Bottom Line, Relli,
If you had enough doubt about the ethics to make this post, then obviously you think there may be something wrong with it. You are the only one that has to live with whatever you decide to do. My definition of ethics is doing the right thing even when nobody's looking. If you can live with it, then do it!

 

After my recent accident, the drive train was not damaged but the frame was tweeked. Lots of other parts damaged and a dealer estimated damage at $7500 which on my 15 yr old chopper would be a total. A lot of the estimated damage was not really due to the crash. To avoid totalling my custom frame or doing a buy back, I adjusted the estimate down to a realistic value I could live with. Part of the estimate was for a new frame but I will be using that amount to have the old frame straightened. Is this some kind of unethical use of the funds?
A part of the settlement was for labor, am I not entitled to this for my work in putting the bike back together? If I decided to part out the wreck, take the money and the settlement and use it to vacation in Hawaii, would it be unethical? I think not! What anyone without any leins does with the bread is their business, there is nothing immoral about it!

 

Buy the parts from the Dealer since you had him order themand D.Y.I. The dealer will make profit from the parts and by doing it yourself you will know the work was done right!

 

Relli, pay the dealer for the parts and do what you want. Next time, pay the dealer ONLY FOR THE ESTIMATE time and THEN order your own parts from Zanotti's or whoever. Do what you can on your own and then farm out what you can't to those you trust. If you get a two-party check, call the ins. co. and request a 1-party check, it's no big deal. Your money will go a lot farther, the quality of the work will be better, you'll like your "new" bike more, it will likely be finished sooner, and the dealer still makes money!

 

I agree with the masses here. I don't see anything unethical about the situation. I am not saying this because, "everyone else is doing it and that makes it ok". I am saying you can take your bike to whomever you desire plain and simple. You do owe the dealer the money for the parts because you had them order it (only fair IMO), but after that I don't see a problem.

I would say that if you are asking this forum you feel uneasy. So here is your solution: If you can sleep at night knowing you bought the parts from the dealer and then did the work yourself......problem solved.

I know what I would do and I would sleep just fine

 

Gonna have to throw my hat in the ring on the dealers side.

If they ordered the parts for you in good faith (before they got the insurance check), I'd make sure they got the $$.

However, if they just told you they ordered the parts but actually haven't (because they were waiting for cash in hand first), by all means...spend it where and how ya want.

Easy decision if you have all the facts.

 

I kind of agree here. Especially if you have one the rare good dealers. You back out they might not so helpful in the future. Might talk with them to see if you can cancel the order. If the parts arealready in, pay for them but install yourself. If you don't like them, sell and get what you want. But if you leave them hanging it might ruin your good relationship with them, if you had a good one.

 

Shouldn't be an issue. As a lot of others have said-buy the parts from the dealer and have at the repairs yourself. Did the same thing one time with a Jeep bumper after I got smacked in the rear. Nuff money left for taking the wife to dinner.

 

Again, I have NO issue with a DIY here (or on any other), but it's only fair to the dealer to speak w/them about the parts. If they haven't ordered them, then they deserve to be paid for the time spent doing the estimate (without which you'd have never gotten the $$$). If they HAVE ordered them, then yeah - you should at least buy the parts from 'em. I doubt there'd be any hard feelings w/you doing your own labor....

Oh, but one li'l bit of advice - if YOU screw something up on the repairs, it's gonna be YOUR problem to correct it....

 

If you ordered the parts from the dealer and they did not take a deposit thats a show of good faith and you should at least buy the parts. as far as the repair,They would have given you an "estimate "and shopping around or doing it yourself would be fair as they would not be out any actual money