| Author | Message | ||
     Lowflyer |
My fan got slow and then finally died while returning from a ride Sunday before last (see my other thread). I called the dealer on the following Tuesday (when they opened) and they told me 2.5 weeks to get the fan and do the work. I stewed on that for a couple of days and then decided to call American Sportbike. Al hooked me up in 4 business days and I swapped it myself just this past Tuesday night. Today, I tried the Buell CS trick today when my farking belt broke and after I called the dealer and was told sorry, no belts. The CS folks were courteous and pleasant to talk to, but so far I am NOT IMPRESSED with how this works at all. They gave me a reference number to give to my dealer. I did that and (no kidding) the Service Manager at the dealer said rather indignantly, "Whattaya want me to do with that? The parts'll git here when they git here."  GAaaahhhHHH!!!! Amazingly, I did not tell him that I want him to take that number, write it on the side of a 20-pound fire extinguisher, and shove it up his a$$. I did tell him that, according to the nice lady I spoke to at Buell, if he calls Buell and gives them that number, they might speed up getting the part. He said sort of flippantly, "Okay, I'll put that on the order form and we'll see what happens." Meanwhile, my bike is in the parking lot at work with no drive belt. The dealer said they might be able to come get it and they will call me back (that was 4 hours ago and Buell is not open on the weekend and the ass-hat dealer is not open on Monday). I am thinking I might call on my ESPP thing, or just go get my truck and take the damn thing in myself. All I know is that it seems if you want to ride a Buell, you apparently either need to own two of them, or stock spare parts yourself. Sonofab-tch!!!  | ||
| Geopatr |
Man, I am sorry to hear that!! I hope this kind of service wont happen in Canada!!My closest Buell dealer is 500mi away!!There is a HD dealer about half way that may be able to help in case of warranty and parts. Good luck!!Can you try another dealer instead? | ||
| Davegess |
Dude you need a new dealer, that sucks. | ||
| Rotorhead |
Lowflyer, Your situation is exactly why I look at this message board every day, ok maybe 2 times, alright, every chance I get but rarely chime in. HD dealers suck!! there is no other way around it. If you were to walk in and say "hey my belt on my harley broke!!" the dealer would turn upside down to help you, and have one on the shelf waiting for you. I have that stock of parts you mention so when it does break I have it in the garage waiting,and not posting to a message board and rant while waiting on a HD dealer to get me what they should have on a shelf. Belt, fan, Newly added Wheel bearings (not buell), ECM, muffler, air cleaner (left over from race kit install)set of tires, brake/clutch levers, shift linkage and brake linkage. It is a pay me now pay me later kind of thing. I have invested in the bike and a dealer that won't stock a part has forced me to invest in my own stock room. My stock room will also facilitate for my LD rides. I can depend on my wife to ship me a part over night cross country before I would trust a HD dealer to try it. I travel allot on my ULY and when I have had issues the HD dealers have helped once I threw the " I see how you treat us Buell guys!! Red headed bastard step children of HD". I had a service guy tell me I warped the front rotor by driving it in the rain and he won't fix it under warranty. he ended up fixing it when I asked to use his phone to call Buell CS myself and my rant. Twice I have pulled the "I'm a traveling military guy on leave and need this fixed to get home" (which is the truth)just to get some action out of a dealer. I hate using it but HD guys will turn down a Bueller in a hart beat but never a military guy. Maybe it is a cost of ownership thing but it shouldn't be. I would love to see a stand alone Buell dealer out there that gave HD riders a thumb of the nose. Maybe that is a retirement option for me some day. Take matters in your own hands and don't support your local dealer if he acts in a way that a supporting dealer shouldn't. Buy parts from the sponsors of this web site or after market equal. | ||
| Naustin |
That simple fact that NOBODY on this board is surprised in the least speaks volumes. If I ever take my bike on a long trip, I'll have a spare belt in my saddlebag, along with about 5 other things. The parts guy at my dealership yesterday was comparing the buell to his old Moto Guzzi and saying how Buell is so lucky to have Harley's dealer network, and no other brand had a better dealer network. I was like... Yeah...UH, huh...  | ||
| Dirt |
Rotorhead, Better add a few more parts to your supply. I just got off the phone with my dealer. Said that when my rear bearing failed it took the axle and spacer with it. Parts are on order and should be in next week. | ||
| Lowflyer |
