Report problems to BRP

[Magdave]

I know many people think going to the dealer and telling them about your issues is the way to go. Some dealers may actually follow up with BRP but are you willing to bet $20+k on it? I am not. My thought is sure talk to the dealer but also call BRP Customer service. It might be a little wait but report your issues especially with the 2013 models and get a case number. The more people that do this the faster the fix will come out. I have been fed BS by my dealer not on purpose but because they just do not know and have their own issues getting reliable info from BRP. So for everyone especially 2013 owners here is the number. It is best to call early or be willing to wait 20min or more for someone to talk to. I have and will continue to do it. It is unacceptable to pay $24k for a bike that stalls, over heats, and has Heim links that snap IMHO and who know what else will be happening with them down the road. Take some time to tell them what your issues are. I just got a JD power survey and guess what I am going to say about them? Don't get me wrong I am enjoying the bike but am worried about doing any long distance travelling with it due to what seems to be a lack of reliability. Hopefully if we keep on them they will fix at least some of the issues.

1 (715) 848-4957 (Consumer) BRP Customer service

[Jeriatric]

Understand your frustration. It is a manufacturer problem and they need to come up with a remedy. Band aid fixes by owners in a hurry for a solution may temporarily mask the problem but it is not a fix. Heat issues (lack of airflow through the tupperware) have been an issue with all spyder models from day one. It is disheartening to see it has gotten worse on certain models ......not better. Good luck to all of you.

[Bob Denman]

I have to gently disagree with calling BRP...
They have lines of communication through their dealer network; It's probably best to exhaust those first, before calling Tech Support directly...
And if your dealer's not doing his job; maybe you should shop for a new one...

[Littlebadwolf]

I received a card Saturday from BRP asking me to fill out a survey on dealer service experience with a chance to win 5k in BRP Cash..This was based on service received during the owner's event...It was a detailed survey which I gladly completed online..My impression is that BRP is trying to improve and monitor dealer services so they're actually doing something about the issue and being proactive.

[Buttsy]

My thought is sure talk to the dealer but also call BRP Customer service. It might be a little wait but report your issues especially with the 2013 models and get a case number.

I am a "let the dealer figure it out guy" however the fact that you have acknowledged that it may take some time to get a response is positive. Guessing somewhat here, but normally a manufacturer that has dealers "represent" them will not have in house resources to accept large volume service issues directly from customers over the phone. Most likely the same people that you are talking to are also supporting the dealer network with technical support and warranty processing so your right I would expect it to take longer for everyone to get responses when they have higher than normal call volume? Just a guess not saying you are wrong..............we all get to do what we feel is correct!

[Magdave]

When I recently got a P0217 overheat code and called my dealer I asked " You have pulled this code during my cruise control switch replacement and now I have it again. Are you going to let BRP know? " His answer was " You should call them and get a case number they do not listen to the dealers."

As we all know the dealer network is rather far flung and good dealers even moreso. How many hundreds of miles do you think is reasonable to go to a dealer so they can work it through with BRP? How do we know which ones are competent? I would think if there is a long wait on a CUSTOMER SERVICE call number it is because of the volume of calls. If everything was good they wouldn't have any.

It seems to me there has been a pattern of issues that BRP has been slow to respond to on a lot of Spyders. I agree the dealer is the first line of report but once you do that and get no fix what then? Is it OK to have them replace a heim link that snaps and forget about it? Is it OK for a $24k vehicle to go into multi limp modes when you stop for gas and restart? These examples are things the dealer has no control over only BRP. I reiterate If you have repeated problems that the dealer cannot fix who ya gonna call... it ain't Ghostbusters.

[shelbydave]

Boy, has this come up a number of times
Is this our normal behavior if we buy a car that has problems? I've never heard of it, unless you can't get resolution from the dealer.

This isn't a black and white thing here, and people shouldn't be calling BRP if they haven't gone through the proper channels first!!! I'm sure there are some cases where people would be justified in calling, but it should be the exception, and not the rule. Also, if you haven't tried another dealer, do that first. A dealer that doesn't care about your problems, probably isn't logging the proper reports to BRP, so when you call, they may not have any record of you trying to get it resolved through the dealer network. Do you think they are going to be willing to jump through hoops for someone who simply tries to jump to the top of the line with a letter or email to the company? I'd be willing to bet their reply would be "Please go through your dealer to resolve this." If they even grace you with a reply at all...

