R 1250 GS 6000 Mile Service

apbehnen said:

How is it apples and oranges. You unscrew the drain plug, the old oil comes out. You change the oil filter. Put the drain plug and a new crush washer and oil filter back on. You pour the new oil in.

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But besides changing the oil and filter, does the Ford service writer talk to you about your truck and tell you what all he did to it and did you have great donuts and a nice chair to sit in with TV on and newspaper waiting for you? Sure he did. And did he give you a van ride home or to work and come back to pick you up at end of day (or to the local fitness center for a workout)? Sure he did. Did he give you a "Free Safety" inspection (check your battery, tire tread, light bulbs, belts, fluids) and offer to wash it for the same $49.00? He probably did...my Honda (car) dealer does all that for $12.95 (if you purchased your car from them), for term of ownership. I imagine the motorcycle dealer would only charge you $250.00 to $300.00 for that same service (minus the customer service car ride to home/work and back and wash of course). It is definitely apples and oranges, in one case you buy just an apple. In the other, you must purchase a portion of the entire orchard.

https://www.donayreshonda.net/about/oil-change/

Everyone should realize that BMW motorcycle service intervals are ridiculously short simply and only because it covers BMW’s liability to have a trained professional inspect your bike as often as possible. The likelihood of driver injury is significantly greater compared to BMW’s cars.

This is altogether not a bad idea ... it’s certainly not “just an oil change.” Since the intervals are so short, our bikes are the only modern German vehicles I’m aware of where non synthetic motor oil is still permitted. And ... yes I understand it’s a little different with wet clutch bikes using engine oil in transmissions, but these intervals predate that change.

Omega Man said:

To make a fair comparison it seems that you would have to see how much the Ford dealer would get to service the bike and how much the bike shop would get to service the Ford.
OM

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Not possible...bike lifts just can't get those Ford trucks up in the air.

apbehnen said:

How is it apples and oranges. You unscrew the drain plug, the old oil comes out. You change the oil filter. Put the drain plug and a new crush washer and oil filter back on. You pour the new oil in.

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OK ... I hate this is beginning to seem like an "oil thread" ... but ... The Ford dealer is a mass production shop that does dozens if not hundreds of oil changes a day. They are a volume dealership churning out as many as they can. I suspect you don't know (and maybe don't care) what tech did the oil change and I suspect it may be a jr. tech so he/she is not experienced in the same manner as a BMW Master Tech would be. Also, remember the OP was discussing the 6K service and not just an oil change. If you look at what that includes it is much more than just draining the oil and spinning off the filter. OH ... and while not a lot .. .on a BMW motorcycle to do an oil change there is many times body work or skid plates to remove. On a Ford there is a drain plug and fill plug. BMW dealers are low volume shops just by the nature of the product and they have overhead. There is always a BMW Master Tech wrenching on my bike and he is making a hell of a lot more than the kid changing the oil at the Ford dealer and for ME I like it that way as that Master Tech tells me about what he saw on the bike, brake wear, Tire wear (not just do I or don't I need tires), and other items he may or may not see and yes there have been times when they have noticed things I never would, nor would the kid changing the oil at the Ford dealer. And my BMW motorcycle is for ME (maybe not everyone) my "baby" ... my pride and joy ... my toy and my hobby. Also, I am trusting the person working on my bike with my life. No an oil change is not a life or death issue but that Master Tech is looking over my bike and making sure it is safe with no issues so that I will hopefully live to ride another day. I have a relationship with the Tech, the Service Manger, and the dealership. I DO NOT have any of that with my Ford (actually for me it's a Chevy) dealer. And honestly for me that is fine. My interaction with the Chevy dealer is a transactional business. There are half dozen Chevy dealers near me that can all provide the same $49 oil change / tire rotation. There is ONE BMW dealer 10 miles from my house and the next one is 100 miles away. The relationship I have with my motorcycle is different than the relationship I have with my Chevy truck and the relationship I have with my BMW dealer is different than the one I have with my Chevy dealer. Every time I go in for service at the 2 Chevy dealers I most frequently use there is a new service writer and I never see the tech. BMW motorcycles are a premium product and I expect premium service and I get it. But that is just me. I do my own oil changes and most fluids and filters. But anything else I trust my local dealer who has always been honest and fair.

