Magura/Bosch Madness

Electrifying Cycles

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 4, 2011
1,005
176
So after not ordering off Magura for a while we order several parts which are in stock including a classic battery and travel charger.

As we recently moved we made sure that the new address was on the system. I had one other order from Magura arrive during this period, for a battery which arrived within a few days and had our old and new address on. You get mixed messages over how long batteries should take, apparently the SLA says 2 days but Magura sometimes say two weeks?

We have had plenty go poor experiences with Magura in the past. My highlight being our card machine is broken and we do not know when it will be fixed (you could not make it up).

These parts were ordered on the 14 October 2015. However they have yet to arrive and Magura have no idea where they are. They sent a second battery and again this has not turned up and again they have no clue where this is.

To make matters worse you leave Magura messages and they do not call you back or email you. They say they tried to call yet no answer phone message is left. Instead you have to spend your time and money calling them in Germany.

We have customers waiting for these parts yet even when you contact Bosch to explain about this poor service no one can offer any solutions.

They do not even know which courier the parts should have/be coming with. Apparently they use a forwarder, which means they do not have a clue which items are with which courier.

To say we are hacked off is an understatement, it is impossible to provide a good service when you have this type of parts back up.

I even contacted the head of Bosch bike Service and Sales but again this appears to have made no difference.

All we want to do is provide the level of service our customers deserve!

Hopefully we will get these parts in the near future but it does not give us much hope for future orders

Just a bit fed up with Magura, you expect Bosch to sub contract to someone who can provide at least an adequate service.
 
  • Like
Reactions: flecc

Martin@e-bikeshop

Esteemed Pedelecer
Couldn't agree more David! The service from Magura is poor!

We make large orders on a weekly basis and they are the only distributor that we have to print out each order and mark off as it arrives. Otherwise it doesn't get administered on their end and lost forever.

One of our recent orders never came (I normally give them a month before moaning) got a message back from them with a proof of delivery. After saying it never arrived here 3 times and each time getting a POD. Not much help when it hasn't arrived here. It was obvious it had been delivered elsewhere. Not getting anywhere I decided to investigate further to find out it was at Brooklands Mercedes.. That'll explain the Mercedes wiper motor that's been kicking around down in our warehouse for weeks ;)

Understand this was an issue with the couriers wrongly labelling in the UK. But to not bother investigating on their end is poor.

We've got to be one of their biggest UK accounts, you'd think they would cut some slack. They owed us nearly £3k for almost a year in un-supplied orders, after sending a copy of the transactions on our bank statements, their accounts still couldn't figure it out! Their only approach was to call us to say they would honour the account in our favour, close it and open a new account.. Made us feel like the bad ones!.. Still no parts.Terrible service.

FYI: I have found the key is to make a specific contact within Magura and speak directly with them each time, that way someone is responsible and the account runs a little smoother.

Batteries take about a week to deliver BUT that depends on when Magura decide to dispatch them. DSV who deliver the hazardous stuff in the UK are also terrible, which doesn't help!
 

Electrifying Cycles

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 4, 2011
1,005
176
Martin we had similar problems, perhaps a letter signed by UK dealers would help?
Do have a named contact now thanks for info though!
 

RobF

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 22, 2012
4,732
2,311
Not very encouraging from my point of view as a Bosch bike owner.

The manager of my local bike shop recently went on an ebike maintenance course for the Bosch, Yamaha and Trans-X systems.

It appears Bosch are making some attempts to make UK service more widely available, but it all still has to go through Magura.

My Bosch bikes have been reliable and are long since out of warranty.

But I am not looking forward to the day when I do need service.

Seems to me that getting the job done could be problematical even, to coin Oscar Wilde, for ready money.
 

Electrifying Cycles

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 4, 2011
1,005
176
We went on the same course and have done at least 3 Bosch courses in total. We keep some parts in stock and if the bike was bought from us we would loan the customer a bike if the worst comes to the worst. Do not generally advertise these parts online as we mainly keep them for our own customers due to the Magura situation
 

RobF

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 22, 2012
4,732
2,311
The good thing for me is I can now access Bosch service locally, so at least I won't have to travel to experience the delays and frustrations.

My man is a skilled bike mechanic but doesn't claim to know a lot about ebikes, particularly crank drives.

On the subject of dongles, he formed the impression from the course that the diagnostic report - or perhaps skilled reading of it - would reveal if a dongle had been fitted.

He also mentioned being able to tinker with riding characteristics of the bike - motor response times and the like.

We thought about using one of my bikes as a test bed, but decided against it due to fears of it all going wrong.
 

Electrifying Cycles

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 4, 2011
1,005
176
Got another email from Bosch, it is apparently due to logistic problems and hazardous goods issues. Well several of the items were not batteries.

Also it is Magura's job to make sure their suppliers deliver products, like it is mine to make sure our couriers deliver. I have had no problems with other items coming from Europe even when they contain hazardous goods. Although Bosch do not blamee Magura, thanks for that.

Very disappointing. Glad we have Yamaha and Shimano Steps. The later with a 400wh battery at just £320 retail.

From what I know cannot see anything changing in the near future.

Very disappointed.
 

Electrifying Cycles

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 4, 2011
1,005
176
Have you spoken to the Bosch rep here in the UK? Havent expereinced any sort of delay with parts other then one item Bosch wise.
I have spoken to him as well as the head of Bosch e-bike. I doubt me and Martin are the only ones. Also the parts were in stock as well!