[Jeriatric]

What to do to obtain warranty coverage

The customer must cease using the spyder roadster upon the appearance of an anomaly. The customer must notify a servicing spyder dealer within two (2) days of the appearance of a defect, and provide it with reasonable opportunity to repair it.



CONSUMER ASSISTANCE

In the event of a controversy or a dispute in connection with this limited warranty, BRP suggests that you try to resolve the issue at the dealership level. We recommend discussing the issue with the authorized Spyder Dealer's service manager or owner, before contacting us.


FYI - only

[Magdave]

Boy, has this come up a number of times
Is this our normal behavior if we buy a car that has problems? I've never heard of it, unless you can't get resolution from the dealer.

This isn't a black and white thing here, and people shouldn't be calling BRP if they haven't gone through the proper channels first!!! I'm sure there are some cases where people would be justified in calling, but it should be the exception, and not the rule. Also, if you haven't tried another dealer, do that first. A dealer that doesn't care about your problems, probably isn't logging the proper reports to BRP, so when you call, they may not have any record of you trying to get it resolved through the dealer network. Do you think they are going to be willing to jump through hoops for someone who simply tries to jump to the top of the line with a letter or email to the company? I'd be willing to bet their reply would be "Please go through your dealer to resolve this." If they even grace you with a reply at all...

Their reply was " We certainly do listen to our customers." and remember I am talking about issues the dealer has no control over not a bad switch or flat tire. Also remember the dealer said to call them. I want solutions not BS and want to feel secure that my ride is not going to breakdown out in the boondocks. If the dealer gets offended too bad the setup and delivery of my unit offended me it simply was not done right. Headlights were not adjusted correctly, cruise switch never worked, gauge lens had crap in it and 0 miles on it not even a test ride to make sure everything was working. The next nearest dealer is 1.5hrs away. I will continue to work with and report issues to them but if they say they have no fix you know the number now......

[Magdave]

What to do to obtain warranty coverage

The customer must cease using the spyder roadster upon the appearance of an anomaly. The customer must notify a servicing spyder dealer within two (2) days of the appearance of a defect, and provide it with reasonable opportunity to repair it.

FYI - only

I guess everyone with a 2013 should park them till BRP come up with a fix then?

[Bob Denman]

This is an issue with a dealer that is unwilling to do their job...
"They don't listen to their dealers"???
Do you believe that?

[Jeriatric]

I guess everyone with a 2013 should park them till BRP come up with a fix then?

Well, that's what BRP wants owners to do. What an owner does is his/her decision.

[Bob Ledford]

I hate to keep relating to previous experiences all te time but sometimes history is the one thing that works best.

Back in the 60's when I was working in the GM dealerships in various capacities we used to get a once a month visit from the "factory rep." During this fabled visit he would handle reports generated by unhappy customers who wrote the factory about how he could not get his dealer to do squat! Go to the Sales, Parts, Service and handle warranty parts claims all in a couple of hours to a full day. Never less then an hour visit but as quickly as he could.

So you see how much time "the factory" allocated "the dealership." But it was a brusque type of visit and very little time for coffee and friendly BS depending on the monthly load.

Personally if it were me I would give my dealer the opportunity to solve the problem(s). Then if it wasn't resolved in a timely manner I would tell the dealer I was going higher. Nothing gets a dealer more upset then to get blind sided with a problem. All this from a guy that lives just five miles from his selling an servicing dealer that he has known for going on some thirty years now.

[Magdave]

I hate to keep relating to previous experiences all te time but sometimes history is the one thing that works best.

Back in the 60's when I was working in the GM dealerships in various capacities we used to get a once a month visit from the "factory rep." During this fabled visit he would handle reports generated by unhappy customers who wrote the factory about how he could not get his dealer to do squat! Go to the Sales, Parts, Service and handle warranty parts claims all in a couple of hours to a full day. Never less then an hour visit but as quickly as he could.

So you see how much time "the factory" allocated "the dealership." But it was a brusque type of visit and very little time for coffee and friendly BS depending on the monthly load.

Personally if it were me I would give my dealer the opportunity to solve the problem(s). Then if it wasn't resolved in a timely manner I would tell the dealer I was going higher. Nothing gets a dealer more upset then to get blind sided with a problem. All this from a guy that lives just five miles from his selling an servicing dealer that he has known for going on some thirty years now.

