World of BMW - Its the same the whole World over!
I booked my Dakar in for a 10,000K service at BMW Autodom, Moscow Mkad earlier this year.
On arrival at 9am I found the usual white marble and glass palace full of smartly dressed people doing absolutely nothing - except avoiding eye contact with customers. 6 receptionists busy ignoring everyone by staring into screens. A further three guys on the 2 meter long counter for BMW exclusive bike cleaner, screenwash (?) and polish.
After 10 minutes someone foolishly looked up (probably she was planning to go to the loo!) and I dived in. It took half an hour to book-in the bike (despite a pre-arranged appointment) for the service and a tyre, I was told they would ring me when the bike was ready.
They were as good as their word here - they did ring. TWO DAYS LATER!
They told me the price was 18,000roubles (about (£350). I got there within an hour to be told the price mentioned was wrong and I would have to pay closer to £550.
I pulled out into the Mkad (sort of M25) to find the clutch slipping. I stopped and adjusted the cable myself as I just felt incapable of being polite with BMW people.
A prebooked, routine, interim service and a new tyre. Two and a half days. £550. Come on........
I am so glad labour rates in Russia are not as high as elsewhere.
The whole BMW experience always totally pisses me off. It has been much the same in the UK, Spain and Russia.
They make good bikes but behave as though no one else does (or even exists). Even in highly populated countries like UK they make you travel long distances to find an "authorised" bike dealer who, on past experiences, are often do incompetant work. Other makes are just as good, if not better, and they have spares and mechanics in just about every town in the World.
The wriggling over Warranty matters is truely out of this World! I have twice written to BMW UK but they just wriggle out of it even more. A helmet inner disintegrated when following their own washing instructions - not interested because I do not know the supplying dealer (It was a surprise gift from an ex-girl friend who I no longer wish to contact).
I could go on - and on - and on - but I leave it for others to recount their own stories.
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