced service from them. They, like everyone(!), are not perfect but any errors have been fixed quickly and without fuss.

Just sayin'
 

[Andysdad]

Interesting that the JS's rear wheel bearing went at such a low miles.

Mine did too at 10K miles (I hadn't noticed anything despite 1700 miles in the previous 10 days) and I was suspicious that it coincided with the rear flange recall - a dealer job creation scheme?

I also had the same "not interested" from BMW Customer Service trying to get a goodwill contribution; I cannot imagine a BMW car owner getting that kind of treatment.

IIRC another Forum member has had a rear wheel bearing fail too - is this (becoming) a common fault?

Dealers are independent of each other and manufacturers (even if they have centralised service records) usually won't know exactly what has been done at a service.

[slparry]

To cut a very long story short some years ago I bought an approved used BMW car from my local dealer that had apparently gone through an extensive pre sales check to comply with the BMW Approved warranty scheme. I then had to take it back a few days later for a nose off the rear nearside wheel and they came back to me with an extensive list of faults that needed rectifying but it would all be covered under the warranty.

Feeling aggrieved that this supposedly thoroughly checked car had developed so many faults in such a short time I smelt a rat, if they carried out the work prior to sale it ate into their profits. If they said they'd checked it and then found the faults BMW's warranty scheme paid for it and they maintained any profit margin they had in the car.

What they didn't account for was a cynical copper, as I was then, contacting BMW UK who sent down an engineer on the agreed date that the car went in walked through the door just behind me, took the keys from the Service Reception and demanded a ramp be made available for him to inspect the car. The car was returned a week later, having been loaned a brand new demo car for the week, with all faults rectified and a large bunch of flowers for my now ex wife. The engineer stated that the defects could not have occurred in the short time I'd had the vehicle and the dealer was to repair them at their cost or BMW UK would take punitive action against them as a dealer.

From that day on the service I received was nothing short of exemplary!

Sorry not quite as short as hoped, I guess now their warranties are provided by a third party and it's not them being ripped off they don't care?

Nice ...... mind you I bet they spat in your coffee

[chriscanning]

Well I hope mine don't go belly up as the bike turned over 10,000 today when I had 140 on the clock and we are are a long way from home to be worrying about such never mind 100 quid.

[SimonH]

Hi Chris, sounds like the trip has gone well. Thanks for the advice on weather in the alps. My K turned 20k miles in Germany last week and saw 160 mph... but not 2-up like you. (Serious respect to J).

[richtea]

Well I hope mine don't go belly up as the bike turned over 10,000 today when I had 140 on the clock and we are are a long way from home to be worrying about such never mind 100 quid.

Probably almost run in, then?
I didn't know you had to limit it to stay under 140 until 10k