Parts Pronto from Chicago BMW

[montmil]

On Friday afternoon, 11 April, I ordered some fork seals and other small bits from ChicagoBMW and Javier in their parts dept.  I also ordered the R65 battery side panels, primered, at $25.00 each with a guaranteed price even though I was informed the covers had to be ordered from the BMW "mothership" and would definitely take a while.  The bike goes fine with or without the plastic trim, so...

Our favorite R65 site already had some responder's comments/warnings about the "casual" rate of order delivery from the Windy City.  OK, note to self: Call ChicagoBMW in five days and check on the order ship date.

It's noon-ish on Wednesday 16 April and I just got off the phone with ChicagoBMW.  Their parts guru said that my order had been on my front porch for the last 58 minutes.  As I had entered my home via the garage, I carried the phone, along with the parts guy, to the front door.  Duh!  DHL package laying there and contained my complete order.  Bonus round prize!  All items carried a 20% discounted price.  Excuse me... This is where I usually do my Happy Dance.

Should you be one of those "former" Chicago BMW customers who may have had issues with delivery, I might suggest giving them another chance.  I did the whole deal via their 800-number, confirming in-stock items and talked with live parts peoples... both times.

Thank you, Javier, and Chicago BMW. [smiley=clap.gif]   Monte

[Bob_Roller]

That's whole lot btter than my last experience with Chicago BMW !

I ordered a bunch of small nit-noid parts mostly hardware, o-rings and a few seals.

The order was placed Feb. 07, 2006, and they were delivered on May 01, 2006 (84 days !).

I then found that most of the o-rings were the wrong part number, and the two that were the correct part numbers, had incorrect quantities.

I may give them another try next time I need parts.

Chicago BMW is the remains of the BMW dealer that I bought my '81 R65 from, back in January, 1981, it was called Abt BMW, it was opened in 1955, and was family owned up until the youngest son, Mick Abt was controlling the dealership, he ran it out of business within 5 years of taking control of it.

Then after the Abt family went through legal issues for a few more years, Chicago Harley-Davidson bought all the inventory, and incorporated it into the Harley dealership a few miles from the Abt dealership location.

After Abt BMW went out of business, there was only one dealer in the Chicago area Lew Fox BMW in Naperville, Illinois, and for me, it was a 100 mile round trip drive, not worth the effort, as they usually had to order the part and you had to drive another 100 miles roundtrip to get the part, as they did not ship parts at that time.

That's when I started ordering parts from Competition Accessories in southwestern Ohio around the Dayton area.

Thank God for the internet !!

Maintaining my R65 in the early years of ownership was quite different from today, getting parts and technical help was not as efficient as it is today !!

[vontresc]

Was that the same Abt family that runs Abt Electronics???


Pete

[Bob_Roller]

I believe it was the same family, but I think the motorcycle dealership was owned and operated by the 'black sheep', non-conformists of the family!

That's what led to about 5 years of legal disputes within the family after the closure of the dealership, the 'sucessful' part of the family wanted to get a share of the proceeds from the dealership, even though they had no vested interest in it.

Aren't families 'fun' when money is being contested !

[montmil]

...Then after the Abt family went through legal issues for a few more years, Chicago Harley-Davidson bought all the inventory, and incorporated it into the Harley dealership a few miles from the Abt dealership location.

Interesting HD note. There's an interior night shot of the ChicagoBMW showroom on their website. Look out the storefront window and you can easily see a HD neon sign.

[Bob_Roller]

From the sounds of it today, the two dealerships are seperate entities, the last time I did business with them they answered the phone with : Chicago Harley-Davidson - BMW, and after you said you wanted the parts department, you were asked Harley or BMW.

It appears they have gotten over the 'growing pains' of a few years ago.

My next significant order of parts will be with them.

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

I ordered a set of saddlebag loops and integral luggage rack from them around the end of Feb. this year.  
Probably because it was over $300, they hit my account right away.  I expected them to have to order them from Germany, so I was pleased when they arrived in about 5 weeks!  

I usually go to them for my weird stuff, though.  And I never call.  It sounds like phone orders (for common items) might get priority over their website orders...

[montmil]

... I usually go to them for my weird stuff, though.  And I never call.  It sounds like phone orders (for common items) might get priority over their website orders...

Rob, it worked very well for me. No guarantees, but I tend to support businesses that actually do what they say they'll do. That support means sharing positive experiences that may be beneficial for others along with... perhaps, the not so good.

Kinda like living here in our 'Purposely Disorganized' neighborhood. Sometimes you get Mister Rogers, sometimes you get the Vancom Lady. Insert Forrest Gump quote here...

Whoa! I've just posted a DIY personality disclosure.  

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

... I usually go to them for my weird stuff, though.  And I never call.  It sounds like phone orders (for common items) might get priority over their website orders...

Rob, it worked very well for me. No guarantees, but I tend to support businesses that actually do what they say they'll do. That support means sharing positive experiences that may be beneficial for others along with... perhaps, the not so good.

Kinda like living here in our 'Purposely Disorganized' neighborhood. Sometimes you get Mister Rogers, sometimes you get the Vancom Lady. Insert Forrest Gump quote here...

Whoa! I've just posted a DIY personality disclosure.  

You didn't see "I was pleased" in my post?

[montmil]

You didn't see "I was pleased" in my post?

Yep, saw it. Will see if my side covers get here in five. For my special order "weird stuff", I'll be pleased, too.