Dealership tried to rip me off

Hogwylde

Member
Aug 1, 2001
466
0
I try to help my sister out by working on her 83 Honda Shadow for her. It's got some leaking fork seals. I think "no problem". WRONG!! I find out I dont have the tools necessary to reach down inside the forks to get them apart. Ok, lets take them to the local Honda dealer.

I drop off the FORKS ONLY and the seals I purchased in the parts dept. They tell me 7-10 days. Ok, fine....see ya then.

10 days pass and nothing, so I call. Not ready yet and promise tomorrow. OK I say, give me an estimate how much. I about hit the floor when she says $128 bucks!!! That's TWO HOURS labor for probably a 30 minute job!! The more I though about it the madder I got. So, I went up and picked up the UNTOUCHED forks and told them 2 hours labor was ridiculous. They didn't care....said it's what's in that book on average labor times. Ok, fine for a COMPLETE bike that has to be dissassembled and put back together, but not for the forks ONLY!!!
They didn't even try to make me happy. Just gave me my forks and didn't even say "have a good day".

So, I go down the street to a local independant bike guy and he'll have them done in 3 days for 40 bucks. (the reason I didn't go to him in the first place is that he's closed his shop. But I just happen to find out he still does SOME service work after hours a couple nites a week. too bad I didn't find this out sooner!!)

Geez, does this factory guy think I wanna sponsor his riders all by myself or what?????
 
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KXrider12

Sponsoring Member
Jan 2, 2002
141
0
Some dealerships can be jerks, one of my freinds went and payed cash for a 02 KX125 and the shop was to cheap to even give him a pare of thor goggles. He just handed them 5thousand bucks and they couldnt give him a 30 dollar pair of goggles.
 

crkid

~SPONSOR~
Oct 14, 2001
665
0
Just because you buy a bike doesn't necessarily mean they owe you anything. He had to buy the bike, he's got to buy the goggles. What makes them jerks is when they fudge the labor like Hog is describing, that's what gets me.
 

Chief

~SPONSOR~
Damn Yankees
Aug 17, 2001
682
0
The first bike I bought new took my check for the bike, then later hassled me about my next check being good for the scheduled service. (back in 85) then when I walked in with a cast on each arm never even mentioned the casts. I'm not saying the casts were their fault, just that maybe they didn't appreciate the bad publicity and that they were ignorant Fill in the blanks. They had no problem with the check I wrote for the bike.

Anyway they went bellyup not too long after that. The attitude of the entire dealership is a reflection of the owner. There are as many different style dealerships as there are owners and people in general. Glad you found someone who has some integrity. (the 'little' guy)

As far as the goggles, I'm figuring that was 1 percent of your purchase price even if they were 50 bucks. 1 percent on every purchase would mean a lot to that dealership. Where I bought my bike in '01 they offered 20 percent off any accessory that day and 10 percent off for an entire year. Problem is they are an hour away and I find what I need cheaper at a lot of other places. Not to mention if you are like me you are stretched to your limit the day you walk in there to buy a new bike. Cash, credit card or check, they are still getting their $, I doubt they care what form of pmt we use.

Service is not any dealership's bread & butter. Bike sales and parts are. Word of mouth is what will decide their fate in the end so don't sweat it. Go where the gettin' is good and spread the word. It will make a difference.

Chief
 

dell30rb

Uhhh...
Dec 2, 2001
1,512
0
I have a friend at the local dealership who always warns me when I'm about to get fudged.

I dont buy anything from them except for plugs and oil anyway.
 

Enduro_Nut

~SPONSOR~
Feb 7, 2002
1,155
0
That was the one of two initial reasons why I switched over to euro bikes, atleast they know what/when and why for a reasonable cost.

Last summer I went to a Yamaha dealer here to look @ 4 wheelers for my wife - Moron :uh: sales guy kept saying "I don't know, let me check." after 20 minutes I asked him how long he has worked for them "8 years." !!!!!!!

Dumb A## !!!!!
 

