When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I never have to make an appointment to get sumpin' done to my sled, so yea, I'll throw 'em a few for lunch just 'cause they usually give me personalized service.
I Help build GM auto plants for a living.
To be exact, I install, setup and the teach the plants how to operate and trouble shoot some of their most sophistcated / hard to maintain equipment.
No one, has ever given me a tip for doing my job. No matter how well i do it, even when I go above and beyond...
Do you honestly mean to tell me that not one of you had a GM product that you thought was especially well made? Come on, be honest.
I think you guys owe me some money...
If you don't want me to send a guy with no neck named Vinnie to your place to collect, you had pay up!
When I bought my new-to-me 99 FXD (200 miles from home), my indy did the first service and full checkup on it. He explained everything he was doing, and pointed out the shortcuts and tips and tricks that I could do myself. I paid for that service.
I had a problem with the rear brake I couldn't isolate, so I took it in and he showed me what I was missing. I paid for that service.
One day my bike started making godawful engine noises. I called him, and he said bring it in. Yeah, it was my fault (who knew that I'd have to add oil between changes? I didn't) but he didn't rape me, and because he knew it was my daily driver, he checked it out for me and got me back on the road the same day. I paid for that service.
Two days later, my favorite butcher had a sale, so I bought inch-thick t-bones for the shop (total outlay: about $45) and dropped them off.
Last week, when my pulley damn near fell off, I called and he came and got it, fixed it, and had it ready before I went to work the next day. Yeah, I paid for that, too, but he got me in and out as fast as possible, and I didn't have to hire a cab or rent a replacement.
I don't tip, but I do appreciate.
Originally Posted by Geezr Glidr
Had a problem with my 103 Limited Ultra. The dealer where I bought it wouldn't talk to me. Found a guy at another dealership who helped me out & fixed my problem. I sent him a Thank You card & a $50 gift card. I'm pretty well taken care of now when I need something. After regular service, looking for the guy & saying Thank You goes a long way. I'm not a wrench myself, so I need somebody who is.
Originally Posted by Pointman10
Of course I do- he's a friend of mine so I call it a "Retainer Fee"
Taking care of people that take care of you makes the world go 'round.......
If nothing else, tell their Boss what a great job they did. Better yet, show some appreciation.
I have tipped him when I had asked for something special, something he would not normally have done. For instance, bought a used bike once that had set up for a while, had some rust on the rims I could not get to easily. Asked him to polish them up a little for me when I had the bike in for service and he was changing the tires. He did, did not charge me extra, I tipped him. Called him from the road one time for some trouble shooting tips. He helped me, didn't ask for anything. I tipped him next time I had the bike in for service. Not a regular practice, but occasionally appropriate I think.
I'm a good tipper for other services, where the base pay isn't squat (wait staff, hair cut, paper carrier etc). However, rhe mechanic makes more than I do; I reward such people, if they deserve it, by bringing them all my business, and/or recommending to friends.
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.
Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.