• Welcome, Guest! We hope you enjoy the excellent technical knowledge, event information and discussions that the BMW MOA forum provides. Some forum content will be hidden from you if you remain logged out. If you want to view all content, please click the 'Log in' button above and enter your BMW MOA username and password.

    If you are not an MOA member, why not take the time to join the club, so you can enjoy posting on the forum, the BMW Owners News magazine, and all of the discounts and benefits the BMW MOA offers?

BMW Roadside Assistance, Canada

micanuck

New member
I would like to express my dissatisfaction with the BMW Roadside Assistance experienced since early October when an alternator belt failed on my 2010 GSA about 50 miles south east of Tacoma. A fellow BMW rider in Tacoma lent me his pickup truck to bring the motorcycle back home to Vancouver Island where it was purchased and has had service. The incident occurred late on a Saturday afternoon out of cell phone range and too late to access a local dealer. The next possible business day I could attend the local dealer was October 3 and a phone call was made to Roadside Assistance with directions to mail a letter explaining the incident with any receipts to an address in Winnipeg, Manitoba. I sent all requested information the same day and waited several weeks with no response. Since then, I received a phone message from Illinois to fax the information again. After complying with this request, I waited another several weeks, then phoned the 800 number for Roadside Assistance in Canada. They had a record of my phone calls, but no knowledge of any mail. I mailed the documentation again, then waited. After no response for a few weeks, I tried calling again, and although they were polite and apologetic, they could only contact a manager to try to expedite my claim. By yesterday, after another call, I was contacted by phone from Illinois with a request to fax the material again, with the promise to connect with me later in the day or today. This has not happened. I sent an email today to a Mr. Wells, who is a representative in Canada in the hope that this system can be improved upon. For those of you reading this, please supply any feedback or experiences you may have.
 
My experience with Canadian BMW Roadside assistance was a complete shock. disappointment, as well as a waste of time. On June 2010 I was riding with my wife on the 401 on our way to Quebec. About 150k from home, I started to feel sick. I pulled off onto an exit ramp and proceeded to extend my sidestand, but before I could, I passed out and we both tumbled into the ditch. I was diagnosed with an abdominal aortic aneurism and rushed about 100k to a hospital in Ottawa. That is a long story, but meanwhile the police had a local company pick up my bike and took it to their compound. My friend then picked up the bike with his trailer a couple of days later, paid the $315.00 fee and returned the bike to my residence. After recovering from my surgery I submitted a claim for $200.00 eligible reimbursement from the BMW Roadside assistance program. They were given the contact information for the police and for my insurance company.
I repaired the motorcycle myself and the cost was below my deductable, so no claim was processed. BMW Roadside Assistance denied my claim stating that this was not an accident or mechanical breakdown and therefore did not require roadside assistance.
This entire experience left me with a negative feeling toward BMW and their Roadside Assistance.
 
Back
Top