Jasin

Member
May 23, 2002
4
0
I live in vegas and my brother bought a 426 for 6500 out the door i thought that was expensive but the sales guy said that he has never seen that bike go for that cheap then we went to leave and didnt have tie downs the guy ran back in side and came out with a brand new pair of tie downs.So i guess that i have had good luck at the local dealer.
 

Enduro_Nut

~SPONSOR~
Feb 7, 2002
1,155
0
:uh: :uh: :uh: :uh: - To bad thats what is happening sometimes - can you imagine if you REALLY needed to learn something about his/her brand! :whiner:
 

yamadog29

Member
Jul 9, 2002
1
0
ENDURO NUT This may not have been the case but manufactures often offer cash back incentives or parts incentives and prices can change monthly was it better for him to ask to be sure of the price or lie and make somthing up,?? as for kxrider why does he need anything free? they told him a price he said ok i would bet no one pulled a gun to his head and made him purchase after a deal is done it is not going to change if he wanted the goggles that should have been negotiated first
 

Wakisashi

Mod Ban
Apr 29, 2002
120
0
The local honda shop here charges 75 bucks a leg to do seals and oil change , that is on the bike.

I went into the local yamaha looking at a Timberwolf for cutting bike trails on. The owners wife tells me the one on the floor is the last one they have so I better grab it , then the owner walks in and notices I am looking at them. He says , "we have the other two colors in the back if you want to see them" , his wife wasn`t happy when caught lying to try and make a sale.
 

motometal

LIFETIME SPONSOR
Sep 3, 2001
2,682
3
regarding the comment that the dealership doesn't care about the form of payment, you may want to keep in mind that the dealer has to pay a percentage when a credit card is used. This can really add up on a big purchase!

I know someone that made a bottom-dollar deal on two new sleds, then whipped out a credit card...the dealer threw a fit, because he probably only left himself a few %, and there it went!
 

Chief

~SPONSOR~
Damn Yankees
Aug 17, 2001
682
0
Motometal,

I've never heard of that one before. I shopped around, made my out the door price deal over the phone. Never even mentioned how I was going to pay. When I put the whole thing on CC (which is something I've never done before on such a large purchase), the dealer just said ok, no problem. He even said a lot of folks are using this method of payment with all the zero percent for so many months offers on new credit cards available. (some charge a 45 dollar initial fee for a balance transfer, but spread out over a few months at 0%, it's still a great deal). When the time is up I just switch to a new card. Now I've gotten picky and haven't even paid a transfer fee for the last 2 cards. Of course I'm pounding away at the payments (the best I can) and the bike will soon be paid off. I got it for practically zero % interest and the dealer was happy and still offfered me accessory incentives. In my case I don't think he cared how I paid, and I got the best price for my area, (appx 50 miles away).

I few years ago I was working a second job at a mobil station where they charged customers 5 cents a gallon extra if they used a credit card. I always told them before I processed the Card. I don't think I've ever seen so many people get P***ed off as when they were told that. The station has since stopped that practice. (probably building it right into the per gallon price, they are the first stop off I-81 and therefore a natural rippoff anyway).

You really got my curiosity on this one. I have a feeling some dealers might pay a percentage, and some may not. It may also sometimes be a case of the familiar bogus setup and freight charges. I sincerely doubt all dealers take a hit on credit cards though.

Respectfully,

Joe Chief
 

Crispie0

Member
May 2, 2002
37
0
Every business who accepts credit cards has to pay a % back to the credit card company except maybe an Amoco card at an Amoco gas station. When I went to purchase my new bike last spring I wanted to pay by credit card instead of cash so I could earn a little money from the credit card company but the dealership would only allow $500.00 charged to the credit card. So $500.00 it was.
 

GMX

Member
Jul 23, 2002
46
0
The dealership that I bought my bike (used) they treat me like I am sponsered by them. I was in there chatting it up and I said stock bars are ugly and they said they would sell me renthal bars for half price. I couldn't say no. I got my clutch repaired and some other things it was 180 bucks. I told them that its pretty expensive and they cut it down to 70 bucks! I couldn't beleive my eyes. They gave me equipment 100 bucks cheaper. What else....oh ya I get 10-50% off everything. I don't know why!?!?
 
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