Indy's Are Getting Picky
Road Master
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 779
Likes: 29
From: AMERICA
I go through a pair of tires a season. This year I had my buddy who owns a shop mount them. I had purchased them online.
He did it as a favor. I was going on a trip the following week. I will purchase the tires from him next time. It's the right thing to do.
He did it as a favor. I was going on a trip the following week. I will purchase the tires from him next time. It's the right thing to do.
Last edited by THE PEG; Sep 28, 2015 at 04:34 PM.
Road Master
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 803
Likes: 3
From: In the wind.....
Why would any shop install tires or parts you bought somewhere on line because they were cheaper? A shop has to make money to stay in business.
Do the right thing and buy the parts from them. Next time they may cut you a deal.
Do the right thing and buy the parts from them. Next time they may cut you a deal.
Road Master
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 972
Likes: 633
From: Ohio
I have been buying online and taking my wheels to the local Honda shop and they put them on for $45.00 each. Last time I was there they told me they are stocking the same tire "American Elite" at a competitive price. I'll give them a chance next time to sell me the tires.
Moderator
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 107,687
Likes: 20,116
From: Ft. Worth, TX
For instance, my two tires, half hour labor for 60 bucks. The tire changer gets 10-12 an hour? It cost the shop about 10-12 bucks to change the tires plus the cost of equipment and store front. I think they did OK tagging me for about 40 bucks profit. If their guy did it all day, every day, he'd pull in 320 a day in profit until the cost of equipment was recovered then the margin would rise. Not too bad pulling in 6400 a month based on a 5 day work week just changing tires. Keep in mind the shop owner will probably have e some other employee related expenses that will come out of this pot, insurance, unemployment insurance, etc etc....
Last edited by Juan L; Sep 28, 2015 at 06:16 PM.
Do it yourself???? On a Harley?? That's like having a BMW & getting your Dad to work on it!!
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 17,548
Likes: 7,198
From: Oxford, Nc
My Indy acknowledges that he can't touch the prices I buy my tires for but he's happy to mount and balance mine for $25 a wheel.
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Banned
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 760
Likes: 3
From: NYC
If you charge by the hour, what difference does it make what you are doing during that hour? You want as many hours as possible.
I'd say there's a good argument for running a "service only, you supply all parts" business, especially with a small shop where the money earner, the mechanic, might be having to do so himself.
Shops also have the problem of having to make up minimum orders, i.e. order stock they don't need or want.
I had a problem with one Indy over an insurance job I had to use a dealer for. He tried to coerce me into buying a cheap lead-acid battery he stocked at full price. All I wanted was the choice of which battery I wanted, a better one which was cheaper via the box shifters on the Internet. To be honest, the money was not even the issue as long as I got what I wanted.
He coerced, and let's be honest, it's coercion to buy we are talking about and so I pulled my bike out and he loss $1,000, all future business, and all recommendations. Instead I recommend people to stay away from him.
It's a short sighted business model.
Imagine you walk into a restaurant to buy a pizza and they say, we won't sell you a pizza unless you pay for a dessert too. You don't want a dessert.
What do you do?
You walk to another restaurant and they treat you well with respect and gratitude, you buy the dessert and a coffee because you feel good.
For the sake of a few dollars they are losing customers and cannot even see the customers are 9 times out of 10, doing them a favour, e.g take the tyre rack out (costs to store) and fit in another service bench (earns).
