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Fed up with BMW Customer Service


uk1200RT

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When I bought my 1200RT, I bought two of the System V helmets with Bluetooth for my wife and I. Both have been to the dealer to have the electronics fixed already. My wife's is still broken. My electronics work (for now) but the material close to the chin strap is coming apart at the seams.

So I call the BMW shop here in Germany (Darmstadt) and tell them I have had enough and would like my money refunded. They are not willing to do that. They want to send it back to the factory to be refurbished.

They sold me a defective product and now they expect me to just deal with it. How does that happen? How can they not stand behind their products? I am infuriated.

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now they expect me to just deal with it. How does that happen? How can they not stand behind their products?
How are you having to, "just deal with it"? You say in one sentence, "How can they not stand behind their products?" then in anouther say, "They want to send it back to the factory to be refurbished." Sounds like they're willing to stand behind it to me. Now you may not like their particular solution, "would like my money refunded", but you bought the product under the terms of the sale, (did it say "Money Back Guarantee"?) and BMW's willing to uphold their end of the terms, so where's the foul?
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I agree with Ken. You're unhappy, but it might not be a reasable unhappiness. Life happens--that something like this will happen is part of the risk you accept as a purchaser. At least they are offering to make it right, even if it's not on your terms.

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I guess I'd say it depends on how quickly they can get this resolved. If it's a turnaround time of a week or two, I'd say that's reasonable. But if it's going to be a matter of months, then it would be a major inconvenience.

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Here in the States there is a "fitness for a particular purpose" gurantee. If your items where broken "out of the box" you would be entitled to replacement, not waiting for repair. You paid for new, working parts. You should GET new working parts. tongue.gif

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John Ranalletta

David, respectfully, I disagree. My perception is that BMW purports itself as the world's "premium" brand and it charges a premium price for its goods and services. OTOH, its products don't approach premium quality. Good? Yes. Premium? No (IMO). As good as Japanese bikes? Depends on the scale used to measure.

 

I buy Allen Edmonds shoes and pay a premium price for them. Why? Because the are premium quality. Their dealers provide premium service. Lastly, if I ever have a problem with the shoes years after buying them, they don't remind me of the terms of the warranty, they simply fix the problem to my satisfaction.

 

The issue here (again, IMO) is the expectation that BMW creates and their failure to live up to that expectation in the design, manufacture and service of the product.

 

One might counter that each of us is responsible for our own perceptions and I'd agree, the BMW web site uses words and phrases like "reliability" and "endless miles". I take those words seriously. No where on the site does it read, "Unless the insubstantial final drive bearing or splines fail."

 

I expect bikes to break occasionally, but if I've paid a premium price, I expect BMW to respond to my satisfaction, not theirs.

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Huh? He's used the thing and is happy with it. All that's wrong is the strap is fraying. They've offered to fix it.

 

He should get a NEW one because the strap is bad? I don't get that.

 

I wear Allen Edmonds shoes, too, and love them to death. But if I have a problem with them, they repair them--they don't give me a new pair.

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John Ranalletta

We're picking nits in this instance, but as I understand his post, since purchase the comm systems in both helmets failed and have been repaired. One comm system is still in failure mode and the interior of another is deteriorating.

 

That's more than a chin strap breaking. These aren't $10 items. I'd want my money back as well.

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We're picking nits in this instance, but as I understand his post, since purchase the comm systems in both helmets failed and have been repaired. One comm system is still in failure mode and the interior of another is deteriorating.

 

That's more than a chin strap breaking. These aren't $10 items. I'd want my money back as well.

 

"My electronics work (for now) but the material close to the chin strap is coming apart at the seams."

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John Ranalletta

I read that as well as the sentence just prior to it:

My wife's is still broken.
Doesn't matter if his Bluetooth is working if her's isn't.
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Step back...Take a deep breath...Exhale... Now, Isn't that better ? grin.gif

Give them time to make it right, or go to the maker of the product. I'm sure they do want you to be happy with your purchase.

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Well, I don't wear Allen Edmonds, I wear Mephisto because they look ugly but feel good but I will have to comment. For something like a chin strap coming apart, I'd have to say that you should give the mfg. a one chance at fixing it and save the "money back" if that doesn't work. If my new car has a seat cover seam coming apart, I expect them to fix it but really don't expect a new car replacement. My $.02.

