Are dealerships crazy?
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 4,923
Likes: 266
From: Deep in the heart of New Jersey
When I bought my bike it needed tires. I went to my local dealer and they wanted almost $600 for 2 tires remove and mounted, new valves and balance as needed. I shopped around and found a indy that would do the exact same job with the exact same tires for $419 out the door. The tires even say Harley Davidson on them. I have no problem with a dealer making a buck, but c'mon be somewhat reasonable if you wan't to get some work.,,
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 192
Likes: 1
From: Lake Butler, FLA
Not saying I wouldnt use them, I have bought plenty of parts from them since I got the bike. And I know they do good work. Ive seen lots of bikes that they have done upgrades on. But,, I went to their 18th anniv gathering last sat and I dont think I saw a handful of evo powered bikes there. The thing that got me was the difference in hourly quote on labor. Indy gave me a total of 6-9 hrs labor they said 10 for the base gaskets, 3 for tires and 2 to do brake flushing. I dont have the money or am not going to spend the money that their regular cvo customers do I will buy a service manual and do the work myself like I do on all my vehicles. Jus sayin
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 4,598
Likes: 14
From: navarre ohio
i wrenched in dealerships for 13 years..they get the money but trust me it wasn't for the techs..while the owner lived in a multi $mill mansion,i lived in my inlaws basement..they weren't spending much on tools,equipment or training ether..they get more money just because people think for some reason its better work..the only person in the shop that even had training was the service writer,he couldn't hack it in the shop.the rest of us had just been doing it a while
Tourer
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 350
Likes: 0
From: Reidsville, NC
Hear ya J1mmy. I workrd for an Indy Custom Shop that charged 75 an hour but I made 6 an hour (plus got my parts wholesale). My boss once tried to set the timing without a clear plug, he got a face full of oil and was mad at me for not warning him. You'd think he'd know since he ordered the clear plugs to sell to do it yourselfers.
Tourer
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 253
Likes: 5
From: Terrace, British Columbia
Since I started in the dealership business (car and truck) over 30 years ago, door rate was always 3 times your lead hands rate if you want to make a profit. Its still the same today. Your 6 bucks an hour is 5 bucks an hour less than my part time floor sweeper parts cleaner kid gets nowadays.
Banned
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 12,594
Likes: 9
From: Bama
I decided to get some prices to do a lil work on my old 86 glide. I called an indy about tires etc and he gave me what sounded like reasonable price. He also suggested some maintenence that i have not and cant do at home.
Well my dad thought i should call the stealership about same work and maybe doing the base gaskets. They were 50 bucks more a tire and about 800 more on labor! Are they frickin crazy!
Well my dad thought i should call the stealership about same work and maybe doing the base gaskets. They were 50 bucks more a tire and about 800 more on labor! Are they frickin crazy!
Novice
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
From: Wisconsin
I watched Jake Wilson's Tire change on youtube. I bought a bead breaker, some tire irons and use rim protectors. I balence them with Dyna Beads and I don't have to worry about if I'll be happy with someone els's work. Make sure your tires are at least room temp (68) or more. Otherwise you'll have trouble getting the bead to set. It'll make a distincted pop and suprise the h#ll out of you the first time it happens. Keep your fingers and toes clear of the bead on the rim while performing this operation.
Road Captain
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 701
Likes: 1
From: The Great Southwest Desert
I have a No-Mar changer and do it myself. I balance on a mandrel supported on a pair of jackstands. If there is a problem, I know who to blame.
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Elite HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 3,872
Likes: 83
From: Canton, Michigan
I'm surprised you even found a dealer that would work on an EVO. I had one dealer tell me 'they don't like to work on ten year old bikes'.
Base gasket replacement is going to run you around 4-6 hours labor charges. And that depends on what the particular dealer quotes. Really no way to get around it, because ya gotta take so much 'good crap' off to get to the 'bad crap'. The last time I paid dealership price for a complete set of rocker box gaskets, it was $50. Add in the costs for the head gaskets, base gaskets, compliance fittings, and any other gasket that rips/tears/falls apart during the tear down... Well you get the picture. I would HIGHLY recommend having The Oil Fix (Hayden) installed regardless of the type base gaskets that will be used.
Tires are a different issue. I remove the tire/wheels and take them in. My bike has the 'pack 'em yourself' wheel bearings, and I've learned not to have anyone else pack them. Bend yourself an alignment tool. It's all good.
Owned a '72 352 with an 8V71 DD about five lifetimes ago. Did all my own oil changes, lubes, and filters. Wife and I, even swapped out motor mounts on it while it was parked in my dad's driveway. Everything else, had to go to the 'specialists'. Not so much because they had the tools, more so because they could lift/hoist all that iron. Had Peninsular Diesel (they had a big shop in the Detroit Area back then) do a bit of work on it for just that reason. Motor City Peterbilt got a bunch of my $$$ also. As you know, in the trucking business, you can't be sitting idle for days on end. "If ya ain't turnin', ya aint earnin'." At times I wish the auto dealerships, would run their service departments 16-24 hours, like the truck repair facilities do.
Base gasket replacement is going to run you around 4-6 hours labor charges. And that depends on what the particular dealer quotes. Really no way to get around it, because ya gotta take so much 'good crap' off to get to the 'bad crap'. The last time I paid dealership price for a complete set of rocker box gaskets, it was $50. Add in the costs for the head gaskets, base gaskets, compliance fittings, and any other gasket that rips/tears/falls apart during the tear down... Well you get the picture. I would HIGHLY recommend having The Oil Fix (Hayden) installed regardless of the type base gaskets that will be used.
Tires are a different issue. I remove the tire/wheels and take them in. My bike has the 'pack 'em yourself' wheel bearings, and I've learned not to have anyone else pack them. Bend yourself an alignment tool. It's all good.
Owned a '72 352 with an 8V71 DD about five lifetimes ago. Did all my own oil changes, lubes, and filters. Wife and I, even swapped out motor mounts on it while it was parked in my dad's driveway. Everything else, had to go to the 'specialists'. Not so much because they had the tools, more so because they could lift/hoist all that iron. Had Peninsular Diesel (they had a big shop in the Detroit Area back then) do a bit of work on it for just that reason. Motor City Peterbilt got a bunch of my $$$ also. As you know, in the trucking business, you can't be sitting idle for days on end. "If ya ain't turnin', ya aint earnin'." At times I wish the auto dealerships, would run their service departments 16-24 hours, like the truck repair facilities do.
Last edited by Hackd; Feb 20, 2011 at 08:04 AM.
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 192
Likes: 1
From: Lake Butler, FLA
[QUOTE=Hackd;7943331]I'm surprised you even found a dealer that would work on an EVO. I had one dealer tell me 'they don't like to work on ten year old bikes'.
Maybe that is why the extremely high quote? He quoted me 10-12 hrs labor at dealer. My Indy quoted me 5-6. I got the bike from one of the parts manager so maybe he was trying to help me get in there and they didnt want to do it? They stay super busy but all on the newer bikes.
Maybe that is why the extremely high quote? He quoted me 10-12 hrs labor at dealer. My Indy quoted me 5-6. I got the bike from one of the parts manager so maybe he was trying to help me get in there and they didnt want to do it? They stay super busy but all on the newer bikes.