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Harley Davidson sent me a request for "Feedback"
You may have remembered my debacle with my local dealer over the GPS map updates. As a review, the local Dealer didn't even know the maps could be updated.
Here my responses:
Initial comments after asking if I would recommend my friend purchase a motorcycle from this dealer, rated 5 out of 10:
The service department has become iffy at best, I'm not going around telling people this, IE, bad mouthing them. But I do feel a deterioration of this department. I could not in good conscience recommend purchasing a motorcycle from a dealer that can't service it.
A personal experience with this happened recently. I have outdated maps in my 2014 Tri Glide's GPS. Since the Harley process to update these maps only supports IBM PC format computers (even though radio updates works fine on my Mac), I asked the service manager to make an appointment to have the service department do this for me.
He was not even aware that the maps could be updated. Let me say that again. He was not even aware that the maps could be updated. He actually told me to go to the parts department, maybe they could help.
I had talked to a service writer last summer about doing this and had actually made an appointment to do this but had to cancel due to an emergency at home. I am caught up now and wanted to do this before a trip in April. That service writer was no longer there. Doesn't give me a warm feeling that I should allow this service department to do service on my $30K+ trike.
Another instance of less than stellar service was very recently I called to make an appointment to and get a quote for bleeding/flushing the brake lines and clutch line, I had to leave a message, no one answered the phone. The service manager called me back about 3 hours later. When I asked him for an approximate cost to do this, he couldn't tell me. He did quote me his service hourly rate of $115/Hour. He told me he would call me back. That was a week or so ago. He hasn't called back. I am looking for an independent mechanic to do this, but, with the Corona stuff, not having much luck.
Should be noted here, this was during Feb in Colorado, the service department was not very busy. In fact, I believe the service writer I had talked to last summer was on seasonal lay off.
Supplemental Comments due to a rating 0f 5 out of 10 on the actual rear that didn't happen:
Should be noted. Neither of my service needs have been addressed by the dealer. The service department was totally in the dark about updating GPS maps. I actually had to purchase a IBM format PC to do it myself. Pretty sure that was way more expensive than having the dealer do it. But, more reliable since I now put that control in my hands, not the dealer's.
As for the bleeding/flushing of brake lines and clutch line, I still haven't received a call back from the service department as to the cost of this service. I've decided to put this off until after the Corona Virus Pandemic.
Not sure why I would receive a request for feedback for service items that couldn't or haven't been performed. But, since I did, I am giving you my honest opinion of how I perceive the service department.
I have been using this dealer (only one for 200 miles) for 15 years. At 66 years old, I have also opted to do most of my service myself as I've gotten to the point where I just don't have a warm feeling about my local dealers service department anymore.
I hope I made myself clear that I'm not bashing the dealer. But I'm here to tell you, if I had a customer that had these kind of feelings about my company, I would certainly want to know.
Ride safe Fred
Originally Posted by v4bob49
