Do you trust bike dealers?

[ollydog]

last easter i spent the entire weekend get my porsche ready for the mot, replaced every bush, abc break lines and new discs and pads,
main dealers for the mot because i thought i wanted someone who would know what they are looking at and could check my work as i don't mind criticism,

car passed then a list of advisories, corroded break lines, front discs and pads, yes its an expensive car but i felt i was just another rich knob would would just fork out, i ended up with a free service and apology

steve

[Alan29]

I have all the mechanical skills of a blind Mr Bean and the patience of Basil Fawlty.
So before I took Mrs Alan29 to the Grossglockner last year I asked the local bike dealer to give the Vara a look over. An hour later they had checked and adjusted everything, re-glued the RH heated grip and taken it for a test ride.
No charge. They wouldn't hear of it.
And I was offered a coffee and somewhere to sit while they did it.
Proper old fashioned service.
Thank you Marriotts at Birkenhead.

[johnnyboxer]

Do you trust them JB?

Some, but not all

Once you find a good'un they are worth visiting (thumbs)

I find the service staff at Rainbow BMW are FAB

[johnnyboxer]

Do you really trust them Dave?

Then I am guessing you were in sales staff?

Besides a customer has a right to complain if your dealership has damaged his bike.

What are they charging now? £50 an hour plus?

The job should be done properly or the customer should be told and compensated, not sent home in the hope they don't notice.

£50 per hour, I wish - those were the days............. :whistle:

[captinktm]

Do you really trust them Dave?

Then I am guessing you were in sales staff?

Besides a customer has a right to complain if your dealership has damaged his bike.

What are they charging now? £50 an hour plus?

The job should be done properly or the customer should be told and compensated, not sent home in the hope they don't notice.

£50 per hour, I wish - those were the days............. :whistle:

Funny that because I thought (not knowing that it was about right) just shows the last time I went near a dealer or garage. I can how ever remember taking a customers 750 Bmw to Ocean in Plymouth with an electronic fault because I could not solve the problem. They had the car for a day and charged for one hour £137 plus vat. (this was 2004) I was of course shocked but if the car was fixed then hey o. No it was n't, when asked the workshop manager said the only option left was to remove the warning light!!

[Ourdavid]

Skipping items on the service, I marked the oil filter before I took it in and it was still on the bike when they gave it me back. The Air filter was untouched after 3 services it was black, they claimed to have blown it with an air line! The rocker covers hadn't been removed so how can they check the valve clearances? I marked them as well, complete denial when challenged. How do I know they've done the other service items?

[petecam]

Some time ago I was visiting my sister in Sussex.

On the Saturday I called into P&H in Crawley.

I was looking at the KTM 1050/1190 adventure. There seemed to be lots of staff about but I had to ask to sit on a bike, he told me to pull it out (didn’t offer) I then asked some questions and he pointed me towards the sales counter. So I went over, one sales man was stuffing his face, the other was sat down looking at paper work. I asked if the 1050 had been reduced and he replied “We have reduced them” I then made a joke (just to whip up a bit of banter) that I would have negotiated that discount anyway and he bluntly said “Oh you members of the public make me laugh”

He didn’t stand up from his desk
Or ask if I needed any more information
Or offer me a test ride.

In fact he was so disinterested I left. This is one “member of the public” that wont be buying a bike there.


On Sunday I went to Destination Triumph down the road in Washington.

I was offered a coffee by someone when I came in.
The dealer apologised as he was sending an email but then stood up and introduced himself
I asked if I could sit on a Tiger and he pulled it out for me.
He chatted about the bike and options.
When I told him my short list of bikes, he said that’s a good list, he didn’t slag off the other brands but just suggested I test rode the Tiger.
He gave me his card and offered me a test ride whenever I want one.

Now I appreciate I have no idea if either dealer would do a good job servicing the bike but I know who I would buy from.

[Alan29]

I had similar treatment in a BMW dealership. Not even greeted.
Maybe its a germanic thing.

[petecam]

I had similar treatment in a BMW dealership. Not even greeted.
Maybe its a germanic thing.

Not sure..... local to me in East Anglia the BMW dealer at Braintree and Peterborough has always seemed OK. Jim Aim KTM in Essex are very good and Gear 4 KTM/Husky are not bad either.........

Course it might depend on the day and the staff on duty !

[Heff]

Bought my 1200 Adv from Cotswolds Motorrad in Gloucester last month.

Found the bike on tinternet, spoke with Tom the sales guy on phone after he sent me a video clip of a walk around of the bike. Deposit paid a short time later.

Let him know my flight times, and got collected from Birmingham airport.

Arrived at dealership, took a test ride, deal done. They even fitted my sat nav that I brought with me whilst I was completing the paper work, new tax etc over coffee and muffins

Total time in dealership was about 2 1/2 hours then a leisurely ride to Holyhead for the ferry home.

A courtesy call from the dealer a few days later, with a second courtesy call a few days ago.

Very impressed with the whole dealer experience saving me over a grand with a similar spec'd bike in Belfast after travel costs.

Just hope the after sales in Belfast is on a par :whistle:

Time will tell (thumbs)