My $23,000 Boat Anchor thanks BMW

IRODEMINE said:
Everyone please understand BMWNA and my selling dealer both told me to pound sand. There is so much I’ve left out guys, including day of purchase copy of PDI RO and the copy I received from the GM 2 weeks after, completely fraudulent both RO #’s the same but entire stories and time flagged different, the dam first PDI Ro had attached the running in check checklist. This bike wasn’t even PDI by selling dealer so going back to them is out of the question. Another dealer Bmw North America are aware of everything I’ve posted and have more or less said sorry about your luck.
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Since the dealer has no interest in helping you rectify this disaster, I would go straight to your local media with all your information; a news agency asking questions makes people take notice. As a former Master Tech, I've never heard of BMW saying tough luck; BMWNA had me replace a clutch as warranty when it was well past the warranty time and mileage, all because the customer called corporate and bitched. The BMW crowd are loyal to good service and will call out the bad, so personally, I'd let them know who to avoid. Nobody wants to be traveling and have a scrupulous dealer work on their bike.
 
BMWmech64 said:
Since the dealer has no interest in helping you rectify this disaster, I would go straight to your local media with all your information; a news agency asking questions makes people take notice. As a former Master Tech, I've never heard of BMW saying tough luck; BMWNA had me replace a clutch as warranty when it was well past the warranty time and mileage, all because the customer called corporate and bitched. The BMW crowd are loyal to good service and will call out the bad, so personally, I'd let them know who to avoid. Nobody wants to be traveling and have a scrupulous dealer work on their bike.
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BMWmech64 said:
Since the dealer has no interest in helping you rectify this disaster, I would go straight to your local media with all your information; a news agency asking questions makes people take notice. As a former Master Tech, I've never heard of BMW saying tough luck; BMWNA had me replace a clutch as warranty when it was well past the warranty time and mileage, all because the customer called corporate and bitched. The BMW crowd are loyal to good service and will call out the bad, so personally, I'd let them know who to avoid. Nobody wants to be traveling and have a scrupulous dealer work on their bike.
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I was in the car business for 20 plus years, ran a few dealerships. I worked for BMW and Porsche Audi among others. Irodemine claims that Motorrad doesn't give a flying F about customer service and is not the same as dealing with BMW of N. America....??
I hope that part is not true and I find it hard to believe. As a former tech you know how obsessed BMW is with customer service...as in fanatical. In management i had to have my service guys do out of warranty repairs all the time to keep my factory rep happy, and to keep my travel rate up of desirable cars I wanted, and also the owner was well known in the community, this was before corporations or conglomerates owned the dealerships.
As you recall, your year end bonus was predicated on your CSI. ....
 
Randy Kahn said:
I was in the car business for 20 plus years, ran a few dealerships. I worked for BMW and Porsche Audi among others. Irodemine claims that Motorrad doesn't give a flying F about customer service and is not the same as dealing with BMW of N. America....??
I hope that part is not true and I find it hard to believe. As a former tech you know how obsessed BMW is with customer service...as in fanatical. In management i had to have my service guys do out of warranty repairs all the time to keep my factory rep happy, and to keep my travel rate up of desirable cars I wanted, and also the owner was well known in the community, this was before corporations or conglomerates owned the dealerships.
As you recall, your year end bonus was predicated on your CSI. ....
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True. They take their customer service seriously.
 
We are comparing apples and pears here, but in the UK my dealer supported my claim for corrosion on my 4 year old RT and Motorrad were fighting it hard. The Used Motorrad warranty in the UK is next to useless and more or less relies on the dealer, with so many exclusions it was unreal to read. I the end Motorrad caved and the compromise was that I paid the £700 labour and Motorrad stumped up the £6k for the engine and cylinder casings.
 
On my 2011 Rocket 3, Triumph paid to have the entire engine rebuilt when an oil leak was discovered - long past warranty coverage. The dealer ran a scope up into the block and found a hole inside the block that would have been there since manufacturing, and with a little back and forth Triumph decided to cover it. It was that moment that I became a huge Triumph fan and have purchased several Triumphs since then.

Customer service and support matters.
 
valkraider said:
On my 2011 Rocket 3, Triumph paid to have the entire engine rebuilt when an oil leak was discovered - long past warranty coverage. The dealer ran a scope up into the block and found a hole inside the block that would have been there since manufacturing, and with a little back and forth Triumph decided to cover it. It was that moment that I became a huge Triumph fan and have purchased several Triumphs since then.

Customer service and support matters.
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Okay, I need to hear more about this. My buddy has a 2014 rocket 3 that seems to have ongoing issues, including an oil leak we think is from the cam seal. Probably wouldn’t get the same attention yours did. Just interested in how you navigated your issue. Thanks!
 
BigJimSlim said:
Okay, I need to hear more about this. My buddy has a 2014 rocket 3 that seems to have ongoing issues, including an oil leak we think is from the cam seal. Probably wouldn’t get the same attention yours did. Just interested in how you navigated your issue. Thanks!
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Im happy to take this to DMs if anyone is annoyed, as it's not specifically R18 related. But it boils down to a good dealer. (Unfortunately a crappy company bought the dealership a couple years ago and the new folks would not go to the same lengths I am sure - but they also own the local BMW shop...)

I had a persistent very slow drip from a bolt that was right over my kick stand, and I would fairly regularly just wipe off the kick stand and it was all OK. I took it in for tires and mentioned it to the service guy - I was like hey, could you take out that bolt and throw some sealant (RTV?) or something on it and put it back in? He laughed and asked what I meant. I showed him, and I said "It's my first British bike and I just assume they leak oil" - he was all "Haha, no. They don't do that anymore." so he pulled the bolt out and there was oil where there was not supposed to be oil. He documented it, including photos and whatnot, then opened a case with the regional guys. They escalated to the US guys, and they escalated to the mothership. It went back and forth for maybe 6 months, then they decided to cover it. Worked out good because in rebuilding the whole lower half of the motor - it also essentially covered my expensive next service, so win win. The shop thought it was cool because they had never had the Rocket 3 motor out of a bike before and they had all kinds of fun with it on the work bench. :)

But to get back to R18: customer service matters. If your bike is not working, get it fixed or escalate it and make them accountable I guess. These things are not cheap!
 
Randy Kahn said:
So....do we know the end of this story?

I just had my 600 mile service, and the bike seems to idle smoother than before the service, although it shouldn't really. I've already come to grips with the fact that I bought the bike on looks. It runs fine, but is not really the right bike for canyon riding which is my thing. And I also know that IF I attempted to sell it, which might be virtually impossible, I'd get nothing for it. So....I'll just ride it and forget all the head trips that usually accompany everything I do. And as far as making big mistakes and living with them....I would suggest marriage as good training!!!
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You never can tell; hold onto your R18, maybe 20+ yrs from now, it will get your money back...

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I like my R18. But here is a mystery:
R18 is smooth through the gears as was my former Transcontinental. But the R18 doesn’t shake above 2,700 rpm like the TC did.
Did BMW alter the motor mechanics for 2023? (the TC was 2022)

The TC was the best bike ever if not for two flaws:
1) shakes above 2,700 rpm
2) handle bars require slight forward lean

IF BMW COULD FIX THOSE TWO FATAL FLAWS………
 
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