Would this bother you?
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Road Captain
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 709
Likes: 1
From: Maine
Would this bother you?
Decided to have the 1000 mile service done to my Road glide at dealer in case of any warranty issue. Picked it up and paid 305.41 for materials and labor 2.5 hours labor at 88.00 an hour and rest materials. I brought the bike home and put it on my lift to put saddlebag guards on and noticed something hanging near the primary drain plug. I pulled on this one inch piece of material and realized this was part of the destroyed primary drain plug o-ring. I proceeded to wipe the oil drip off the plug and loosen the plug which they put pipe thread sealant on. I called the dealer and spoke with the service department telling them that they need to give me a primary seal kit and quart of oil so when i remove the drain plug to replace the o-ring i can refill the primary. They wanted me to bring the bike back then offered to pick it up. I told them that neither was going to happen and they continue to call. I thought that you use pipe sealant with pipe threads and that most likely the o-ring is there and fits into the very small chamfer to seal the straight thread plug. After i cleaned the hardened sealer out of the chamfer the o-ring goes right in and stays undamaged on the plug. I stretched the new o-ring over the drain plug head so i didn't have to refill the primary. I am afraid what else i may find they will not be doing any more work on this bike.
It's crap like that as to why I do my own maintenance. Get a shop manual, some basic tools and do it yourself. Save the money and the only person you can get pissed off at, is yourself.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 9,335
Likes: 13
From: MA
Isn't it great to know that for that much money they can't even do the job right? Count your blessings that at least they didn't scratch the crap out of your bike on top of it.
This is why I avoid the dealers touching my bike at all cost. You pay a ton of $$ for service and they have some brain dead kid "working" on it that they're paying $8/hour. No thanks.
This is why I avoid the dealers touching my bike at all cost. You pay a ton of $$ for service and they have some brain dead kid "working" on it that they're paying $8/hour. No thanks.
Account Retired
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 3,245
Likes: 12
From: Here
sadly theres going to be a lot of stories like this. I took my bike to a Dealer last year for warranty work. when I picked it up and started home, I stopped to get gas. I noticed one of my side covers was missing. I called the Dealer because it was time for him to close. He apologized and ask me to come back, he would wait on me. I went back and got my cover. When I got home, I started checking the bike over because one of the warranty items was replacing the 407 tires. I found my drive belt really loose. Since then my bike has been serviced by me. I just bought my wife a 2010 SG Trike. from another Dealer. I made the deal with him that for the 1K mile service, I would change the fluids and he do the rest. He said ok, it will be 130.00 for his part. Then I plan to start doing it.
Road Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 815
Likes: 50
From: Grand Rapids, MI.
My opinion is, they offered to make it right, even going to the effort to pick it up.
I think they all use pipe dope. I agree, I don't think it is necessary.
If you bought from them and they are the dealer you will be going to
for warranty work, I would just ride over and let them look at it.
That way they can learn from their mistakes. Otherwise they may think
You are one of those people that just like to complain.
If you take it there and let them see it, the next time
you need to go in they will be a little more attentive.
I think they all use pipe dope. I agree, I don't think it is necessary.
If you bought from them and they are the dealer you will be going to
for warranty work, I would just ride over and let them look at it.
That way they can learn from their mistakes. Otherwise they may think
You are one of those people that just like to complain.
If you take it there and let them see it, the next time
you need to go in they will be a little more attentive.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 2,803
Likes: 11
From: El Paso, Texas
I have always changed My own fluids, and let the dealer do the rest on My scheduled services. This covered Me under warranty, and reduced the cost of the services by about 75%.
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 9,208
Likes: 374
From: Central Illinois, Between I-80 and I-74
Yes it would bother me that it happened, it wouldn't surprise me. Thread sealant, I use it along with the o-ring (IMO as an engineer the drain plug and port is a poor design for using an o-ring).
They did offer to make it right (going above and beyond what you were asking for) and even returned your call.
They did offer to make it right (going above and beyond what you were asking for) and even returned your call.
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Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 2,502
Likes: 6
From: Lapeer , Mich
the dealer I bought my bike from replaced a warped derby cover on my bike when I bought it under warrenty and I went out for a ride with wife and blew the dip stick out of the motor oil tank and oil on wifes jeans , found oil over full some how so I changed that oil and we went for another ride of about 300 miles and bike started to have a funny vibration of sort , got home and found primary EMPTY , so I then knew were the oil in the oil tank came from , the tec must have put the oil for the primary in the oil tank , told the service manager about it and he gave me oil and was very sorry about it and they realy have been very good about every thing I have had concerns about but my thought is what if that had been a 3000 mile trip instead of 300 , if I have to double check every thing I have done might just as well do it myself , if I have to take it to the dealer how can you ever trust them to do it right