I am really PO'd right now...

Background before the rant begins: I took my bike in for it's 600 mile service. Although I plan to do the maintenance myself in the future, the initial service is important to tighten everything up and adjust, so I took it to the only place around here--I didn't trust them going in, but, well, they're the only place around here. I've already changed the oil once myself due to its nasty blackness, so I know what I'm talking about in that department.

The bastards did NOT take good care of my Baby! Upon picking her up there was a HUGE black streak all the way down the pipe, and WATERMARKS on the chain cover! They let her get WET! They left her out in the RAIN! Apparently, they dried most of her off, but missed a few places, hence the water spots. They also waited a while to dry her off and/or left her out in the rain for a while because I found what looks suspiciously like rust marks on the edge of the brake pedal! Then there are the black marks all over the front forks from grubby hands--I mean they wiped right off, so how hard would it have been for them to do that?!
Then there is the part where they didn't listen to me. I TOLD them going in that she takes more oil than the specs say--at least half a quart more. (no, I don't know where it goes, but it goes there--after it runs for five minutes after an oil change, the window looks empty and it never refills no matter how long it sits and then the shifting gets rougher) So now, 200 bucks later--thieving bastards--I have to go out and add oil because they suck. Just because I'm a girl does NOT mean that I don't know what I'm talking about! Maybe it's not because I'm a girl, maybe they don't listen to anyone about their bike, but I gotta wonder. It's not the most expensive bike on earth, but geez, all bikes deserve better treatment than that! Anyway, sorry, just had to vent. If you made it all the way through this you deserve a beer, or a shot of tequila, if you prefer!

 

I will take a shot of patron anejo please! Now you know to find a place farther the that crap hole of a place sorry to hear about your expierence.

 

I'll have a Michelob! That's really $hitty! Sorry some people suck.

 

I poured a pelligrino in agreement and sympathy to your rotten experience. I tell you nowadays you almost have to 'slap the crap' out of people to get them to give a s**t about the job they do! Work ethic is out the window anymore

 

Some people don't take any pride in their work either!

 

Thanks guys! I'm having Chivas myself at the moment. The kids must think I'm really nuts now (well, it's probably not a big shock to them--they know how I feel about my bike and my truck and they know I'm nuts ) as I was crawling around on the garage floor with the chrome polish mumbling "It's okay Baby, it'll be okay, I'll fix you, and you never have to go back to those nasty bastards again..."

I totally agree--I don't get it either. Why do it at all if they're not going to do it with care?

Now I'm wondering if they dropped it and that's where the black scuff marks came from--there may be a few more scratches at the end of the pipe than there were before.

 

Maybe they were "testing" it out in the parking lot, two up, and the black scuffs are from the guys' boots?

 

OK Charli it's good to vent yourself this way to feel better but you should put on your leathers and go nose to nose with those "thieving bastards" and tell them what you just told us! ! ! There is something about a Biker Momma with a piece of chain in her hand to make the hair stand up on the back of the neck You Go Girl - We are right behind you! !!

 

Hubby does say that I'm "intimidating" for someone not all that big...and I do intend to have it out with them, but it will have to wait until there is someone here to watch the kids.....sigh.

Hmmm... the knife is in my underwear drawer.... Now where did I put that chain....

 

Sorry to hear Charli.......To those monkeys its just another hunk of metal.They don't give a rat's ass how special our vehicles are to us or how hard we've worked to get and maintain them.Needless to say they've seen the last of your bike and cash...screw 'em.

The extra oil is staying in your oil filter I'd say,but again,these guys looked at the specs and moved along....Take pride in the fact that you know more about your machine than they the "pros".

 

Thanks again guys!

Thank you squad314! Now that you mention it, when I pulled the old filter it did seem to make an awful mess, so yes, you are correct there--that was my first ever oil change on a bike, so I didn't completely know what to expect, but now that you said that, I remember the "waterfall" of oil.

 

hey charli........sorry to hear about the bullshit from a crap company apparently!!! go back and give them hell.........and dont be shy about it either!!1 if i lived close........we'd pay a visit to the crapshoot place you went, and it wouldnt be pretty!!!

by the way...........im having a good cold one for you now!!

 

Does it require a valve check at the 600 mile service? Dealers are notorious for skipping it but charging you for it anyway.

 

Sorry to hear that, but if you saw the way I treat my bike you would probably kick me in the BLLS, still doesn't change the fact that you were upset with there handling of the bike, right a complaint to the BBB, there is probably more than one on them.

 

That's why no one touches my cars unless it's something I can't do. There's 2 local mechanics I go to for complicated work I don't have tools or experience doing, but I do as much as I can. I'll go to to Toyota for warranty work, but that's only happened once in 6 years. Rest of the time I do as much as possible myself because I don't trust anyone else, and I can do the same work for a lot less money.

Sorry it had to happen! Just reinforces my DIY policy.

 

well said man. im the same way.....i got a shop here with 3 or 4 mechanics i have personally known for a while!! i do everything myself, stuff i cant do......i let them do!!!!

 

If you think car stealerships suck, think again, bike dealers, all of em, really blow. For the most part they have kids assembling and workin on the bikes.

My KLR650 has never seen a dealer except when assembled, i do all my own stuff. My Harley was dealer serviced but they did a horrible job, yeah, you dont always get what you paid for.

What kind of bike is it? My klr has a sight glass but that doesnt mean you have to fill it past the top, be careful, putting too much oil in can build up crankcase pressure.

 

Yeah, it does--there is an actual notation on the paperwork though that they supposedly adjusted them with what they adjustedthem to, so they MAY actually have done that. It does seem to have a bit more pick-up now.

Mine too! We'd always planned to do everything ourselves after the initial service, and nothing here has changed my mind....

I can't agree more! We took it to this one only because it was the closest and easiest to drop off/pick up. I didn't trust the dealership we bought it from either plus it is pretty far away for service work.

Its a Suzuki GZ250--there's pics in my gallery if you are interested. I know about the window thing, but upright after running it after an oil change, the spec recommended oil amount comes to the very low end of low (like ON the L), and the shifting goes to hell. Somewhere at least halfway between the F and L would have been good enough for me. I doubt anybody even mentioned to the guy who worked on it that I'd said anything. Yeah, too much is a bad thing too--need some air in there.

Thanks again ya'll!