Maintenance - dealers in Bay Area?

Flash_old · 09-13-2001, 01:09 PM

Any good/bad experiences with BMW dealers with respect to maintenance? I am located in San Mateo/Burlingame area but certainly willing to travel a bit around the bay for good service. Also, I've heard of some dealers providing loaners while the service is being finished - is this true?

-thanks for putting up with newbie questions

Flash

fish · 09-13-2001, 01:48 PM

Flash,

I've had service performed at three of the
bay area dealers, and here's how I'd rank
them:

1. BMW of Santa Cruz County
2. Cal BMW
3. San Jose BMW

Good luck!

fish

jcolombo · 09-13-2001, 04:22 PM

I've had great experiences with CalBMW- always put everything together well, very professional, no issues with warranty claims. They have loaners (F650GS), but you have to make sure to ask for them when you book for appointments. Not had direct experience with the other two, although heard good things second hand.

Right now they are runnning behind like most dealers so appointments can be 2-3 weeks out, but they have just hired a couple more techs and they expect once they get them "into the system", the delays should come down.

One thing I would recommend is find a dealer you like and stick with them - this is one relationship you want to develop. I've been able to get several "quick" appoinments in for things like new tires/shocks for CLASS when otherwise I could have been waiting for weeks. Also can be invaluable for those warranty issues.

Good Luck.

-John

Baldy · 09-14-2001, 12:24 PM

I had an unforgiveable experience with Cal BMW but thought it was a fluke, so I tried 'em a few more times and had another one worse than the first.

The first was when the master front brake cylinder leaked on my tank, causing swelling in the paint. They quoted me for a new cylinder ($252), tank (don't remember but high), and a week turnaround. I remember the service manager worrying my wife when he said "Sir, I can't allow you to ride it out of here with that fluid leak."

Turns out the lower fitting was loose. I didn't replace the tank and the swelling became unnoticeable in a month or two.

The second time, the transmission on my '94 R1100RS seemed to pop out in second gear and there was no reingaging. I trailered it to Cal BMW, who gave me an estimate of $735ish if I remember correctly, and 3 weeks. So I kept driving with the trailer to San Jose' BMW, who estimated $48ish and 24 hours. And that's what it took.

To be totally honest, before I started this board I was hot on buying a Tiger 955i, and one of the biggest bummers is I'd have to be held hostage by their service department. Got an overdose of that.

fish · 09-14-2001, 07:09 PM

I'm not going to give too many details, but I've also had my share of problems with cal. Not the least of which was them dropping my pristine glacier green 97 RT off a lift during the 18K service. Accidents happen, but they shouldn't take four months and five separate overnight visits to fix it.

They wouldn't take the bike in trade or cut me a deal on a new one.

The only reason I rated cal higher than SJ is because most of the good folks from SJ have moved to bmwscruz. Plus it's a little hole in the wall with more business than they can handle. They have some old kbikes for loaners, which is kinda fun.

fish

Ricardo Kuhn · 09-20-2001, 02:51 PM

cal bmw in moutain view it.s really good the evel empire it's not so bad .jennifer at marin is a dream come true for part and stuff NOTE :sorry about the ingles

Andrew · 09-25-2001, 01:22 PM

I've taken the Oilhead GS to Cal BMW and Marin BMW. Both have done good work, and both have missed things.

Cal gave me back the bike after 12k service and it surged like a bad fart. Turns out they missed that I had no Cat Code plug, *and* their super synch machine had gone out of calibration. I complained and Kari set up a second look, they caught the Cat Code issue and did a proper synch, almost as close as I can get it with the Twin Max.

Marin BMW repaired the front end damage after Mr. MommyVan smacked me. That's fine, but they missed a critical crack in the engine case that I'm now bickering with the insurance man about. Bike will either get totalled or will get a new engine.

- andrew

Rad · 09-25-2001, 07:54 PM

I have got to agree with Fish.

SC BMW has treated me like gold with all three of my oil heads. My second one was an S, the ninth one built, and it had constant, major problems. Bill, Mark, Brian and the rest of the gang at SC BMW took care of me each and every time. When the time came that I had enough with the S they worked out a good trade in for my S on a new GS.

rad

fish · 09-29-2001, 07:31 PM

I ran into Kari at Calbmw on Friday (imagine that

), and he said that he didn't mind that I tell the world that they dropped my bike ("it's a lifelong embarrassment to me"), or that it took a long time to fix, but he wanted me to tell everyone that they gave me loaners and did the best they could.

I agree.

I thought it was very cool of Kari to give Razorbak a free tshirt.