LFarling said:

There is no excuse anyone on this forum can make on the cost of a oil and FD change. NONE

It is a pure rip off.

You might want to dream and say the dealer goes over the bike and blah blah. Talk to a mechanic some time. Your lucky if they even eye ball your brake fluids and you antifreeze. Now there are good techs out there but far and few between.

You are drinking way too much Kool-aid if you think every dealer is doing the 600 the way it is written up on the 600 mile service sheet.

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I just look at as the reality of owning a “perceived” high(r) end brand of vehicle. Assuming that service charges were not going to be higher on a BMW, at a BMW dealer is sorta a fluffy dream.
Jiffy-Lube found that $19.95 oil changes did not sustain their business model.
OM

LFarling said:

There is no excuse anyone on this forum can make on the cost of a oil and FD change. NONE

It is a pure rip off.

You might want to dream and say the dealer goes over the bike and blah blah. Talk to a mechanic some time. Your lucky if they even eye ball your brake fluids and you antifreeze. Now there are good techs out there but far and few between.

You are drinking way too much Kool-aid if you think every dealer is doing the 600 the way it is written up on the 600 mile service sheet.

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Depends on the dealer and the tech. That is the service I get at my KTM dealer. It is an enthusiast shop; everybody that works there, and the owners, are riders and most of them have raced or currently race, mostly dirt but the tech has road racing experience. It is also what I get at my Triumph/BMW dealer. I no longer know the techs well (a former tech there is now at the KTM dealer) but I know the service writer well and he does report what the tech found.

To be sure, at this end of PA (Phila. and it's western suburbs) there are a slew of very good, enthusiast dealers.

Just to be clear this thread from the OP was about the 6K service and the related cost. I checked and my 6k service was just under $200 and included the brake flush since it was combined with the annual on my RT. I never have the dealer do my oil changes because I want to save the cost and I enjoy doing it.

That being said I know what an oil change would cost at the dealer .... it is real simple math ... 4 quarts oil at about $16 ($64) filter at about $20, crush washer at about $1 and probably 1/2 hour labor at about $65. That cost seems consistent with most BMW dealers. I know I can do it for about $50 or $60 and I always do. My dealer totally understands that and supports me doing the service I can. BMW motorcycle dealers have (at least in my area) more overhead costs than a car dealer or Jiffy Lube for a lot or reasons ... less volume, higher paid techs, etc. I don't believe it is a "RIP OFF" as they have costs to cover and are entitled to make a profit.

Omega Man said:

I just look at as the reality of owning a “perceived” high(r) end brand of vehicle. Assuming that service charges were not going to be higher on a BMW, at a BMW dealer is sorta a fluffy dream.
Jiffy-Lube found that $19.95 oil changes did not sustain their business model.
OM

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Or perhaps, the dealerships found out matching Jiffy's oil change pricing (or beating it) paid huge dividends (getting customers in their service bay, for other services and profits). Which in turn, spelled the demise of Jiffy's business model.

gsinnc said:

Apples and oranges.
.

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You can compare the price of the oil and filter.

Chevy charges $3.53 a quart for bulk full synthetic. BMW charges $17.50 a liter for jugs of full synthetic.
Chevy charges $5.50 for a car filter and BMW charges $19.74.

Motodan said:

Or perhaps, the dealerships found out matching Jiffy's oil change pricing (or beating it) paid huge dividends (getting customers in their service bay, for other services and profits). Which in turn, spelled the demise of Jiffy's business model.

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Exactly. This global “loss-leader” mentality works best for those involved in the hyped IPO’s.
OM

Lee said:

You can compare the price of the oil and filter.

Chevy charges $3.53 a quart for bulk full synthetic. BMW charges $17.50 a liter for jugs of full synthetic.
Chevy charges $5.50 for a car filter and BMW charges $19.74.

