Dealer service departments (long)

[Teufelhunde]

Just a little rant about dealer service departments:

First, where I am coming from: I spent many years as a service writer in Autobody shops. Yes, I know, bodywork instead of mechanical, and cars instead of motorcycles, but it’s the SAME JOB, so I know a little bit about it.



From this dealer ship, I have bought 2 brand new motorcycles in the past two years, as well as parts and accessories for both. I have had my services done here, driving 30 miles one way to get to them, when I live 5 miles away from another Harley Dealership.



Ok, 1000-mile service on the newest bike (paid for in the deal), as well as some accessories installed (paid for in the deal), as well as around $1500 of extra work paid for by me. All in all, it will be about 11 hours’ worth of billed labor paid by either me or the sales department of the dealership.



I call on a Wednesday and ask when they want the bike, knowing that they will need a couple days. I was told, bring it in tomorrow (Thursday). Dropped of the bike on Thursday morning about 9:30 and was told it should be ready Saturday. I am thinking that is about right, 11 hrs. of billable labor completed in about 20 working hours is about right, as I know the tech will not be working on ONLY my bike.



Come Saturday, bike is not ready. LATE on Saturday, I am told that tech had to be pulled off my bike to finish another bike that had been there a while waiting on parts, and that all he had left was to install the oil filter relocation kit and would be done. I told them not to rush, just do it right…..



Of course, they are closed Sunday and Monday, and Tuesday, the bike is not ready until 4:00 pm, meaning that it took the tech all day to do 2 hours of labor to install the oil filter relocation kit that he had already supposedly started on the previous Saturday……



Major problems I have with this:

1) When I make an appointment, or ask when they want the bike, I expect them to have time to work on it, NOT use it for filler work when their tech has nothing else to do.

2) I don’t like being lied to, and it appears I was……

3) Not once during this whole thing did I feel that my bike (or my business) was important to the Service Writer.

I have always done all my work that I am able to, which means all but bottom ends and transmissions, but my failing health prevents me from doing it any more. Is this the way ALL dealers treat their customer? Or am I just being a real Dick?

Rant off, YMMV



Lon

[Bikerbozo]

And that is the reason I have completely given up on my local HD dealers after my warranty was up. Local independent does work I don't have time for now. Like rebuilding my tranny in about 1 1/2 weeks. That included waiting for parts. When HD rebuild my engine, it sat for 3 weeks and took total of 11 weeks. And they knew how much I rode. Sorry to high jack your rant with my own.

[Jack Klarich]

It happens

It SHOULD NOT,

I worked in service ALL my life

If I said it would be done I followed thru

Too many dealerships take advantage IMO

[MDO]

If it happened all the time, you have a point. I know the dealer I chose to do my work will stop routine service work to help a biker traveling through town. I have seen this twice & I'm not there that much.

Being St. Louis, we get a lot of travelers coming through & the dealer is close to the highway.

All I'm saying is if it's a 1 time deal, cut them some slack, but if it happens all the time, attempt to find another dealer.

[hogcowboy]

That's why I buy extended warranties or if they won't sell me one I find an independent for any work. Actually an independent you trust is the better option. So I'd say yes, that is just about how they all work. Totally taking advantage of us. JMHO.

[bikerbillone]

Dealers are a pet peeve of mine, it's like a trip to Walmart, very few of us come away a happy camper. Sadly, the dealers could build a reputable business if they followed the Amazon theme, like many other stores, with customer comments on the website. Of course that "ain't" gonna happen, managers would rather give you a big ration of BS to cover their a** than tell you the truth. This applies not only to motorcycles dealers, but automobile dealers as well. It's one of those, 'after the sale', move on. Service and customer courtesy is part of the sale and customer return, seems that has been lost on most dealerships.

[Old Road Dog]

I hope I'm still around when we can 3D print a new tranny, motor ,hell a whole bike.But I'll need a 14 year old kid to show me what buttons to push.

[TonkaDriver]

I see why you would be pissed. Warrantee work on an RV makes that look like nothing. I can't think of any business that cares to give good and honest service.

[FuzzyWuzHe]

Harley Dealers are "directed" to have their dealerships near a major highway whenever possible (my local dealership's owner is a friend and customer of mine and he vented to me one day about having to move his dealership to a much more expensive piece of land when the old dealership burned down).

Basically for two reason:

1) to be easily accessible to riders who might need service

2) to be easily accessible to riders who want to purchase accessories, T-shirts and other goodies

So why does this matter?