 

jlt

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John Ranalletta

Here's what I read (my summary):

 

  • He bought a pair of hugely expensive system helmets with Bluetooth
  • The bluetooth didnt work and he took the helmets in for repair
  • The Bluetooth on one of the hugely expensive helmets (his wife's) still doesn't work
  • The interior of one of the hugely expensive helmets (his) is coming apart
  • Every time he takes the helmets in for repair he's without them, i.e. can not enjoy their use however, the dealer and BMW are enjoying the use of his money
  • He's lost confidence in the dealer's ability (and BMW's) to fix the problem(s)
  • He feels put upon for having spent so much money on such hugely expensive equipment only to have it malfunction, not work as advertised and then being refused a refund.

I'd be pissed, too. If consumers wouldn't put up with such treatment, we'd get less of it.

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One might counter that each of us is responsible for our own perceptions and I'd agree, the BMW web site uses words and phrases like "reliability" and "endless miles". I take those words seriously. No where on the site does it read, "Unless the insubstantial final drive bearing or splines fail."

Yes, one might. Of course, that is the marketing talking. The warranties were scaled back from "endless miles" to a quite finite number in 1996. That might suggest, Dear Reader, that even endlessness has its limits.

 

Fury at BMW is probably a strategically poor position for the original poster to take ... nothing is easier for the dealership to deal with. The customer gets angrier and angrier, more and more unreasonable, finally forcing the dealer's hand into a final offer, which was the original offer -- or worse. Always entertaining and predictable.

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John Ranalletta
Yes, one might. Of course, that is the marketing talking. The warranties were scaled back from "endless miles" to a quite finite number in 1996. That might suggest, Dear Reader, that even endlessness has its limits.
Did the 3-card monte tossers in NYC used to be BMW marketing whizzes?
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Did the 3-card monte tossers in NYC used to be BMW marketing whizzes?

I think they're too smart and well-paid to descend to such unseemly levels. That, and they have a sound business plan with the guarantee of a dissatisfied customer at the end of the process. BMW can only dream to be as efficient.

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russell_bynum

That, and they have a sound business plan with the guarantee of a dissatisfied customer at the end of the process. BMW can only dream to be as efficient.

 

Their record sales numbers don't seem to indicate that they're doing something wrong.

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I would like to believe that they will get the job done with the helmets, but, as has already been pointed out, while they are away for repair, my BMW sits in the garage and those nice summer hours go wasted.

On top of that, BMW has halted sales of the helmet because there are huge problems with them all across Europe. That is what I meant by they sold me a defective product.

I did ty to let them put it right. They didn't. How many times should I allow them to try the repair process before I just move on to something with better reliability?

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Their record sales numbers don't seem to indicate that they're doing something wrong.

Clearly those numbers don't include senses-of-humor sold.

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while they are away for repair, my BMW sits in the garage
You can't ride your bike unless your Blue Tooth helmets are working??? eek.gif

 

And people say I'M the one addicted to bling!

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You can't ride your bike unless your Blue Tooth helmets are working??? eek.gif

Duh, not all of us have 4 helmets. When two are in the shop to be fixed, if two is all you've got the bike stays put...otherwise the gods of ATGATT here will find him & pillory him for failure to wear the appropriate head attire.
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Forgetting the bluetooth issue for the moment…

 

The soft covering for the chin strap has become detached from my System 5 helmet on both sides.

 

Dealer says that this happened because I pulled the helmet on by grasping the covered straps, rather than by pulling on the nylon webbing alone. Crazy, who would think that you had to take special precautions pulling on a helmet!

 

A common fault apparently, that they have 'addressed'. Seems that the coverings can be replaced, and that the new stuff will be provided under warranty, for a D-I-Y fitting job.

 

While it's 5 weeks since I had the conversation, and nothing has arrived yet, I live in hope.

 

I have to say, I have had a few issues with BMW kit in the past, for example the summer gloves where there was a hard knot under the inner thumb just where you hold the throttle. Only became clear on a run, most uncomfortable, which I solved temporarily by wearing a Band-aid around my thumb. These gloves were replaced with another pair with exactly the same problem. Just the right hand, the left glove was fine.

 

As has been said, it's not a perfect world, but honestly you'd expect some serious product quality consistency from what sets out to be a premium brand.

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