Please vote if you think the MOA should have a more proactive stance with BMW NA

BC1100S said:

Sign me up. THIS is something worth fighting for! To the parapets, men!

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It's just like the finale to Les Miserables........ "Do you hear the people sing?"

Great post 36654, or should I call you "24601"?

36654 said:

It's just like the finale to Les Miserables........ "Do you hear the people sing?"

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If the people are singing they need to step up to microphones.

kantuckid said:

I think some of you that fuzzed about this/these threads(that your reading anyway ) should visit the exciting topic of "Word Association" over in Campfire for even more excitement?

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Ah, yes. Word Association. You should all try it. It is very relaxing, inbetween all the bitching.

What ever you do, don't let Klinck know about this thread! He seems to have his hands full over there on WA!

36654 said:

It's just like the finale to Les Miserables........ "Do you hear the people sing?"

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I would highly recommend Red Hot Chili Peppers Moscow 1999 concert - much higher energy than Les Miserables - check out 28 minutes in to almost 30 minutes where Anthony begins to breathe life into the music with his hands:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WioU2ZniLs

For RT's that lack real horsepower this concert just might be the ticket. S1000RR riders on the other hand need to stay away from this stuff as you'll crash for sure .

junkjohn said:

Ah, yes. Word Association. You should all try it. It is very relaxing, inbetween all the bitching.

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Relaxing is overrated.

BMW MOA has a volunteer advocate - called the Consumer Liaison. This is new to neither BMW MOA nor the several threads swirling about. But that fact keeps being overlooked. So is the Consumer Liaison, by members with issues with vendors, dealers, or BMW.

I believe there should be a "regular" column in the Owners News that reports the activities of the Consumer Liaison and the issues that he/she has dealt with. Whether "regular" means quarterly or monthly or whatever depends on the level of activity, use, and interest by the members.

This would have two possible affects with two distinct advantages. First, the possibility of regular publicity might have some modest effect on how folks cooperate and compromise. I do understand that often confidentiality is important. but issues can be described in generalities when necessary. More importantly however, every member would at least have the opportunity of being reminded that such a person as the Consumer Liaison exists and could be of help to a member.

It is my considered opinion that when issues arise it is important to address them at the earliest possible moment. The next day is often not too soon. The fact that BMW MOA has a person who might be able to help ought to be well publicized and in the forefront of folks minds when they believe they have a problem. A regular column in the ON would provide an opportunity for folks to know this much better than a name and phone number with a somewhat obscure title on the staff listing in the magazine.

PGlaves said:

.......... First, the possibility of regular publicity might have some modest effect on how folks cooperate and compromise. I do understand that often confidentiality is important. but issues can be described in generalities when necessary. ............

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Why do you feel confidentiality is important?

billy walker said:

than Les Miserables

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In Les Miserables, a whole bunch of good, idealistic people and one misguided obsessive die by the end of the story.

The idea of an ongoing update of the activities of the Consumer Affairs Liaison is an excellent idea. I won't get involved in the confidentiality question but think it presents a number of issues from a reporting / publication point of view that will impact how the topic is reported. When I briefly wrote for On there was a fifteen day lead time for columns. I don't know the current requirement for regular columns. The lead times for publication, what ever they currently are, would seem to preclude blow by blow coverage of a negotiation. In addition the magazine format does not allow for next day up dates of newspapers for example.

36654 said:

In Les Miserables, a whole bunch of good, idealistic people and one misguided obsessive die by the end of the story.

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Gee, that could relate to this forum!

billy walker said:

Relaxing is overrated.

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Sez you!

As a survivor of nine heart surgeries I've learned that some good relaxation (which includes a nice putt on the 11S some afternoons) is critical to life!

Cheers!

Paul, thanks for your suggestion and agree with you.

PGlaves said:

BMW MOA has a volunteer advocate - called the Consumer Liaison. This is new to neither BMW MOA nor the several threads swirling about. But that fact keeps being overlooked. So is the Consumer Liaison, by members with issues with vendors, dealers, or BMW.

I believe there should be a "regular" column in the Owners News that reports the activities of the Consumer Liaison and the issues that he/she has dealt with. Whether "regular" means quarterly or monthly or whatever depends on the level of activity, use, and interest by the members.

This would have two possible affects with two distinct advantages. First, the possibility of regular publicity might have some modest effect on how folks cooperate and compromise. I do understand that often confidentiality is important. but issues can be described in generalities when necessary. More importantly however, every member would at least have the opportunity of being reminded that such a person as the Consumer Liaison exists and could be of help to a member.

