I bought a 2001 BMW 650 GS from Rodney at the end of Jan with a buy back plan when I returned to UK on 11th March.I had various troubles with the bike in faraway places but at my expense & help from NZ's marvellous people always sorted it!
The rear number plate fell off & got jammed in the plastic rear wheel "spoiler".This was due to the brackets from the panniers rail being broken.Something we both overlooked.A temporary fix was not good enough so Blundells? lawnmower shop in Queenstown welded new stronger brackets to the pannier--this involved stripping the tank plastics to remove the battery which was nearly dry of acid!!! to protect the electrics.They were great & let me loose in their workshop for over half a day using all their tools.
Previously only 2 days out from a pre delivery "service" a rear chain tensioner came loose & bent the bolt.I had to search for a new one but could only get an allen bolt not a BMW torque type.I then had to buy a set of allen keys to add to the tool kit.
In Rawene on a Saturday the clutch needed adjustment & I discovered the cable fraying at the lever nipple.Auckland BMW would get one to me in 4 days!!The local garage by the ferry & I made up a cable but he charged me $130.
The aluminium pannier covers came loose BUT half way round the Coromondel the bike started to run weakly & kept stalling!!I rode 60kms to the KTM dealer at Thames & we rang BMW Auckland who would wait for me to arrive.They diagnosed a split in the inlet rubber manifold & they had never seen this before NOR were there any spares in NZ.After much persuasion they robbed one off a repair bike.The air filter was clogged & this was deemed the cause of the trouble from A so called serviced Bike from Canterbury Rides!!??I'd had to ride 140kms to Auckland then 140ks back to Thames & in their wisdom BMW Auckland charged me $573.80.
To add to my misery because it was after 8 o-clock the only bed I could find cost me $130
The BMW would have been the ideal bike for me & the repairs cost me $920 in total plus about 3 days of my holiday.
Strangely none of these things upset me as much as the cheque I received at home which was to have been $7000NZ.We shook hands on the deal But when the money finally arrived in UK Rodney had only sent $6750!!!!
Many of the faults were due to poor servicing some of which I could not see (empty battery,split manifold)
AllI want is my $250 dollars which I was promised & I will be happy.
I was due to buy another bike from Canterbury rides next Jan but now will probably rent .
Can anyone suggest how to get my money back?