Another Dealer Discussion

[Mark]

I know that this is in the wrong place and will be moved. But I decided I wanted as many people as possible to see this. You see, I am impressed with my dealer.

Some of you may recall that about a month ago I posted a message and a picture of my top box recall installation. They did it wrong. They put the metal plate on the feet, not under them. They had never done one before. As a result it would not latch down correctly. I took it back and they did it right. I have not ridden with it on until Wednesday but I needed to make a call 20 miles away and thought that I would run by Sam's while I was there. About 10 miles into the ride I heard a noise and when I looked around to see what it was I noticed that the top box was gone. I pulled over and saw it just off the road in the neutral ground. So I walk back and get it, put it back on thinking that I just had not got it on right before I left home. Then about 10 more miles I hear that noise again and pull over to see it sitting in the middle of the road with cars and truck dodging it. A good Samaritan pulled off almost next to it and got it before anyone hit it. So I put it back on and rode slow until I could get to a store and buy a ratchet tie down.

But I was sure that I got it on right the second time. So I started to think about it. When the dealer put the plate on wrong I was on the bike. When I went to pick it up they had put the box back on the bike. When I got home it didn't look right and the lock would not latch but was "forced" closed and locked. I took it off the bike and back to them and they did it right.

So when I got back from my trip Wednesday I went by the dealer and talked to a salesman first and then the service manager. The service manager asked if he could keep the box and I agreed and told him I needed to get a few things out of it. As I unlocked it and pulled on the latch to open it it fell off and rolled to the ground.

To make a long story short the service manager called me Thursday and told me that a new one was on the way and that he would call me next week when it came in.

These people did not sell me my bike nor have they ever sold me a bike. They have sold me a helmet and a few fasteners but that is it. They could have argued that I didn't have it on right and that it was not their fault. They could have said that it was not because of the work they had done to install the upgrade. They could have I could not have proved any different. But they didn't. They stepped up and made it right. In a couple of years when I am ready to buy a new FJR they will get to sell me one.

This dealer is Laurel Yamaha in Laurel Mississippi. They have a sister dealership in Meridian Mississippi. With all the bad dealers and bad dealer experiences out there I wanted to post a good experience. By the way, I know they have a new Black Cherry on the show room in Meridian. I am planning to talk to them when I pick the top box up and see what deal they are willing to make. I will post that here for anyone that is looking.

Mark

 

[Sportster]

Bravo for Southern Hospitality.

Sportster

 

[Bigtime]

I'm not sure I'm following this thread, was it the same dealer that screwed up the install that made it right? If that's the case, I'd hold the praise and warn people that the dealer is incompetent. Imagine if you were riding with a group when the bag flew off it killed another rider. Would you be content as long as they paid for your buddy’s funeral?

I've read too many posts on various forums of dealers getting praise for fixing their own screw ups, but I'm not that forgiving. These are motorcycles and the mechanics and technicians need to be held to a higher standard. The fact that a tech can install something completely wrong; no quality control or senior mechanic double checking the work; no test ride to verify it was highway safe; the part blows off and doesn't kill anyone and we're perfectly content because they didn’t blame us? Thank god it wasn't a wheel they installed wrong. What's wrong with this picture?