Frusteration at dealer
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Tourer
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 411
Likes: 0
From: Carollton, Texas
Frusteration at dealer
Ok, so I'm a pretty new bike owner (Nov 2008) and I've done bolt on stuff myself but when its come to anything performance related or electrical, I've gone to dealer ...well, no more. After I get my bike back Fri, I'm buying a service manual and doing everything myself. This is my aweesome story at batting a 1000 with my dealer.
I've been to dealer 4 times ...
1. Bought bike - clutch went out in middle of intersection (didnt have inital setup done) 15 minute after driving off teh lot. Dealer came and towed me and fixed it.
2. Went in for 1000 mile service. Came back with clutch so tight I could barely pull it. Immediatly drove back to dealer and service guy said it was me and needed to get used to it. I then researched on my own how to adjust clutch and gave me a little slack. They had clutch adjusted so tight there was no small gap between level and bracket. Was all the way tight.
3. Got my stage 1 done - on the way home my new passanger pegs (on the exhaust side) feel off on the highway. No way to prove they werent loose before (they were not) I had to buy new ones.
4. Ordered new front fender to replace mine that was dented by a truck. Made appointment to go in Mon and get replaced. They ordered wrong fender. The service manager gave me some huge lip service on how they would overnight one or take one off a prod bike and fix me up. After I left, I got no call back ...and when I called them, they ordered UPS ground (3-5 days) and said they would not take one from a prod bike.
So, 4 times and 4 butt f***s from Harley. (North Texas Harley in Carrollton Texas) I see why people hate dealers so much now ..so I'm done. It make take me longer to do things myself but at least I know they will be done right. Had to vent to some people that would share my frusteration ...
ARG!!!
I've been to dealer 4 times ...
1. Bought bike - clutch went out in middle of intersection (didnt have inital setup done) 15 minute after driving off teh lot. Dealer came and towed me and fixed it.
2. Went in for 1000 mile service. Came back with clutch so tight I could barely pull it. Immediatly drove back to dealer and service guy said it was me and needed to get used to it. I then researched on my own how to adjust clutch and gave me a little slack. They had clutch adjusted so tight there was no small gap between level and bracket. Was all the way tight.
3. Got my stage 1 done - on the way home my new passanger pegs (on the exhaust side) feel off on the highway. No way to prove they werent loose before (they were not) I had to buy new ones.
4. Ordered new front fender to replace mine that was dented by a truck. Made appointment to go in Mon and get replaced. They ordered wrong fender. The service manager gave me some huge lip service on how they would overnight one or take one off a prod bike and fix me up. After I left, I got no call back ...and when I called them, they ordered UPS ground (3-5 days) and said they would not take one from a prod bike.
So, 4 times and 4 butt f***s from Harley. (North Texas Harley in Carrollton Texas) I see why people hate dealers so much now ..so I'm done. It make take me longer to do things myself but at least I know they will be done right. Had to vent to some people that would share my frusteration ...
ARG!!!
Intermediate
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
From: Arlington WA
Sorry to Hear that Hellfish....thats why I had them throw in a Shop Manual as part of Sale last week for that very reason.I will have the 500/1000 mile service done (have springer) so that owners manual will have documentation for the factory warranty and after that I can do alot of the maintenance myself.
Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 45,429
Likes: 2,898
From: Bedford UK
Sympathies from across the Atlantic. I have had similar problems over here in the UK, so you are not alone. However I use two dealers who I get on with very well and have had no problems, also an independent Harley specialist who is very good. I cherry pick which one I go to depending on the work I want done.
You need to protect your warranty, so you may have to rely on your dealer to do certain work, but are there any others in the area? Is there a local Harley riders group you can contact? Consider complaining to H-D themselves, although my experience is that doesn't have much effect!
Best of luck getting your bike right.
You need to protect your warranty, so you may have to rely on your dealer to do certain work, but are there any others in the area? Is there a local Harley riders group you can contact? Consider complaining to H-D themselves, although my experience is that doesn't have much effect!
Best of luck getting your bike right.
Road Captain
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 512
Likes: 4
From: NW Arkansas
Seems that type of stuff goes on a lot these days. I'm located between two dealers and chose mine from the gut feeling I got from talking to each before my purchase last year. It worked out great. I still had the service manual thrown in to the deal. I've done this for years. If I run into a problem I just can't fix. I'll take it to them. Otherwise......I'll save my money. And yes every once in a while I'll have to pull in and "adjust" something I didn't get just right. But I have a tool kit on the bike at all times. If I work on something needing a tool not normally kept on the bike. I'll carry that tool with me the first couple of rides.
I feel your pain, We have got the crappiest service dept in the whole state of Fla locally, They are just a bunch of idiots that I would not let work on my push mower. Now about the parts Dept, well, I won't even go there. You would think that in this economy that they would care a little more about giving substandard service leading to customer loss. I let them do my 1000 mile and have done all my own wrenching since.
Club Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 30,914
Likes: 16
From: Springfield, Ohio
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Cruiser
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 116
Likes: 0
Dealers in the UK are no better, my local dealer charges about 50% more for a service than the dealer 60 miles away. They also get upset when I get all my parts from the states for half the price they want to charge.
My mate had a service there and they changed the brake fluid, put the wrong DOT in and forgot to tighten the banjo bolt correctly, he pulled out of the dealer touched the brake and fluid went all over the disc.
My mate had a service there and they changed the brake fluid, put the wrong DOT in and forgot to tighten the banjo bolt correctly, he pulled out of the dealer touched the brake and fluid went all over the disc.
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Tourer
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 251
Likes: 2
From: Upstate, NY
I know your frustration Hellfish!!! A couple of years ago, I went thru the 8 degree injector swap-out debacle with a dealer. Bike was in several different times for the swap, on each given day, they either couldn't replicate the problems or didn't have the 25 degree injectors in stock the day that had been scheduled for the swap. Each time in, I had to start over with the evaluation of the problems, even though a week earlier a different tech identified the problems. This ended up being a real safety issue as the engine would just quit intermittently w/o any warning, like when you are passing a truck on a highway. During a heated discussion with the service manager, one afternoon, I informed him that I would never step foot in their store again, I was done with them. Interestingly, after the service manager thought it over, they decided to replace the injectors on the spot! It shouldn't be that way!!! But, with some dealers it is.
On the other hand, I've had good experiences with other dealers regarding warranty issues.
Road Captain
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 519
Likes: 4
From: USA
Im in the same boat and know what you mean. None of the dealers in my area would I feel comfortable leaving my bike in their hands. The service managers seem really cool, but then when it comes to the guy actually turning the wrenches, its been my experience that they just dont care. Seems like accountability is almost non-existent these days. I bought a service manual for both my bikes and do all my own work.