Eggsactly!

 

I live in the Chicago area. And most of the dealers here are pretty much worthless. For service that is. I have a Ford truck when I take it in for service they cant do enough for me. They give me a loaner wash the truck. And I get a follow up call in a few days to see if I was satisfied. I dont think harley will be doing that for me any time soon. Flame on I am ready. Bob.

 

Sorry, but I reserve the right to express my opinion about any subject as I see fit.

In the case of a dealer I will base it on my experience with said dealer. Good, Bad, or Indifferent.

 

I certainly understand and respect the fact thata business needs to make a profit. However I think that it is reasonable to complain about the service you receive there. I went with the dealership I did when I bought my glide because I felt like I got the best service and most commitment and attention from the salesman. I have dealerships that I like for their service department, another for their parts, and another for bike sales. It all depends on the customer service you receive.

 

Some good points you bring up lsc86.
However, none of it justifies the price gouging($275.00 forthe glorified oil change known as the 5000 mile service)
Or the lack of decent customer service and competent personnel that seems to plague most Dealerships.
I know about service bulletins weeks before the service manager at HDdoes.
And he will swear up and down they don't exist.
Took my HDdealer5 trips to the service Dept. and multiple test rides for them to diagnose a faulty crank position sensor.
They misdiagnosed it as a jetting problem,( F-ing up my jetting in the process,and charging me every timefor the unneeded labor,of course)
I had to look it up on an Internet forum such as this, and tell them what the problem was!!!
I hear stories like this all the time....

This is why I go to an independent dealer for everything but warranty work.
My Indy knows what customer service is.

RUA Motorcycles, Indian Trail, North Carolina.
Here is a little story about them:

I made an appointment to get the fork springs switched out to Progressive's, and on the day it rolled around, it was cold, in the 40'sand raining.
So, I called and asked what was the latest I could come in (hoping it might stop raining)
They said 3:00
Well, 3:00 came...still raining.
So I decided not to be such a wuss and ride in anyways, they are only 10 miles away.....
I called and told them I was coming....."we'll be waitin for ya" they said.
So I get there, and the girl that runs the sales desk is standing outside the front door and waves to me, motioning me to ride up to her.
"C'mon in the front, the garage door is blocked" she says.
So, I ride my dripping wet Sporty right through the front doors and through the showroom.
The shop area is open to the showroom, and I park it right in front of the closest lift.
I don't even have a chance to get my helmet off, and the same girl is handing me a hot cup of coffee.

Now, my Indy is a little different than most shops.... they allow customers in the service area, in fact they have tables set up near the lifts where customers can sit and watch/talk to the tech that is working on their bike.
The owner also cooks a complementary lunch for customers every Saturday.
So, I'm sitting there eating my lunch, and talking to the wrench while he is working on my forks.
They happen to be training a new guy and showing him how to do the fork springs, so it takes longer than the estimated time...about 2 hours.
They only charged me for 1 hr.


Now thats Customer Service.

 

Some interesting and sound perspectives, better than what I anticipated. Just for the record, I have no problem with someone commenting on their experience, good, bad, otherwise at any dealer they visit. It is more the 'assumption' that seems to be prevelent that every dealer is a 'stealer' and out to screw ya.

I left the retail powersports industry because it was so downright cut-throat and at the end of the day, no matter how far we bent over backwards for people for years on end, even one small situation they didn't like or someone would beat my deal- they'd go elsewhere just like that [but then they would be the first ones in line for 'warranty' work by our top shelf mechanics]. So no, you couldn't pay me enough to get back into the business at the retail end and I'm too old to go that far into debt to start one up, even the metric brands are looking for around 2 millioin liquid plus a building and land space to go with it....

Anyway, just seems there is enough negative vibe too often directed at dealers in general. Glad to hear so man positive reports though.

 

As long as the dealerships honor my warranty if items come up and don't try to blow the old you modified your exhaust so your suspension can't be fixed under warranty I don't care. No one can tell me thatSOME of those people (as in any industry ) aren't shady. That being said, my sales person at Bob Dron in Oakland, ca rocked. I wanted a bike,Mike wanted a sale and we worked it out. Both went home happy (I got a free SEG to go home with too). Took a week to get it off my face.

 

Ok, lets be realistic. Here is my track record at the dealer.......

5 trips to ROCKET HARLEY in Madison Alabama for the same oil leak.

2 trips to FOSTER HARLEY in Tuscumbia Alabama for that same oil leak.

Fairing scratched by ROCKET HARLEY because they removed the windsheild from the outer fairing of my Road Glideto access the radio, which was a totally unnescessary step.

Whole bike scratched by ROCKET HARLEY when they wiped my bike down with a dirty terry towel after attempting to repair my oil leak.

Told by ROCKET HARLEY and FOSTER HARLEY that the vibration I had in my last bike was normal even though they could not show me another bike that did it and the windsheild vibrated so bad that you could not look through it without your eyes bugging out.

Had my 1,000 mile service done at FOSTER HARLEY and the primary chain adjustment was so fouled up, I had ZERO chain deflection when cold, and it is supposed to have 3/8-5/8 cold.

Bought my first Harley at ROCKET HARLEY and they did not realize that the bike they sold me as FI was CARB until we went to crank it for the ride home.

Bought my second Harley at ROCKET HARLEY and was told it came with XM radio and of course, it did not!

So, pardon me if my overall veiw of dealers is less than positive.


nogood o~`o

 

Agree, But if dealers are so bad,why does everyone say they are of to the "Stealer" to buy parts. All the independant shops in our area offer cheaper parts and service than a dealer. They just do not have all the glamour and crap on the walls.
Independants are fading away becasue of dealers and internet purchases. They need to keep going because dealers NEED competition to at least stay near being honest.
JMO, I rarely ever visit a dealer and never purchase from one,again,JMHO!

 

Well, you've made me stop and think a little. I have done my share of complaining about dealerships. But I must say. Buying a motorcycle is not a very rational thing. It is not like food, housing, child care, or medicine. No one has ever twisted my arm to enter their premises. If I didn't own 4 bikes, the sun would probably come up tomorrow. If you just like to ride, you certainly don't have to spend $20,000. My last exhaust system was three times more then my first bike.
We need to come to terms with what we are doing. We are spending alot of money on a luxury item. I have never went to a casino and then bitched about dropping $500 in a slot machine. When I walked thru the door I knew that was going to happen.
I guess we are a bit spoiled. If you don't want to pay someone $75 hr. to work on your bike, learn how to do it yourself. For me, I have found this hobby to be addictive. I enjoy bikes like some people enjoy horses. I have never owned a bike I didn't like. If I ever added up what I've spent I would probably have a heart attack.
The next time I visit my dealer, I will accept the fact that I will probably pay a little more then I should for something I really don't need at all. If the service and manners aren't quite to my liking, I will stop and think maybe the guy is just having a bad day. Really, haven't we all had those days. I feel better already.