The Lovely Cams...
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 28,520
Likes: 3,953
From: Vermont
Let's see if I understand correctly. You left your bike at this dealer for him to diagnose a problem for a fixed price of $100 and you ended up with a $1500 bill ?!?
I NEVER let someone play with my bank account unless I authorize the expense, NEVER.
I see that there's a new tire on the bill. I don't think they would have replaced a tire without you asking so what did you authorize and what didn't you authorize?
I NEVER let someone play with my bank account unless I authorize the expense, NEVER.
I see that there's a new tire on the bill. I don't think they would have replaced a tire without you asking so what did you authorize and what didn't you authorize?
Thread Starter
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Intermediate
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
From: Oregon
The sequence of events...
Sorry if it sounded like the stealer was the devil incarnate, but the sequence of events was in fact a reflection of poor management and disorganization:
1. Called to schedule the bike to be looked at.
2. Dropped bike off on a Tuesday (2 days before scheduled drop off).
3. Received saying "can't find anything wrong, but found "slivers" in the primary oil", saying they should check it out. I said OK.
4. Few days later they called with the bad news and a quote that gave me a miscarriage of the intestines. Informed the service writer that I didn't have that kind of money and was there anything on the list that wasn't totally essential. Stealer stated the clutch assembly probably could wait but we otta keep an eye on it. I asked them to call me back with a new estimate but authorized them to proceed with the assumption of an estimate around $1k.
5. Called back again to discuss just exactly what was being done and which parts (adjustable pushrods, hydraulic cams, etc.). Not experienced enough to know what they "should" have offered or what was best (I trusted them). This was a new tech. The list of work he cited still included the clutch assembly work, which I informed him was supposed to be take off. He had to go find someone to verify.
6. No call back with new estimate. I call them back to again cite the high cost and remind them I needed a new estimte. Service writer said "oh, sorry, forgot". Still didn't provide a new estimate.
So...yes I stepped in it. Totally my fault for authorizing the work without an estimate. I did request the front tire. They had my bike for 12 days waiting for parts.
Lessons learned:
1. Expect NO dealer sympathy discounts unless they KNOW you're a gear-head and can call you on their BS.
2. Get an estimate up front (yeah, I know, duh...).
3. Do the work myself.
1. Called to schedule the bike to be looked at.
2. Dropped bike off on a Tuesday (2 days before scheduled drop off).
3. Received saying "can't find anything wrong, but found "slivers" in the primary oil", saying they should check it out. I said OK.
4. Few days later they called with the bad news and a quote that gave me a miscarriage of the intestines. Informed the service writer that I didn't have that kind of money and was there anything on the list that wasn't totally essential. Stealer stated the clutch assembly probably could wait but we otta keep an eye on it. I asked them to call me back with a new estimate but authorized them to proceed with the assumption of an estimate around $1k.
5. Called back again to discuss just exactly what was being done and which parts (adjustable pushrods, hydraulic cams, etc.). Not experienced enough to know what they "should" have offered or what was best (I trusted them). This was a new tech. The list of work he cited still included the clutch assembly work, which I informed him was supposed to be take off. He had to go find someone to verify.
6. No call back with new estimate. I call them back to again cite the high cost and remind them I needed a new estimte. Service writer said "oh, sorry, forgot". Still didn't provide a new estimate.
So...yes I stepped in it. Totally my fault for authorizing the work without an estimate. I did request the front tire. They had my bike for 12 days waiting for parts.
Lessons learned:
1. Expect NO dealer sympathy discounts unless they KNOW you're a gear-head and can call you on their BS.
2. Get an estimate up front (yeah, I know, duh...).
3. Do the work myself.
Cruiser
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 168
Likes: 1
From: Elkhart, IN
What model year/cc out of curiosity and most importantly how many miles on it?
Also you went with stock cams? If I was putting out the money.......may as well upgrade.
The unexpected expensive crap always sucks.
Also you went with stock cams? If I was putting out the money.......may as well upgrade.
The unexpected expensive crap always sucks.
They didn't change cams, they just swapped out the rear cam with another stock unit. For 1500 bucks. Jumping jeebus! I"d be spitting nails.
Road Warrior
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,290
Likes: 20
From: Salem, Or
I'd be pissed if I were to pick up my bike and had all those issues after spending that kind of money. As far as the list goes it sounds to me like you told them to do it.
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Did they have a discussion with you about the merits of upgrading your cams since you were going to be paying for a cam change? For crying out loud, they charged you 120 bucks for one cam, and for another hundred bucks or so, you could have gotten a set of SE203 cams. You paid for a full cam change, and only got one cam changed, as far as I can tell.
Cruiser
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 234
Likes: 2
From: Midland NC
slivers in primary = cam problem???
Sorry if it sounded like the stealer was the devil incarnate, but the sequence of events was in fact a reflection of poor management and disorganization:
1. Called to schedule the bike to be looked at.
2. Dropped bike off on a Tuesday (2 days before scheduled drop off).
3. Received saying "can't find anything wrong, but found "slivers" in the primary oil", saying they should check it out. I said OK.
4. Few days later they called with the bad news and a quote that gave me a miscarriage of the intestines. Informed the service writer that I didn't have that kind of money and was there anything on the list that wasn't totally essential. Stealer stated the clutch assembly probably could wait but we otta keep an eye on it. I asked them to call me back with a new estimate but authorized them to proceed with the assumption of an estimate around $1k.
5. Called back again to discuss just exactly what was being done and which parts (adjustable pushrods, hydraulic cams, etc.). Not experienced enough to know what they "should" have offered or what was best (I trusted them). This was a new tech. The list of work he cited still included the clutch assembly work, which I informed him was supposed to be take off. He had to go find someone to verify.
6. No call back with new estimate. I call them back to again cite the high cost and remind them I needed a new estimte. Service writer said "oh, sorry, forgot". Still didn't provide a new estimate.
So...yes I stepped in it. Totally my fault for authorizing the work without an estimate. I did request the front tire. They had my bike for 12 days waiting for parts.
Lessons learned:
1. Expect NO dealer sympathy discounts unless they KNOW you're a gear-head and can call you on their BS.
2. Get an estimate up front (yeah, I know, duh...).
3. Do the work myself.
1. Called to schedule the bike to be looked at.
2. Dropped bike off on a Tuesday (2 days before scheduled drop off).
3. Received saying "can't find anything wrong, but found "slivers" in the primary oil", saying they should check it out. I said OK.
4. Few days later they called with the bad news and a quote that gave me a miscarriage of the intestines. Informed the service writer that I didn't have that kind of money and was there anything on the list that wasn't totally essential. Stealer stated the clutch assembly probably could wait but we otta keep an eye on it. I asked them to call me back with a new estimate but authorized them to proceed with the assumption of an estimate around $1k.
5. Called back again to discuss just exactly what was being done and which parts (adjustable pushrods, hydraulic cams, etc.). Not experienced enough to know what they "should" have offered or what was best (I trusted them). This was a new tech. The list of work he cited still included the clutch assembly work, which I informed him was supposed to be take off. He had to go find someone to verify.
6. No call back with new estimate. I call them back to again cite the high cost and remind them I needed a new estimte. Service writer said "oh, sorry, forgot". Still didn't provide a new estimate.
So...yes I stepped in it. Totally my fault for authorizing the work without an estimate. I did request the front tire. They had my bike for 12 days waiting for parts.
Lessons learned:
1. Expect NO dealer sympathy discounts unless they KNOW you're a gear-head and can call you on their BS.
2. Get an estimate up front (yeah, I know, duh...).
3. Do the work myself.