Brought my 08 Street Glide in for 1000 mile service at the local HD Dealer (I'm not saying where at this point) a few weeks ago and would like to share my experience.

The Drop Off:
ME: How much is 1000 mile service?......
HD: "325.00 complete for touring bikes including standard fluid change. What kind of oil do you want regular or synthetic?"
ME: "I don't want Synthetic Oil, just change with regular fluids. "Do you provide a service checklist?"
HD: "Yes, we can give you that."
ME: "OK, here's my key and my Gaurd Dog security FOB."
HD: Writes everything on the ticket, does not provide a copy.

The Pickup: (different rep)
HD: "The 1000 mile service on your Street Glide is $380.00."
ME: "Huh? 380.00 dollars....why, I was told it was 325.00?"
HD: "Let me check"....(walks away)
10 minutes later
HD: "This is the standard charge for 1000 mile service with Synthetic oil"
ME: "But I didn't want Synthetic, I specifically asked for regular fluids"
HD: "Ok, let me check".....(walks away)
15 minutes later
HD: "I can offer you 2 options, either you leave the bike until tomorrow so we can re-replace all of the fluids to standard, or we will only charge the 325.00 and you can keep the synthetics."
ME: "Ok, fair enough, since I don't have a ride home because I was dropped off, I'll take the bike with synthetics"
Modifies the service ticket
HD: "Ok, the total is $354.92."
ME: "What, you just told me it was $325.00??!!"
HD "Yes, plus tax, oil discard fee and oil filter cost"
ME: "Ok whatever, here's my credit card"
Card gets charged $355.00, I realize the it's only 8 cents but since when are they able to round-off credit card charges?
ME: "I asked for a checklist of service items, do you have it?"
HD: We keep one that is filled out by our service techs for internal purposes, here is a blank one that gives you an idea of what we check, not everything applies to your bike, though."
ME: "oh"
HD: "Ok sir, I will have your bike ready in one moment"
5 minutes
10 minutes
20 minutes... after 20 minutes I walk to the service door which has small oval windows, I peek in the window and there are 3 techs and the service rep hovered over my bike with the saddle bags, seat and side covers off. One of the techs was pulling and re-inserting fuses. The service rep sees me peeking through the window and immediately runs out.
HD: "Sir, your motorcycle won't start and .........." I cut him off"
ME: "You need to have the Guard Dog security FOB that I gave you when I dropped it off near the bike"
Service Rep runs back into the service area
HD: "Hey, hold on, does anyone have the security FOB?"
It was on the counter in the service area, they didn't know which bike it belonged to.
10 minutes
HD: "Here is your bike sir, I really want your business!" <---YES HE ACTUALLY SAID THAT AFTER A COMEDY OF ERRORS, LACK OF INTEGRITY, AND WITHOUT PROVIDING ANYTHING IN RETURN.

It actually took well over an hour to pick up the bike with no other customers in the service department at the time. This dealership is 10 minutes from my home, but I will travel 40 minutes to the next further one and try again.

Is it the management?

 

No, it's not the management, its the ownership not paying for good, qualified people to run their business....

sounds very typical of a dealership service dept., no one knows just WTF is going on with anything....

 

Do all your own service. Its not difficult andyou'll know it's actually done, and right, and you will save a bundle along the way. But the best part is you'll learn a great deal about your bike in the process. Buy there manualand roll up your sleeves.

 

The only way to be sure of what is done to your bike is to do it yourself. If you are only somewhat mechanically inclined, it is fairly easy to do routine servicing. Pick up a Harley manual or a Clymer manual. You would already have saved over $300 and not have to deal with incompetence.

 

I'm still waiting for the 08 manual and I thought the first one should be done by HD. But I agree...I will begin to do my own where I can.

 

Regardles of the indidual writting this post.
You cannot tell anyone here that this is not an occurance that doesnt happen nationwide.
I understand that The MOTCO doesnt hire these people, the dealer does.
But there MUST be some link there?
Some input, some indication that someone cares?
Even the dealership owner?
If not are we to think that our Warranty is up to people of this caliber?
God I hope not.
Someone say it aint so.

 

It blows my mind with all of the strong sales in the last 6-7 years and in this age of big booming dealerships, that the owners wouldn't pay for the right talent pool, at least in key positions. Joe blow in the service department can be trained, but Management is key to developing the culture, process and procedures, quality assurance, customer service, etc., etc.

 

Unfortunately stories like this aboutHD service are more the rule than the exception. When I first got my bike I never expected service stories like this,but I've seen and heard worse. Like others have said, get a service manual and learn to do this stuff yourself. I did.

 

I guess I'm forunate in having 3 dealers within a 40 mile radius. I've seen the best turn into the worst with a change of ownership, and the worst turn into one of the better oneswith the hiring of a new service manager. The best one now is owned by the previous owners of the now worse one. All the employees and customers eventually followed the old owners to their new dealership, which is farther away from their original customer base but well worth the ride for the level of service that they offer.

It's nothing to do with HD, it's all in the ownership and management of the dealer. Happy employees make for happy customers.

 

WHAT A CRAPPY EXPIERENCE