Yeah, I bought this bike in part for the HD dealer network. Update on my case: I called the Buell CS folks a second time and was told that they had been on the phone with a gal at the dealer and that this gal (not the dang Service MANAGER) knows what to do. They came and got the bike from the parking lot here about an hour ago. My only complaint against the Buell CS line is that I waited for about 35 minutes each time before I got to speak with a person. Aside from that, and the painfully s...l...o...w speaking recording telling you what number to push for what, the reps are very nice and seem to be pro-active. Still, I have likely purchased my very last Buell. I have not posted all of my problems in here, but suffice it to say that every trip to the dealer has been a two-trips sort of deal. One for the original reason (i.e. 10k service) and a second trip to repair the damage from the first trip. Here's a little taste: http://picasaweb.google.com/lowflyer00/DealerBuffo onery | ||
| Oddsc |
You've got to be kidding (the pics)! That service tec should be fired immediately. Can you imagine what that monkey would do to a bike with chrome. I was really surprised when a tec cross threaded my drain plug. Sucks to have no confidence in work you pay a "professional" to do. | ||
| Bertotti |
I wonder how many new techs get the Buells because no one else there wants to work on them. I am lucky, two of the techs at my HD location have Buells of their own. | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
My question is this, If you can't change your own oil then what is going to happen if you run into mechanical problems on the road? I really can't understand when people complain about mechanics screwing up things like drain plugs and the like. Sure they shouldn't mess those things up but the again they wouldn't have if you'd have done the oil change yourself. That's my rant. | ||
| Lowflyer |
EG, Not everybody cares to do their own maintenance and some folks have the money to pay a dealer. There is no need to judge folks here. This is a personal preference. Working on your own bike makes you no better than the guys who don't. I do oil changes, but I pay the dealer for most everything else because it is cheaper for me to do so. My free time is worth far more to me than what I pay a dealer to maintain my bike. I worked my way up from wrenching for a living and have no desire to do it for "fun." That said, my $$ entitles me to bitch about the quality of dealer maintenance. When you hire a plumber, you expect quality plumbing for the $$ you spend. This is no different. BTW, the answer to your question is that if I break down on the highway, I'll fix what I can to get to the nearest service. Failing that, I will call a tow truck. Cheers, LF | ||
| Iugradmark |
Lowflyer, I'm in full agreement with your statements. I don't have the time to do much more than routine oil changes and will even have those done at the dealer if there is other work scheduled. I find the comments about the Uly's being so easy to work on next to dealer mechanics don't know how to work on Buells to be one of the oddest things about these bikes. | ||
| Lowflyer |
They are dead simple to work on and the service manual is outstanding. The excuse I got from the service manager is that they overlook things because they (the techs) are under pressure to beat the flat rate. He supposedly talks to the techs about this "all the time." | ||
| Dfishman |
I find the lack of enthuisiasum of techs at HD dealers to leave me wondering if they do a good job or not.I hate to have warranty work done when I know I will do a more thorough job myself.If I work on my bike,I take the extra time to clean surrounding areas,lube things that are exposed during the repair etc.The tech fixes X problem & that is it.Most times I have had warranty work done I follow up & always need to adjust something.My stator went bad under warranty.Dealer repaired it.I had to go back & reroute wires that were pinched & would have chaifed thru at a later date.Just an example of get it fixed & get it out. | ||
| Lowflyer |
I always go over my bike after a dealer visit. And, I always find where they hosed something up. So far, it has only cost me a return trip each time. The one exception to that was recently when I had the 15k service done. I did not find the wire they pinched and it left me stranded about 5 miles from home. | ||
| Riderbob |
Hey EG. Wow I should change my own oil? How in farkle is that the answer to poor dealer service. I bought a brand new never been owned by anyone motorcycle with a 2 year warranty and I'm suppose to work on it to? Pardon me but ain't that the Buell dealers problem as well as the reliablity issues? I did not by a Buell to work on it myself or to have it break. That is why there are dealers - to work on it. No I don't change my own oil, or tires, or nothing - cause as soon as I do that will be the end of the warranty. This is 2007 - if Buell cann't make a reliable motorcycle, I will buy a brand that is. and that's my rant | ||
| Sungull |
