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600 mile maintenance question

2K views 15 replies 11 participants last post by  brkdncr 
#1 ·
Hello all,
It's been awhile since I've posted and I'm a little skeptical about my recent trip to the dealer.

Today I took my f800r in for its 600 mile maintenance. I scheduled my appointment for 0830 and got there 15 minutes early, only to find that another bike was in front of mine. From what I understand, they only have 1 BMW Tech working there, but it is what it is. I just told them that I didn't have a ride home so I would stick around and wait.

I saw that the RT was pulled out about 1000 and mine was rolled back promptly after and was brought back out to the front at about 1100. So I proceeded to the counter for my billing statement and to my surprise, I was charged for 2 hours of labor!!!

I talked to the service person to find out why I was charged for 2 hours of labor when I, in fact, saw that my bike was in and out in an hour and she told me that it was a flat rate. This didn't sink into my head so I talked to another service person and he basically said that jobs had certain flat rates so that the techs didn't just sit around and bullshit and run up your bill. I said I see the point in keeping them honest but mine was done in a little less than an hour but I am getting charged double.

My total bill came out to about $211.00. I knew getting a BMW was gonna be a little pricier on the maintenance but does this number seem right to you seasoned owners? If I had just dropped my bike off I would of never known and just assumed that was the cost but seeing a 2 hour job done in an hour leads me to one of 2 conclusions, either the dealer is overestimating the time allotted for this task or the tech just rushed my service because of the guy that came in front of me and he was pressed for time so the quality of my maintenance suffered [uhoh]

Either way, I am turning to you all to see what it is I should do, if anything. Thanks for taking the time to read this and your comments are appreciated

Hollywood
 
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#5 ·
The first service is basically an oilchange and checking for anything loose or out of the ordinary. This process, if done by an experienced tech, could reasonably take just over an hour.

I have ALWAYS been charged for the time incurred, not more. Talking to the service manager may or may not help depending on their attitude. Best bet is to get your SALESMAN to work with you. If your unhappy then it should be important to him to make it right.

BMW service is hit and miss at best. Do your own oil changes (they are easy) and check all fasteners are tight on a regular basis. The only reason to go into the dealership then is warranty issues and getting the service indicator reset until your first valve clearance check.

While there are lots of bad stories out there about BMW service, there are also alot of good ones too. Perhaps the dealership there will do right by you but either way staying away from the shop unless you really need to be there is advisable.

I would tell you to call BMW customer service but that would only make you more angry so dont bother...... Physician heal thyself. [;)]
 
#6 ·
i called around for pricing and was told to expect around $200 from most shops. The dealer I bought it from offered me a 50% discount, and I took them up on it. Sounds like a flat rate fee, for sure. I'm glad I had the service done and have faith that they did a good job. On my previous new bike, I did the initial service myself, as I did NOT trust the local dealer (different bike) based on the 'prep' they did when I bought the bike.

Trust is a big thing, and $ is part of that. I, too, would speak with the dealer about your experience and see what they could do for you - perhaps give you credit for the 6k service, if the want to keep you as a customer.

Let us know how it turns out,
Ferenc
 
#10 ·
Get the email address for your salesman, the service manager, and the general manager off their website or from them.
Email your salesman, and cc the service manager and general manager at the same time.

That way all relevant eyes and ears are made aware of your concerns at the same time. Make follow-up easier as well.
 
#14 ·
Right or wrong, flat rate is the way they do it in the States, unfortunately.
Maybe this policy varies from dealer to dealer. I live in the Boston area, and at my dealer (Greater Boston Motor Sports), my 600K service invoice included the labor hourly rate times the time spent. Everything else was spelled out in detail on the invoice item for item. I just broke through the $200 threshold. I took the bike on my first long trip the next day (250 miles in 24 hours and highway speeds to 85MPH) and had no issues then (or since.)

I'm assuming labor rates vary region to region like they do for autos...and dealers can make deals on small maintenace like this versus the prices on major parts. I'm thrilled with the bike, and my dealer has been very accessible and accomodating (especially for a new rider.)
 
#13 ·
That is about right. I know someone else complaining about the 12k service of $700. BMWs cost money. You can save a great deal of that money by learning to do your own service, and then assure yourself that it is done right.
That's what I do. That's what quite a few BMW riders do.
dc
 
#15 ·
For things like routine maintenance many dealers also use whats referred to as "menu pricing", which means just a set price for things like a 600 mile service, regardless of how long it takes. Skill levels vary as well, what may take one Tech one hour to do may take another Tech two.

Labor rates do vary and customer pay labor rates are set by the dealer, warranty labor rates are set by the factory. There are many different variables taken into account when determining a dealers warranty labor rate, each manufacturer has their own method but most are similar.
 
#16 ·
In my experience, there is a big book that explains how many hours it "costs" to do a specific task. You are billed by the book, at the normal hourly rate. A skilled mechanic can get a 2 hour job done in under 2 hours and have time to spare.

If the job is a 2-hour job, and they spent 10 minutes on it, corners were cut.
 
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