I hear ya Bob I am a GM retiree and have gone the distance with a few GM issues with some of my cars. I worked the dealer till they threw their hands up and worked closely with CS people and dealership to solve some of the issues heck I even got a TSB sent out on one of my fixes that the dealer or GM could not figure out with a factory remote start system. That being said my dealership is newly owned in January after being sold and they are trying to build a reputable staff but are lacking in Spyder experience. I did not spend $24k to stall at stop signs, get bogus overheat/limp modes or be the guinea pig for a suspension redesign that snaps parts. These are all things beyond the dealers ability to fix at this time until BRP comes up with some solutions. Your description of the "factory rep" sounds exactly as I suspect. I have talked with the service manager about my issues they have no fixes for them. I will not go quietly into that good night.... Did I mention I am retired and have lots of time to play phone tag and demand my money's worth?

[shelbydave]

I'm confused....

Their reply was " We certainly do listen to our customers." and remember I am talking about issues the dealer has no control over not a bad switch or flat tire. Also remember the dealer said to call them. I want solutions not BS and want to feel secure that my ride is not going to breakdown out in the boondocks. If the dealer gets offended too bad the setup and delivery of my unit offended me it simply was not done right. Headlights were not adjusted correctly, cruise switch never worked, gauge lens had crap in it and 0 miles on it not even a test ride to make sure everything was working. The next nearest dealer is 1.5hrs away. I will continue to work with and report issues to them but if they say they have no fix you know the number now......

If the dealer did a bad setup, and you can get nowhere with them, then yes, contact BRP. If you haven't tried to rectify the problem with your dealer, and go straight to the manufacturer, you may be burning your bridge with that dealer. The same way customers pick good dealers / service, dealers do the same with customers. If 98% of the customers are good, you can imagine how much thought, time, and attention goes into servicing the other 2%. Although some will say "It should be the same.", that's not how our brains are wired. If they know there are some they can't please no matter what, then there is no sense in "going the extra mile" for that person.

I for one was very hesitant to take my Spyder on a long trip simply because of all the negative posts I saw on here. At crunch time, I decided that it's a machine, and has as much, or as little chance as my Ford Ranger of breaking down, so I took the Spyder. That was about 10,000 miles ago, and I have no doubt that it can get me anywhere I want to go these days.

[Magdave]

Yes Dave I agree. For now I have been very gentle with the dealership I want them to be successful if for no other reason to save me a 1.5 hr drive. I have had them (or I ) fix all the delivery issues including 2lb difference in front tire pressure. I am writing if off to inexperience. I have reported my issues to them in a respectful and helpful way and asked questions to test their knowledge and it seems a little lacking. They are a full line dealership selling multiple brands and various watercraft and ATV's with a large inventory and selection. Can Am is a small part of it. With time I hope they get it together but when they say they do not know I will be calling BRP which is the whole point of this thread. When they said they did not know the vin cut off for the ball joints...1-800-BRP and they checked my vin.

[ARtraveler]

Per previous posts:

: Manual says see the dealer first--give them time to fix--then go to BRP if necessary.

: It appears in this case--dealer has said to go to BRP because they don't have any more answers, and they are not able to get good information from BRP.

: Customer, it appears, is stuck in the middle.

[Magdave]

Per previous posts:

: Manual says see the dealer first--give them time to fix--then go to BRP if necessary.

: It appears in this case--dealer has said to go to BRP because they don't have any more answers, and they are not able to get good information from BRP.

: Customer, it appears, is stuck in the middle.

Condensed version

[exwinger]

It seems to me that you've given your local dealer enough chances and are getting a run around from them. It's time to find another dealer , I did and the results are amazing. And yes my new shop is over 1 1/2 hours away and inconvenient but in my experience the results are well worth the extra time and miles. Check the shop walls for BRP certifications , if they have none then you are dealing with guess and by golly. I know for a fact that if a tech talks to BRP with facts , they listen and results happen. A shop telling you that there's nothing they can do is flat ridiculous , they don't want to spend the time. I'm not the most patient person in the world but give people chances and its up to them to run with it , if they don't then I don't let the door hit me on the butt on the way out. Yes BRP does have problems with certain things and everyone expects there should be immediate repairs. Just think about it for a minute though , the broken part has gone through testing ( presumably ) and passed and then for some unknown reason the parts fail. I'd just as soon they come out with a new product that has undergone some testing rather than just giving me something they think will work...if it does all is ok but if it again fails then what happens? Does BRP have some issues with different components , yes they do .Will they fix all of them , who knows .Do I think they should address all issues , yes I do and I think it should still be covered even out of warranty.