Ok, the local HD that is doing my repairs charged $178.00 for estimate fee of 2 hrs. I understand why part is the actual physical look over and part is research time to look up part numbers. Insurance got the fee waived.

 

Maybe he put a bunch of time into trying to work out the Bags and Fender which I am assuming are aftermarket and no one really knows who made them. It sounds like the only thing that could have run the price up. He might have mistakenly added the tow charge to it as well. I bet you get it all worked out tomorrow. Best of luck. You are in Florida aren't you? Glad you are ok from the accident by the way.

 

did they kiss you after.sorry couldnt help it.
believe you will get it worked out tomorrow,just ask them to give you a detail estimate on what they did.if you dont like it then tell them your lawyer will be calling, then follow through,

 

I would call you insurance company and let them try to get it released. They are normally really good about putting some pressure on dealerships. Has an issue a couple years back and my insurance company handled the situation for me...

 

Wow, 100% of my potential customers would tell me to go pound sand if I told them I charged ANYTHING for an estimate.

 

playing devil's advocate here... but i see it as the bike owners responsibility to ask them what its going to cost to look it over AND get it in writing.

at my business we do estimates for forklift/aerial equipment/construction equipment all the time. it is at an hourly rate, i have to pay an employee to look at the piece of equipment. some things are obvious just a visual inspection, but other things cannot be known with just a "walk around"...

 

The estimate fee on my bike after the wreck was right around $400 (labor was $90/hr.). Had the bike not been totaled, the fee would have been waived when the work was done. It's not just "walking around the bike", in my case they had to take stuff off, see if the frame was bent/broken, and then compile the estimate. Given the extent of the damage to my bike (the repair estimate was $24,000), I can see the estimate taking 5 hours.

Regardless, the insurance paid the estimate fee, and I asked what it would be when I dropped the bike off.

 

Bagger...

Since I do not know your location, I can't look up consumer affair laws pertinent to your locale.

But,...

In most states, a wrecked vehicle, one that cannot be safely operated on public streets, is treated differently than a vehicle in the shop for routine service.

You will be charged for a daily/weekly/monthly fee for storage. Some states stipulate the daily rate, most do not. If you have coverage, your insurance company will pay a daily rate up to the policy limit. Because of exorbitant storage fees, insurance companies usually move a damaged vehicle within days to a location where they have negotiated for greatly reduced storage rates.

Once again, depending on your state, by agreeing to tow the vehicle to the HD dealer you MAY have given your implied consent to store your scooter, regardless whether you signed any documents. Implied consent laws vary greatly between states. Further, verbal conveyance of instructions to a dealer for work is still allowed in some states. Not the best way to do business due to potential misunderstandings, but, still lawful.

As I have said many times in other posts, everything is negotiable at a dealer. Dealers charge for estimates due to invoice shock. They know their rates are high and know you might go to an indy for repair. Negotiate waiving the estimate fee in its entirety if you have the repairs done at the dealer. If you are on the hook for storage fees, ask these fees be waived as well if the dealer performs the work.

If the dealer will not waive the fees, you will likely have to pay all fees to date just to get your scooter out of their garage. If the fees do not exceed the limits allowed by state law, you have little recourse.

Nothing unusual here. It is simply a way garages (car or motorcycles) do business. As I mentioned, some states regulate fees and set limits, some do not.

For this reason, I always take the towing/storage option on my insurance policy. I pay $2/month for this coverage.

Finally, always have a damaged scooter towed home. It is much better to cover it with a blue tarp than pay a dealer's outrageous fees while you settle down and figure out the best course of action after an accident. Also, it is imperative you or your agent prevent further damage to your property during storage; adjusters/insurance companies look very carefully for post accident damage and will refuse to cover such.

Good luck!

 

You've got some good advice so far. Contact your insurance adjuster and see if he will help out. To me, you have an out in that you would like for the dealer to do the work, but they ssay they won't/can't because of the aftermarket items. That is their decision, not yours. If they are like most bike shops, they don't do in house paint work either, so that is something they don't/can't do. They are choosing through their own company policy to not do the work on your bags/fender. The insurance companies know that custom work requires additional time/expense. Either your covered for it under insurance, or you aren't. I know some d___H___ shop mangers/owners and I understand your frustration, believe me!

 

wow...call harley davidson customer care and place a complaint with the better business bureau now...and print it out and give them a copy when u get to dealer. The ball will be in your court........rapping a customer is never good for business..