Yep, you got taken. That's the power of suggestion. Ever take your car for new tires? They want to check the alignment, tell you that you need new brakes, and that your belt needs replaced. Kinda like "you want fries with that"? 1600 miles on your oil, you should have just said "no thanks". Just make sure that you realize that they're not just mechanics... they're sales people too.

As for your SET being left open, most people do that anyway so they don't have to deal with adjusting it all the time. You can cut the error signal wire to the ECU and never look back and not do any damage. Don't worry about that.

 

I don't think there was anything wrong with your oil. I run synthetic in my cars and bike. It looks dark not long after you put it in.

 

i hope they are going to fix the SET valve for free. If not do what the geek said.

 

I am a car mechanic and people bring in there own oil all the time. Labor is the same whether it's your oil or the shops that you are paying for. The mechanic still has to get paid. There are also disposal fees you must still pay for old oil and old filters.

If you did that to me I would remember when your bike came back in. I wouldn't do anything bad to your bike or car but there would be labor charges for EVERYTHING you would always be the last on the list. Maybe you would take you vehicle elsewhere so good customers didn't have to wait behind you:cool

What do you mean the oil was bad looking. Was it black??? Oil turns black when run in a engine. No big deal.

I would tell them to just leave the set valve wired open. Mine is disabled and runs better I think. (better driveablity not faster)

 

I am a car mechanic and people bring in there own oil all the time. Labor is the same whether it's your oil or the shops that you are paying for. The mechanic still has to get paid. There are also disposal fees you must still pay for old oil and old filters.

If you did that to me I would remember when your bike came back in. I wouldn't do anything bad to your bike or car but there would be labor charges for EVERYTHING you would always be the last on the list.

Sir, I'm a business man too. $44 to change drain and replace my oil is too much. I normally change the oil myself, I just figured if they had everything off and ready to go, why not just have them pour it in? I'm an amateur and I can do it from beginning to end in 15 minutes. A pro can do it 10 easily. I was disputing the price, not the that I was charged.

 

So you know you got ass raped and you still did it? If the fairing was already off why did it take them 30 minutes?? As everybody else said the oil is suppose to look black after being ran through the engine. My fresh new synthetic oil turned black after 1 ride.

And as for the set valve almost everybody purposely tries to make the flap stay open.

 

So you know you got ass raped and you still did it?

Still did what?

If the fairing was already off why did it take them 30 minutes??

My point exactly.

Oil is suppose to look black after being ran through the engine.

I know, it was thick with some tiny flecks of metal in it. Thicker than usual but not burnt. I'm 6000 miles and thought it would look 'cleaner'.

What was the point of your reply?

 

well although u got taken, almost all dealerships/mechanics have computers that charge by the hour or half hour. they cant charge for a 1/6th of an hour. Unfortunately thats something you'll have to deal with. Even if u go bring your car in, they charge u for 2 hours labor, car will probably be done in 40 minutes. its just how it works.

 

Thanks, I didn't know that. So they weren't being assholes they were just going by the book. OK, that makes sense.

 

It seems that you made assumptions that they would charge less instead of making an actual agreement with them to do so. The business is there to make money. Is that a lot for an oil change, probably. But its in your best interest to make sure your not woking on assumptions. I bet if you said, hey all throw you 20 to change my oil while you have it apart, they likely woulld have done it. Even if they wouldnt, you would have known up front and there would have been no hard feelings. Chalk up the additional expense to live in learn.

shane

 

+1
If you wanted something free you should have asked first.

You are now also branded in that dealership for life. What are you going to do if you really need some help from those dudes with an insurance quoted cuz you go down. Or if you have major problems and need extensive warranty work.

You should be nice when you go back in:cheers

 

+1
If you wanted something free you should have asked first.

What are you talking about dude? I didn't mention free anywhere.

You are now also branded in that dealership for life. What are you going to do if you really need some help from those dudes with an insurance quoted cuz you go down. Or if you have major problems and need extensive warranty work.

Branded as what? Someone who wants a fair price?

You should be nice when you go back in:cheers

I think I was nice in the first place. I picked them over all the other dealerships to patronize AND I paid $44 for an oil change. I'd say I'm a keeper wouldn't you?

Pfffft.

 

I'm so glad you got butt raped.

 

You asked for our thoughts. My thoughts as someone who has worked in a service department for 8 years, on cars not bikes but still, are that they will remember you as the guy that bitched because we charged him to put in oil and a filter that he didn't even buy from us.


If you already have the fairing off for something else is it over lapping labor to do an oil change??? Sure. But do they really take the fairing off to change the oil. Doubt it.

 

You asked for our thoughts. My thoughts as someone who has worked in a service department for 8 years, on cars not bikes but still, are that they will remember you as the guy that bitched because we charged him to put in oil and a filter that he didn't even buy from us.

I did buy the oil from them, just not that day. Why did you assume I didn't?

I also bought the damn bike from them.

It's pretty apparent that most on here think I was over-charged. Regardless, I still paid it. Companies don't hold grudges against it's customers. They need us.

 

They need you?:rolleyes
Dude get over it. You are not the only guy in town buying bikes from them I doubt. If you are going to be a big pain in their ass they will gladly let you go as a customer so they can help other people that love giving them easy business.

You aren't buying parts from them so they aren't making money there are they? You don't want to pay full price labor either so how good of a customer are you.

Sorry I take so much offense to this thread but I deal with people like this all the time. People that want to bitch about price. THAT IS THE PRICE. TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT.

Hey I need my taxes done Mr. accountant. Just a simple here is what I made this year ripping off shitting customers and here is what was with held. How much??? Oh 100 bucks. Thanks.

