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Warranty Issues - BMW System 6 Helmets in Canada

C

cbck1200s

Guest
A few weeks back I started a discussion about the availability of System 6 Helmets in the USA. As a Canadian, I found that the prices for the helmet here are astronomical but one can purchase the same helmet in England and have it shipped for $200.00 less. I'd first to thank all who contributed to the discussion and with your help I decided to purchase one from an online distributor in England.

The helmet arrived promptly and I'm very pleased with the fit and with the built in sun visor. The quality of the optics in the sun visor is as good or better than some of the sun glasses I've purchased over the years.

My only problem is that the clear visor does not close completely on the one side of the helmet. I brought this to the attention of the distributor and he suggested I take it to my local dealership as the helmet should have a world-wide guarantee.

I took it to Pacific BMW here in Richmond, BC and at first they said that the condition I was experiencing is not "unusual" for that helmet and that in order to close the lid completely you had to reach up to the top edge of the helmet and push it down into place. I checked each of the new helmets on their shelf and none of them had the same problem and then I asked where in the instruction manual does it say that the rider must perform this function to close the helmet.

After some lengthy conversation with the sales girl and then the service manager they indicated that they might be able to try and fix the problem. Of course, they asked if I purchased it there and if I had the receipt. I told them that no, I had purchased it in England but I did have a valid receipt.

I was told that because it was purchased outside of Canada it was not covered under warranty and if I wanted it fixed I'd have to ship it back to England or Germany.

By this time I knew I wasn't going to get anywhere we these folks so I grabbed up my helmet and left.

It is the weekend now and Monday here in Canada is a holiday so I won't be able to contact BMW Motorrad Canada until Tuesday. I am getting the awful sinking feeling that I'm going to get stone-walled there as well.

My question therefore is: has anyone run into the same issue purchasing BMW products abroad and then having them repaired or replaced under warranty at home? I'd be especially interested in hearing from fellow Canadians who've experienced similar issues.
Thanks
cbcK1200S - Colin

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The short answer to your question is no because I have not had a problem with BMW gear bought outside Canada (in all cases from the U.S.). I'm surprised a dealer in the UK actually sold you a helmet. A friend of mine bought a System 5 in London a couple of years ago and he had a hard time getting a dealer to sell him one. They refused to sell it to him without a UK address. He ended up "getting" a UK address (his hotel's). You took a risk to save money and now you've encountered the downside -- no warranty support from a Canadian dealer, nor from BMW Canada I suspect.
 
The short answer to your question is no because I have not had a problem with BMW gear bought outside Canada (in all cases from the U.S.). I'm surprised a dealer in the UK actually sold you a helmet. A friend of mine bought a System 5 in London a couple of years ago and he had a hard time getting a dealer to sell him one. They refused to sell it to him without a UK address. He ended up "getting" a UK address (his hotel's). You took a risk to save money and now you've encountered the downside -- no warranty support from a Canadian dealer, nor from BMW Canada I suspect.

Mark:

I didn't have any trouble ordering the helmet. In fact they were very cooperative as I was a Canadian. Most of the feedback I received prior to my decision to purchase was positive from both sides of the border (US & Canadian) with regards to purchase and service.

I've run into issues with BMW Canada before when I was contemplating exporting a BMW M-Coupe, BMW 335I or a motorcycle from the USA into Canada but I figured I might be OK with one of their accessories like a helmet. GO FIGURE!!!

BMW Canada seems to be an entitiy unto itself, plain and simple. They protect their market and seem to be unwilling to be a part of the global brand.

I will learn more once I contact them after the holiday weekend. I'm not confident, obviously.

cbcK1200S - Colin
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We had some of this here in the U.S. when F650 bikes were available in South America but not in the U.S.

The warranty provided in the U.S. is by BMW Motorrad USA and they warrant bikes and stuff imported/distributed by them. I assume it is the same in Canada.
 
Warranty support for a helmet?

In over 35 years, I've never needed any. Its a simple device.

I bought a Schuberth C2 in Europe last summer for about CA$400.
 
marcopolo:"I'm surprised a dealer in the UK actually sold you a helmet. A friend of mine bought a System 5 in London a couple of years ago and he had a hard time getting a dealer to sell him one."

cbcK1200S - Colin: "I didn't have any trouble ordering the helmet..."

Colin ordered the Sys 6 from http://www.designerhelmets.com/prodl...&prod=System+6
in the UK

Designer Helmets is not a "dealer". In the context of BMW System helmets, "dealer" means an authorized BMW dealer, which--in corporate theory :violin--should be the only retail source of BMW System helmets.

(And, by corporate legal dictum, BMW System helmets should not be sold to US citizens, or shipped by dealers to USA addresses :blah. But there are always exceptions; e.g., two years ago, BMW's Munich flagship dealer offered to sell a System helmet to a US citizen if it was a cash sale, rather than US credit card...thereby reducing legal exposure/ risk, the primary concern of BMW corp legal dept.)

Some North American folks have successfully/ happily ordered BMW & other brand helmets from Designer Helmets. There's an interesting side question how Designer Helmets in the UK is able to 'source' BMW helmets for (re-?)sale. Perhaps Designer Helmets is actually also a BMW dealer doing side/ separate business in multi-brand helmets...but that's speculation. In any case, Designer Helmets is operating on the margins in this environment.

Colin-I hope you get your Sys 6 visor 'fixed,' by any means. But given the convoluted sale/ warranty trail, I'm surprised that you're surprised by the response from your local BMW Canada authorized dealer. BMW Canada, like all national BMW marketing arms, is a separate entity, even if it is also a corporate subsidiary.
 
marcopolo
Colin-I hope you get your Sys 6 visor 'fixed,' by any means. But given the convoluted sale/ warranty trail, I'm surprised that you're surprised by the response from your local BMW Canada authorized dealer. BMW Canada, like all national BMW marketing arms, is a separate entity, even if it is also a corporate subsidiary.

Yesterday I contacted BMW Motorrad Canada and spoke with a pleasant fellow, Andre. His first reaction was to explain that it was a common problem with the helmet and that all you need to do is push the top edge of the visor down and it would seal. I explained that while this might be a great interim solution, it certainly should be fixed permanently.

He then spoke with one of his other co-workers and the other gentleman explained that there was a "fix" available for the problem. He indicated that he would order the part and have it sent to the same dealer that wouldn't touch the helmet here in Richmond, BC.

I thanked him and asked if he could send me an email confirmation of the conversation (I'm still waiting for that) and that the service department would contact me.

So, we'll wait and see if they come through. It would be refreshing to have a positive feedback on BMW service given the complaints I've read here in many of the forum posts. Maybe there's still hope for BMW.

cbcK1200S - Colin

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