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Yep ... Chevy "car dealership" vs BMW "motorcycle dealership". (apples vs oranges) Just like cars ... I suspect you can't get a $49 oil change at a BMW car dealer or Mercedes car dealer. Honestly that is why I own a CHEVY truck. But for my bikes I love my BMW motorcycles and all the dealers I've been to are fair and honest. I understand the costs of a BMW motorcycle may be more than say a Kawasaki and that's OK. I do try and save $$ where I can.

Bottom line, and think we'd all acknowledge this, it is an expensive "hobby". Unless,of course, you actually "love" your BMW motorcycle, then I suppose it's cheaper than a spouse.

gsinnc said:

Yep ... Chevy "car dealership" vs BMW "motorcycle dealership". (apples vs oranges) Just like cars ... I suspect you can't get a $49 oil change at a BMW car dealer or Mercedes car dealer. Honestly that is why I own a CHEVY truck. But for my bikes I love my BMW motorcycles and all the dealers I've been to are fair and honest. I understand the costs of a BMW motorcycle may be more than say a Kawasaki and that's OK. I do try and save $$ where I can.

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Yes, a Kawasaki oil filter is more like $12.00, but I'm sure the $20.00 BMW filter does something special to justify the cost difference.

Motodan said:

.............. Unless,of course, you actually "love" your BMW motorcycle, .........

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THAT goes without saying!

Motodan said:

Yes, a Kawasaki oil filter is more like $12.00, but I'm sure the $20.00 BMW filter does something special to justify the cost difference.

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Yes it does ... it screws onto a BMW motorcycle

gsinnc said:

Yep ... Chevy "car dealership" vs BMW "motorcycle dealership". (apples vs oranges) Just like cars ... I suspect you can't get a $49 oil change at a BMW car dealer or Mercedes car dealer. Honestly that is why I own a CHEVY truck. But for my bikes I love my BMW motorcycles and all the dealers I've been to are fair and honest. I understand the costs of a BMW motorcycle may be more than say a Kawasaki and that's OK. I do try and save $$ where I can.

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A few years back I took my bmw car to a dealer in Orange County who did oil changes for free. The fees were charged to the marketing department. They always did an inspection on the whole car and invariably found something that needed to be done.

Motodan said:

Or perhaps, the dealerships found out matching Jiffy's oil change pricing (or beating it) paid huge dividends (getting customers in their service bay, for other services and profits). Which in turn, spelled the demise of Jiffy's business model.

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A local car dealer here follows this idea.... offers free annual emissions inspection (about 25-30 bucks) but not the annual safety inspection (30 bucks). It brings in customers and I'm sure they also get quite a bit of service work by simply getting the customers through-the-door.

Units of Labor

I apologize for getting anyone all worked up. I just thought $284 was expensive for an oil change that's all. It is just $15 short of $300. From now on, I think I will do the 6,000 mile oil change interval service myself and bring the bike to the BMW mechanic to do the more comprehensive $12,000 mile service. You all must make a lot more money than I do.

apbehnen said:

I apologize for getting anyone all worked up. I just thought $284 was expensive for an oil change that's all. It is just $15 short of $300. From now on, I think I will do the 6,000 mile oil change interval service myself and bring the bike to the BMW mechanic to do the more comprehensive $12,000 mile service. You all must make a lot more money than I do.

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Ha! just some active motorcycle discussion. That is also part of the fun of owning a BMW, few other brands have such a lively on-line support.

And hey it could be worse, we could be riding Ducati's

apbehnen said:

I apologize for getting anyone all worked up. I just thought $284 was expensive for an oil change that's all. It is just $15 short of $300. From now on, I think I will do the 6,000 mile oil change interval service myself and bring the bike to the BMW mechanic to do the more comprehensive $12,000 mile service. You all must make a lot more money than I do.

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If you need or want help, just ask the forum members. There may be club “Tech Days” you could go to for some of this routine service.
It’s really not a bad idea completely cutting the relationship with your dealer, especially if the bike is still within the BMW warranty period.
OM