Hey, here to pick up my taxes you did for me. Hey can you add on a bunch of free shit for on top of that. I changed my mind and want to claim a bunch of crap.:flipoff

 

WOW. Go back to page 1, re-read the thread and see how far overboard you have gone. We are talking about an oil change. That's all. I knew what I was getting into as I do them myself. My expectations of "professionals" is obviously too high. I'll pay $75 per hour without question, just don't tell me it took a pro 30 mins to do something I could have done myself in 15. That is all this thread is about. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

Maybe they don't need me. But them being greedy over an oil change for a few dollars has cost them $10K when i'm out shopping for a new bike. That's why the customer is always right.

Understand?

This nation is built on customer oriented service/production. This whole incident took maybe 2-3 mins of their time to listen to me query. 2-3 mins of slight annoyance is cheap for my patronage.

You don't really know what you're talking about kid. Good luck.

 

Customer is always right from their point of view. The business still has to pay it's mechanics to wrench on your bike. Every service is rated by time so that it standardizes how much a service should be. That way you won't be gouged by someone arbitrarily (sp?) setting a price to work on your bike. MOST shops charge by the hour. They probably did do you the favor by charging you for 1/2 hour's labor.

 

I want to see a bar fight between frisco kid and atlantisusa

I'm just kidding.... I think you guys need to kiss and make up. Now kiss eachother bitches!! :yumyum:yumyum

 

Ok. lets change the perspective on this. You paid a professional to pour in oil and change your filter. So, pro rates. You should have asked how much it would be to perform it instead of assuming the price of the service. Caveat emptor. Your mistake, so you paid for it. You take this as if they should have done you a favor and charged you less. Everything done in a shop is rated by time. If they did you a favor, then everyone has to have an equal opportunity for the same favor. Not a good business practice IMHO.

As an accountant, how would you take it if one of your clients was going through their finances with you asked you a similar favor? "I know that you are balancing my budget, but since you are doing the math, could you do my taxes?" Then this customer gets mad at you because you charged him full price for the service. "Dude! you were already crunching figures? Cut me a deal!" Customer tagged and and branded for life.....

lol hmmmm

 

I will step away from your situation for a second and tell a story.

A service advisor I used to work with at my old job (at a car dealer) would put $ signs in the customers personal info screen next to their phone number. He gave $ signs to all customers that were really extra picky and wasted his time and also to those who boned him on CSI. (Cust satisfaction index)

He told me one time that on customer pay estimates of 5 hours and under he charged them 1.5 labor extra. On estimates of 5.0 and more labor it was 2.5 to 4 hours extra labor. At that time at that dealer I worked for the labor rate was almost $100 per hour. The dealer I currently work for the rate is just under $130 per hour.:eek That adds up to alot of extra money he was getting back out of people.

I ofcoarse was suprised to hear this little system he had. His words were if they dig in my pockets then I dig in theirs right back. I am sure that whatever dealer you take you bike to is at the very least aware of the fact that you were upset the last time in for better or worse. You may get a free oil change out of them next time cuz you were pissed. You might also get fucked one day.

Just making sure you Alantisusa and any of you are aware of how getting huffy may work out today but you may end up paying for it later. There are a lot of great dealers that do great work but there are some shit bags that work there too sometimes.

The above guy sales insurance now:rolleyes (frickin slime ball)

I am not jumping your ass Atlantis. Just be cool with the people that take care of your shit. Or so what many of us do and take care of it yourself:cheers

 

That guy could end up in jail. Let me at his accounts and he'd be in real trouble on federal charges.

I appreciate everything you say - some of it I agree with, some not.

At the end of the day, it's a lesson learned.

 

I don't recall "asking" for a favor. I'd asked for a fair price. I'm an amateur and can change oil in 15 minutes. I expect the same from the pros.

You are right that I should have cleared the price to start with. I should never assumed what their level of skill would be.

My clients ask for favors all the time. I don't give and agree with your point on that.

I think companies should charge for their time fairly and accurately.

Oh and by the way, I shouldn't count myself lucky that they didn't charge me for an hour. I'll set everyone straight in here right now. If you are billing for time, over billing in many instances can lead to a felony conviction (I'm blowing it out of proportion and just making a point).

At the end of the day, I should count myself lucky - I never need to go back to an over-charging dealership again.

They have lost a paying customer. I say I came out on top.

This thread should really die now.

 

Everything in the shop is rated by time. Each service is rated in a book by a reasonable amount of time to do the service. Shops do not charge vy the exact amount of time it takes. If the book says it takes 2 hours for a service, you get charged 2 hors labor. Just because it took less than 15 minutes doesn't mean they only charge for fifteen minutes. If the book says it takes 30 minutes for an oil change, then you get charged for 1/2 hour of labor. Some shops post that they their rates are by the hour and allowing them to work on your bike states that you agree to those charges. Not illegal.

It would be nice for companies to charge accurately and fairly for these services too. Unfortunately, most of these service fees have been standardized by the manufacturer and or industry.

 

You're talking about something different - book pricing/flat service pricing is BASED on hourly time but not BILLED as hourly time. Difference. You are right in what you said but when you bill by the HOUR and such is stated on an invoice for services, not packaged or flat rated services then over billing is a crime.

Consumer law and accounting practices for certain industries are very complicated but both parties have to be careful.

As I was billed for "Time" only and not a "Service" or "Book Price", I was essentially over-billed due to incompetence or negligence. Either way, who cares. It's $44 bucks and I learned my lesson.

The way companies get caught is usually by the customer suing and an industry analysis is performed. The company has to prove their side as does the plaintive. It usually occurs in professional services firms but occasionally it happens with wrench shops.

It's all how you word your service and pricing policies. Some small firms can't afford lawyers when they start out so they are hung out to dry if they do something stupid. Bigger firms, will settle every time.