09-13-2001, 01:09 PM	#1
Flash_old ^OP Adventurer Joined: Sep 2001 Location: San Francisco, CA Oddometer: 22	Maintenance - dealers in Bay Area? Any good/bad experiences with BMW dealers with respect to maintenance? I am located in San Mateo/Burlingame area but certainly willing to travel a bit around the bay for good service. Also, I've heard of some dealers providing loaners while the service is being finished - is this true? -thanks for putting up with newbie questions Flash

09-13-2001, 04:22 PM	#3
jcolombo Lurking Moderator Joined: Jul 2001 Location: SF Bay Area, CA Oddometer: 1,248	CalBMW I've had great experiences with CalBMW- always put everything together well, very professional, no issues with warranty claims. They have loaners (F650GS), but you have to make sure to ask for them when you book for appointments. Not had direct experience with the other two, although heard good things second hand. Right now they are runnning behind like most dealers so appointments can be 2-3 weeks out, but they have just hired a couple more techs and they expect once they get them "into the system", the delays should come down. One thing I would recommend is find a dealer you like and stick with them - this is one relationship you want to develop. I've been able to get several "quick" appoinments in for things like new tires/shocks for CLASS when otherwise I could have been waiting for weeks. Also can be invaluable for those warranty issues. Good Luck. -John

09-20-2001, 02:51 PM	#6
Ricardo Kuhn a.k.a. Mr Rico Suave Joined: Sep 2001 Location: Salt lake city, Utah Oddometer: 11,582	wish dealer? cal bmw in moutain view it.s really good the evel empire it's not so bad .jennifer at marin is a dream come true for part and stuff NOTE :sorry about the ingles

09-25-2001, 01:22 PM	#7
Andrew Optimus Primer Joined: Sep 2001 Location: Eastbania Oddometer: 13,934	Local Dealers I've taken the Oilhead GS to Cal BMW and Marin BMW. Both have done good work, and both have missed things. Cal gave me back the bike after 12k service and it surged like a bad fart. Turns out they missed that I had no Cat Code plug, and their super synch machine had gone out of calibration. I complained and Kari set up a second look, they caught the Cat Code issue and did a proper synch, almost as close as I can get it with the Twin Max. Marin BMW repaired the front end damage after Mr. MommyVan smacked me. That's fine, but they missed a critical crack in the engine case that I'm now bickering with the insurance man about. Bike will either get totalled or will get a new engine. - andrew

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09-13-2001, 01:48 PM	#2
fish Banned Joined: Jul 2001 Location: Gold Country Oddometer: 47,709	Flash, I've had service performed at three of the bay area dealers, and here's how I'd rank them: 1. BMW of Santa Cruz County 2. Cal BMW 3. San Jose BMW Good luck! fish

09-14-2001, 12:24 PM	#4
Baldy Site Owner Joined: Jun 2001 Location: Silicon Valley, CA Oddometer: 8,893	I had an unforgiveable experience with Cal BMW but thought it was a fluke, so I tried 'em a few more times and had another one worse than the first. The first was when the master front brake cylinder leaked on my tank, causing swelling in the paint. They quoted me for a new cylinder ($252), tank (don't remember but high), and a week turnaround. I remember the service manager worrying my wife when he said "Sir, I can't allow you to ride it out of here with that fluid leak." Turns out the lower fitting was loose. I didn't replace the tank and the swelling became unnoticeable in a month or two. The second time, the transmission on my '94 R1100RS seemed to pop out in second gear and there was no reingaging. I trailered it to Cal BMW, who gave me an estimate of $735ish if I remember correctly, and 3 weeks. So I kept driving with the trailer to San Jose' BMW, who estimated $48ish and 24 hours. And that's what it took. To be totally honest, before I started this board I was hot on buying a Tiger 955i, and one of the biggest bummers is I'd have to be held hostage by their service department. Got an overdose of that.

09-14-2001, 07:09 PM	#5
fish Banned Joined: Jul 2001 Location: Gold Country Oddometer: 47,709	I'm not going to give too many details, but I've also had my share of problems with cal. Not the least of which was them dropping my pristine glacier green 97 RT off a lift during the 18K service. Accidents happen, but they shouldn't take four months and five separate overnight visits to fix it. They wouldn't take the bike in trade or cut me a deal on a new one. The only reason I rated cal higher than SJ is because most of the good folks from SJ have moved to bmwscruz. Plus it's a little hole in the wall with more business than they can handle. They have some old kbikes for loaners, which is kinda fun. fish

09-25-2001, 07:54 PM	#8
Rad Just me Joined: Sep 2001 Location: Santa Cruz, Calif Oddometer: 12,130	I have got to agree with Fish. SC BMW has treated me like gold with all three of my oil heads. My second one was an S, the ninth one built, and it had constant, major problems. Bill, Mark, Brian and the rest of the gang at SC BMW took care of me each and every time. When the time came that I had enough with the S they worked out a good trade in for my S on a new GS. rad

09-29-2001, 07:31 PM	#9
fish Banned Joined: Jul 2001 Location: Gold Country Oddometer: 47,709	I ran into Kari at Calbmw on Friday (imagine that ), and he said that he didn't mind that I tell the world that they dropped my bike ("it's a lifelong embarrassment to me"), or that it took a long time to fix, but he wanted me to tell everyone that they gave me loaners and did the best they could. I agree. I thought it was very cool of Kari to give Razorbak a free tshirt.