Hi; Lets not put all the blame on the H/D Dealers. I live in Canada, West Coast. It took 22 days to get the lower Uly fender for my TT. Prepaid part and I am sure the dealer did not hold up the order. It took 28 days for a set of spark plugs. I had a set of plugs for my 88 bagger and they said to use them. The frame that holds the battery was found cracked on a warranty claim, and a new one was ordered,that was 17 days ago. No word about its arrival as yet. It's not all the dealers fault. I don't believe the dealer held the order on any of the parts. Is it possible that Buell does not have a supply of spare parts to send to the dealers. Has anyone ever checked the factory inventory of spare parts. We may get the supprise of our life. I don't think there are any. I will either move on to another brand or start stocking a reasonable supply of my own. I believe the two dealers I deal with have done there best. If the factory does not ship the parts, the dealer cannot sell or install them. In Canada, the dealer is not getting the parts from Buell. Sungull | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
I don't have a problem at all in taking my bike to the dealer for warranty work. All I was responding to was somebody moaning about an oil plug being cross threaded. How much time is involved in taking your bike to the dealer, going home, then coming back to find the mechanic didn't do everything perfect and then the time spent ranting about your problem here? I'll guarantee it takes less time to do many maintenance items yourself and then you only have yourself to blame for any cross threaded threads. As for a bike without a few problems, tell me where I can buy one. | ||
| Oddsc |
EG 97, my drain plug was screwed up doing free warranty work. Of course I change my own oil, and I would tend to think that most people who own a Buell are capable of doing that. But if you choose to, or you have to allow a tec. to touch your bike, don't you think that you should be able to leave the dealer with confidence that it's done right. Now I have oil seeping out of the top of the push rod cover, would you suggest I rip into that myself, or take it to the dealer for warranty work? | ||
| Lowflyer |
EG, My dealer has free pick up and drop off service so your guarantee is no factor for me. They come get the bike, work on it and drop it off at my house while I am playing golf or whatever. | ||
| Dtx |
Lowflyer, When I used to go to your servicing dealership I always had Robin work on my bike. He seemed to do pretty good and liked working on Buells (so he said.) Was he able to work on you bike during these situations? | ||
| Lowflyer |
Hi Drake! I always demand (per Bobby's direction) that Robin work on it, but he is not always the one who does. He is the one who fixed the other dude's mistake on my forks. | ||
| Lowflyer |
Robin felt so bad about those forks, he insisted that I have his two tickets to the UFC fights that weekend. He's like a 10-carat diamond sitting in a manure pile. If you knowhattamean.  | ||
| Red_chili |
I plan on buying a spare belt. Yeah, spares are important with bikes and 4x4s for sure. | ||
| Lowflyer |
Yes, that is my plan as well. I had originally thought to buy one before my next long trip, but that trip never came up so I kept putting it off. I was going to use the old belt as the spare. Now, I'll just buy a new one to use as a spare for my new one. | ||
| Bertotti |
How much is a belt. I did buy the pedals and levers just in case. I figure I'll drop it hard eventually. I hope you start having better luck at the dealer and with your ride Lowflyer, I absolutely love mine. | ||
| Lowflyer |
I love my Buell too. I just hate my dealer. I will post a pic of their latest handy work later. I just got my bike back from them last night. Right away and without hardly even looking, I saw where they stripped the head of one of the fasteners (the one furthest aft) holding on my right peg mount casting. I haven't much looked over the rest of the bike just yet except for a cursory pre-flight inspection this morning before heading off to work. | ||
| Lowflyer |
Okay, I promised some pics of my latest trip to the $@#*&%hole of a dealership. Here is the link: http://picasaweb.google.com/lowflyer00/DealerBuffo onery CAUTION: Information at the link above names the dealership. If you do not wish to know who is responsible for my miserable Buell ownership experience, do not click the link. Some people will think I am just a picky SOB. Well, I am, but I am a reasonable person too. I understand mistakes are made all the time by humans. I also understand that if I make a mistake, I will be up front about it and attempt to rectify the mistake ASAP. I see that as just plain normal human decency. What I have suffered through with this dealer should never have happened because the errors made on my bike were blatantly obvious. They should have been brought to my attention by the Service Manager with an explanation as to how and when they would be fixed. | ||
| Daves |
KC would sure be a good place to open a Buell dealership huh? If you still need a spare belt, I'll bet one call to Appleton (talk to Andy) and they can ship one out. | ||
| Lowflyer |
It certainly would not be hard to take their Buell business. As it is, I have bought my last bike from them. Unfortunately, that also means I have bought my last Buell. The silver lining is that I have learned some valuable lessons from both Buell and this particular dealer. My next bike purchase research will include finding answers to questions like "what parts do you (dealership) keep in stock for this bike?" For the Uly, it seems like a good dealer should have some belts, fans, and bearings in stock; or have access to them within a single business day. That does not seem like much to ask to me. |