It is my considered opinion that when issues arise it is important to address them at the earliest possible moment. The next day is often not too soon. The fact that BMW MOA has a person who might be able to help ought to be well publicized and in the forefront of folks minds when they believe they have a problem. A regular column in the ON would provide an opportunity for folks to know this much better than a name and phone number with a somewhat obscure title on the staff listing in the magazine.

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I looked on the MOA homepage and did not find any mention of the consumer liaison person or position. I know it and he exists because you recommended that I call him last year and I did. I think his name was "Jim" and he was very nice and called BMW NA and Bloodworth BMW on my behalf. Jim said the David Bloodworth "appeared annoyed to be hearing from a liaison with the MOA".

I think we need a "Super Liaison" that has access to service bulletins, recalls and is aware of recurring problems with members bikes and possible defects and report this information back to the member in the magazine and under a special tab on the forum.

I wonder how many members know the name and how to contact the consumer liaison. That would be a good poll to post but don't worry I am not going to.

The MOA has done a poor job of making the consumer liaison position and person known.

I have looked back at some of my old MOA magazines and I did not find one example where the MOA ever question anything BMW NA does or "doesn't do". The tech writers sometimes point out error in manufacturing but not the editors of the magazine.

Always good to hear your point of view and thanks again for helping me with my bike.

espressoforyou said:

The MOA has done a poor job of making the consumer liaison position and person known.

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His name is on the masthead in each Owner's News. Contact information is provided.

Thanks Kurt for the information, an article about his function would be helpful.

20774 said:

His name is on the masthead in each Owner's News. Contact information is provided.

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I am sure the members would like to know more about him and his function. Maybe examples of how he has helped members in the past would be interesting.

Thanks again.

espressoforyou said:

I am sure the members would like to know more about him and his function. Maybe examples of how he has helped members in the past would be interesting.

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Sounds like it's up to the members to contact him and engage him directly. As the poll seems to be going, it doesn't look like the forum is a place to have these kinds of discussions.

NO vote from me. Not what the MOA is about or what I want it to be.

But, that doesn't mean we can't have some formal form of reporting system (like we already informally do) on the MOA website, wherein members could load data in a set format, model, VIN (maybe), miles, issue, warranty reported, corrective action (if applied), cost, etc.

At least then a consistent data base, independent of BMW Motorad or BMW NA would be established that members could reference for their own use and case. I would expect that BMW would use that data as well if it were available to them. Then again,...maybe not.

ANDYVH said:

NO vote from me. Not what the MOA is about or what I want it to be.

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To be clear here the MOA can be anything the membership wants. Nothing is cast in stone. What you personally want it to be has value to you as you have every right to strive for that. I think the poll is clear enough that the membership does not want advocacy to be part of the picture. Advocacy supporters should consider laying their arms down at this point in time and surrender as the majority really don't want to hear it anymore.

ANDYVH said:

But, that doesn't mean we can't have some formal form of reporting system (like we already informally do) on the MOA website, wherein members could load data in a set format, model, VIN (maybe), miles, issue, warranty reported, corrective action (if applied), cost, etc.

At least then a consistent data base, independent of BMW Motorad or BMW NA would be established that members could reference for their own use and case. I would expect that BMW would use that data as well if it were available to them. Then again,...maybe not.

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BMW is well aware of whatever issues they may have - either thru warranty/goodwill submittals or a given part selling in greater quantity than anticipated. Dealers are aware of this information at a local level and BMW is aware of this information on a worldwide level.

My Dad told me that some enterprising individual did that on his own at the BMW LT Touring forum on K1200LT final drive failures. Might be a model for someone to do that here...but it was done by an individual on their own.

The name and contact information for the current consumer liaison is on page 6 of the print version and shows as page 7 in the online version. I support the idea of increased information being available on the website. Like it or not ON remains the official means of communicating as required by the bylaws. At this time nobody is required to be part of or post on the forum as part of their membership or volunteer duties. The forum has grown. I do not follow every thread as I once could when it was small and friendly. Forum members regularly pointed people seeking help

Several of the sub forum moderators, Paul and I have something of an unstated race to scoop each other by being the first to post BMW (US and Canadian) recalls in the proper subforum. I have been posting recalls in my ongoing thread in a subforum you regularly mock. I chose the campfire sub forum because it has always been accessible to members and forum visitors. I am careful to start each recall with "RECALL" in an effort to make it as simple as possible for a member or guests to search that term and have all recalls roll up. And yes in the current version of the forum is having search problems but that is way above my just a member pay grade. I would love to have access to service bulletins but I have not found a way to do it that I can support.

Could the information be presented in a better way? Yes.
Would I support this? Yes.
Would I support any kind of expanded reporting by someone else? Yes.
Am I sick of hearing that nothing negative is posted on the forum about BMW that the membership around here doesn't do its level best to inform fellow members about problems? YES!