Because there is a quasi commitment to service bikes of riders who are on trips and have issues before routine services or even locals. Is it right? Maybe not. I was near St. George, Ut. and had a really bad missing on my 06 Ultra. I saw the sign, pulled in and they took me immediately. Turned out the ecm had took a dump. They had me back on the road in eight hours. And that was with their shop guy having to go to Vegas to get the part, about six hours of the eight. I got out of there around 8 pm, two hours after they closed. Yes, they stayed until the part got there and I was on the road. Yes it was warrantee work. If you've ever been stranded or in fear on being stranded (my bike still ran, but, I'm not sure for how much longer it would have), you would be a tad more understanding of the inconvenience.

Having said that, When my 15 Tri got a rock jammed in the drive belt, My tri got pushed back three days (not counting the Sunday and Monday they were closed) because a guy from Ohio spun a front wheel bearing and ruined the rim, axle and forks on his older Tri. Apparently there was other damage from when he went off the road that required removing the body to repair.

Yep, I was a tad upset that I, who had an appointment, was pushed back for a guy that lived a long way away and didn't buy his bikes there (I had bought 7 new rides there). I marched into the owners office to complain. He reminded me of the praise I had given that dealer in Utah when he did me proud. Well, after chewing on my foot for awhile, I told him that whenever my trike got done, would be fine. My point is, I'm sure someone was inconvenienced when they worked on my bike.

Anyway, just my take. On what has ton be a delicate point of contention for all dealers.

[rhino 2]

Dealers are a pet peeve of mine, it's like a trip to Walmart, very few of us come away a happy camper. Sadly, the dealers could build a reputable business if they followed the Amazon theme, like many other stores, with customer comments on the website. Of course that "ain't" gonna happen, managers would rather give you a big ration of BS to cover their a** than tell you the truth. This applies not only to motorcycles dealers, but automobile dealers as well. It's one of those, 'after the sale', move on. Service and customer courtesy is part of the sale and customer return, seems that has been lost on most dealerships.

And customer Loyalty has been lost also...Ie I can get it for less on the internet..

Or the dealer 500 miles away will give me a better deal

[hogcowboy]

And customer Loyalty has been lost also...Ie I can get it for less on the internet..

Or the dealer 500 miles away will give me a better deal

In that regard the internet has been a double edged sword. I can usually find parts for less on the internet but I always give my local dealer a shot a matching. At least I do now. At first I didn't then I realized the internet could very well put them out of business so I changed. They normally can't match exactly but they come close. And not having to pay shipping normally covers the difference anyway. But when it comes to a new bike I'll go where ever the deal is. It's fair game there. Maybe that's wrong but the local dealer will get more later anyway with accessories and service(normally).

[Texan]

Dealers are a pet peeve of mine, it's like a trip to Walmart, very few of us come away a happy camper. Sadly, the dealers could build a reputable business if they followed the Amazon theme, like many other stores, with customer comments on the website. Of course that "ain't" gonna happen, managers would rather give you a big ration of BS to cover their a** than tell you the truth. This applies not only to motorcycles dealers, but automobile dealers as well. It's one of those, 'after the sale', move on. Service and customer courtesy is part of the sale and customer return, seems that has been lost on most dealerships.

Service is what we do to our cows twice a year. Move them into a special pasture where they graze to their hearts content while Bevo makes sure they remain contented cows. Am surprised every time I go into HD service I feel I'm being moved into that special pasture.

Another thing I discovered was that I was not receiving "Customer Feedback" surveys from HD after sales and/or service. Questioned one of their former mechanics and he said the dealership were filling them out and returning them. Interesting???

8~\o

[rhino 2]

Service is what we do to our cows twice a year. Move them into a special pasture where they graze to their hearts content while Bevo makes sure they remain contented cows. Am surprised every time I go into HD service I feel I'm being moved into that special pasture.

Another thing I discovered was that I was not receiving "Customer Feedback" surveys from HD after sales and/or service. Questioned one of their former mechanics and he said the dealership were filling them out and returning them. Interesting???

8~\o

My customer feedback comes from Harley Via E-mail , And they ask if i would like to share my feed back with the dealer, ....The last one i received was a week or two ago, I gave the dealer high marks, But when the next question came up they asked would you recommend Harley to a friend i gave it low marks...4 days later they sent another E-mail with only one question that asked why i would not recommend, I told them outright about the oil mitigation problem....

[bikerbillone]

Texan, your post #13, now that was good, well done, LMAO here.