Am I right to be pissed?

[ctfjr]

So I take my bike in for the spider recall 8 days ago. When the service manager is writing it up I casually say while you have evrything open there you may as well change the plugs & air filter - 1st time for the plugs (37K miles) so I figure I'll pick up another 13.78 HP by changing them, based on the comments I read here about changing plugs often. All last week I call wanting to pick it up until Friday he tells me they are 'waiting for parts'. What parts? The air cleaner. . . DOH!

So today, after a week of severe withdrawal, its finally done. With the bike comes a bill for $200+, before tax. Why, I ask so much? Well there is 1-1/2 hours labor. wtf Is it me or does that sound like a lot of time to do that work when everthing is exposed already?

 

[Old Michael]

... you may as well change the plugs & air filter ... so I figure I'll pick up another 13.78 HP by changing them, based on the comments I read here ...

 

[garyahouse]

... I casually say while you have evrything open there you may as well change the plugs & air filter

With the bike comes a bill for $200+, before tax. Why, I ask so much? Well there is 1-1/2 hours labor. wtf Is it me or does that sound like a lot of time to do that work when everthing is exposed already?

Sounds like your comment, "while you have everything open" fell on deaf ears. You're upset because they charged you the standard price for doing the plugs and air filter on an FJR. However, though you asked the man if he would grant a discount for doing this WHILE he had it open, what did he actually say he WOULD do? Maybe they figured you look like you got lotsa money. But you know the old saying, "Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me...."

Gary

darksider #44

 

[DE OPPRESSO LIBER]

Where did you go if you don't mind me asking? You should ask how much it would be to "just change the plugs and filter" and see what they say. . . . . . Maybe they are just pulling it out of a book? :huh:

 

[gravity]

If you went to the dealer in Cheshire I'm not suprised. From my own past experiences there, the service department there gets all that they can get from you every time. I haven't had work done there in years for that reason.

 

[ScottyUSN]

I paid 1.5 in labor for a TBS and plugs while in for the recall. What did you pay for plugs? You might be pissed if they charged you what my local "tried" to charge me.

I don't think you should be pissed if you didn't ask for the details before hand.

 

[majicmaker]

I don't think you should be pissed if you didn't ask for the details before hand.

+1 :good:

 

[twistedcricket]

I don't understand. I bet the recall can be done without taking much, if any, of the plastic off. Are you upset that it took so long to get the air cleaner? (that's typical,I can rarely get one local). That's not the easiest thing to replace and should take about 30-45 minutes.

The plugs might take about that long, by the time you properly gap them, apply the anti-seize and boot grease, remove the two screws, two plastic clips of the plastic cowel below the tank, remove the two tank bolts, prop it up (hopefully it wasn't full of fuel), remove each wire/plug and replace. One and a half hours seems a reasonable amount of time. You could have easily done this with minimal tools on a rainy Saturday afternoon.

Should you be pissed? At yourself for wasting the money, yes. The dealership is doing what you told them to do. I don't know how you can be upset with them. Their shop rate should be posted. Or you can ask them before they do the work to determine if you want to pay for it. I get the impression that you didn't. So your ignorance is probably reason enough to get upset with them. I mean it's all their fault.

 

[ctfjr]

If you went to the dealer in Cheshire I'm not suprised. From my own past experiences there, the service department there gets all that they can get from you every time. I haven't had work done there in years for that reason.

Yes, that's the place.

And to to other posters comments - yep, you are all right - I should have asked how much beforehand. . . It was an additional 1-1/2 hours labor charge, that's what I thought was over the top after they had the bike already opened. The $5 per plug & $30 for air filter is probably the going rate for them & I'm ok with that.

 

[SwollenRaccoon]

I had the ground spider fix done about a month ago, here in Minnesota. I asked them that since the tank was going to be off, could you do a TBS for a cheaper rate, and they said "yes". Out the door for $54. Don't know what it would have cost on its' own, but I'll assume it would have been more, at normal shop rates.

 

[HotRodZilla]

So...Yeah, you should have asked for a discount on the labor instead of assuming, but I bet we have all done that: tried to ask without actually asking. Now, you'll know for next time.

The dealer? Well, not really their fault that you assumed anything, but a little ****** that they stuck you for full price. THAT would be something I would not forget when it comes time to have other things done.

And honestly...Find a Service Manual and change the plugs and stuff yourself. You'll be amazed how easy it is, and then pissed that you paid anyone $150 to do it for you.

 

[builderwill]

Put me in to the pissed club but for other reasons. Since joining the forum and the wealth of how-to info, I've not had a mechanic touch my bike in two years except for required state inspections. So I take up to the local Yami dealer for the recall on a Saturday, tell them I was out of town all week and agreed to pick it up the following Saturday. Get there and 1) the bike is FILTHY. It looked like it does after riding in rain all day, 2) the left side fairing panel is not installed correctly, rivet missing and cigar outlet pigtails not plugged back in, 3) NEP throttle lock all F'd up and kinda cockeyed. The last one really pissed me off cause I can just picture the chimp with wrench saying "I wonder how this works?"

I ***** at the service manager and I get the shoulder shrug and a weak sorry. I told them all I want is a rivet to replace the one missing. Can't even get that w/o ordering. Luckily I have a supply at home and just left in disgust. Hopefully my last visit there.

 

[Thug]

Go and tell the prick how disappointed you are? and if that's the way he does business then he can go and get ******.

 

[dcarver]

Go and tell the prick how disappointed you are? and if that's the way he does business then he can go and get ******.

So sayeth Thug, the shy retiring flower... :rofl:

 

[DJB]

CTFJR, next time PM me we will get th parts from Libby's in New Haven and we can too all the work at my house and you will learn how easy it is to do it for yourself. :2handed: