| Author |
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Etennuly
| | Posted on Sunday, April 05, 2009 - 11:02 am: | 
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I bought a belt and bearings. The belt is about $170.00, the bearings cost me $70.00 shipped. You will have to find someone along the way to install them, what will that cost?
How much are they going to charge you to remove the front wheel and balance it at the Yamaha dealer? Around here it would cost about $35.00(I'm sure it would be $50.00 at HD)
Tire balance not being covered under warranty is normal in nearly all vehicle venues, unless you buy the extended warranty, it is specifically included in the warranty, it is part of a dealer promotion, or you purchase tire hazard coverage with your new vehicle. Did you buy that extra coverage with your bike?
What if the problem is something else? Say a bent rim or belt broken in the tire. Who will have to fix that? A letter writing campaign and the worry and stress you are putting yourself through just has to be worth more than $35.00. |
Ulykan
| | Posted on Sunday, April 05, 2009 - 01:28 pm: |
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A letter writing campaign and the worry and stress you are putting yourself through just has to be worth more than $35.00.
You have a point and I have considered that. There is though a matter of customer satisfaction that the dealer has not delivered on and there is a principle that has not been addressed or satisfied. What if the dealer "sticks it to the customer" namely ME and to get even for the trouble I've caused them? What if they only go through the motions? It's easy for a shop or tech to take shortcuts when working behind closed doors. The dealer says if I guarantee payment if they don't find anything wrong then they'll look at it. @ $75 per hour labor that can add up quickly. There are no guarantees that I will be treated fairly, especially now. Another dealer has already agreed that something is wrong but couldn't pinpoint the cause. A private HD shop has ridden the bike and they too noticed the problem. Etennuly, I'm not finding fault with your reasoning but I'm not convinced that your suggestion is correct. Perhaps you would take a different approach. Sometimes you have to experience something like this to fully understand my viewpoint. YMMV |
Jammin_joules
| | Posted on Sunday, April 05, 2009 - 02:15 pm: |
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HD dealers don't give a rat's a$$ about servicing Buells, only thing that matters to them is HD and HIGH DOLLAR income.
..................o~'o
I am sorry for your problems and if you want to ride west, High Cntry H-D/Buell would gladly help you, seven days a week. But, just the same, your generalization is categorically wrong.
True, some dealerships do not know how to deal with Buells, Buell customers and service in general. Yet others excel at it. I would hope more owners and potential buyers would investigate service at the dealership they are considering before they buy there just because they saved $200 on the price of the bike.
Too often, you get exactly what you pay for.
~jammer |
Jammin_joules
| | Posted on Sunday, April 05, 2009 - 02:22 pm: |
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" Again, that is why Buell and HD combined dealerships are bad."
....................o~'o
Even the largest of Buell sales at any given dealership is most often too small to support a stand alone dealership. Sorry, but that is the reality of the business right now.
If our best Buell techs, the guys who support our numerous racing efforts in drag, Bonneville and Pikes Peak, did not have work on H-D big twins, they would not be able to stay in the industry. This is not just because of daily billable hours either. Tools, resources, training, overhead staff support, parts & accessories sales volume pricing and staff - all these things are leveraged at a dealership to run an effective service department.
~jammer |
Etennuly
| | Posted on Sunday, April 05, 2009 - 02:29 pm: |
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Perhaps you would take a different approach. Sometimes you have to experience something like this to fully understand my viewpoint. YMMV
I believe I have sir. And way beyond a not covered item in a warranty contract. Not to muddle up this thread, but I have been through several new vehicles with so many warranty issues, including one $40,000 vehicle that had an engine replaced at 600 miles, an A/C system failure, brake intermittent problem that caused complete brake fail at weird intervals that they couldn't fix. After an eight month fight they bought it back, when everything that could be fixed failed the second time and it couldn't be driven, the day before the Lemon Law rules would have marked the title.
Or how about the new pickup that spent more time in the dealer shop than I had it for the first five months. The ABS computer failed and it randomly locked the rear brakes one wheel at a time at 70 mph. It had a list of problems(multiple momentary ignition failures, overheating, door locks, window seals, oil pan bad casting, there was more)that took months to find, and bulletins were produced months later on the issues.There are more vehicles, but no need in belaboring it.
My Buell dealer is fifty miles away. My bike was in for warranty work on at least six separate issues. Two of the times I went to pick it up I had to re-do and or finish the repairs before I could even make it out of the parking lot. I had averaged 6000 miles per rear tire until I got a bad one, same riding, same brand and type of tire, it failed at 3500 miles. I bought a new tire.
My point here, is that this is a minor issue that you have involved a whole lot of effort and whole lot of people. It is not even a warranty issue. I believe I read that the problem started two thousand miles into the life of a tire that is not warranted by its own manufacturer. You are asking that the dealer spend their shop service time, and pay a technician for that time, for free. True, some dealerships would just do it without it being a hassle, but with these economic times that technician is fortunate to have a job, and the dealership is fortunate to be open. |
Etennuly
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 08, 2009 - 09:56 am: |
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Ulykan,
Did you get the problem fixed yet? I hope it went well for you. If you are still coming East to ride the Dragon, I am about fifty miles North of there. I would be willing to have a look at your bike for you for free.
I can remove and static balance that front tire, check for run out and tire problems, check and adjust the steering head bearings, check out anything else on the bike that could cause the shaking. If you catch me on the right day, it could also lead into an interesting East Tennessee back road ride to get to the Dragon, which could also have you meeting up with more local BadWeB Uly riders.
If you are concerned about the potential issues on that belt or those bearings while in the area, I can handle those too.
You can PM me for my phone number and more information. At the least you can carry my number in case you need help. |
Ulykan
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 08, 2009 - 11:07 am: |
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Did you get the problem fixed yet? I hope it went well for you.
Coincidently, the dealer called me yesterday and I'm taking the bike in @ 130 today. I'll update this thread when I get back. Thanks for the offer but it looks like I've got Buell working on a fix. If you're that close to the Dragon then why not ride with me? There's a rider on buellforums that lives in Nashville and I'm meeting up with him. There is a handful of riders getting together at Iron Horse Lodge two weeks from Friday. It would be great to have another Uly there. |
Etennuly
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 08, 2009 - 11:17 am: |
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I would really like to. It all depends on my business schedule. I have just enough work to need more help, but not enough to support another helper. So I can't plan anything, but if timing is right I could sneak out early one day.
There are a few other Uly BadWeB members who might hook up too. When time gets closer let me know your schedule for arriving near Knoxville. |
Ulykan
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 08, 2009 - 11:32 am: |
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I plan to arrive Nashville as early as the 22nd or no later than the 23rd. I'm leaving from Wichita, Ks on the 20th and stopping in Little Rock, Ar. for a day or two then a brief stop in Greenfield, Tn. before Nashville. Where are you in proximity to Nashville? |
Etennuly
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 08, 2009 - 01:19 pm: |
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proximity to Nashville?
Three plus hours to the East. About 12 Miles East of Knoxville. Fifty or so miles due North of the Dragon.
Smoky Mountain HD Buell, in Maryville is about 48 miles South of me and near the roads to the Dragon. |
Ulykan
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 08, 2009 - 07:01 pm: |
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Good news! Problem solved; BCS directed my dealer to replace the tire and re-balance the wheel at no charge. I just returned home and can report that the problem doesn't exist any more. Thanks to Buell my problem is solved. Thanks too to everyone on BadWeb for your input and support. Buell comes through again. I'm sold on their customer support and service, it shows that they do care about their product. |
Etennuly
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 08, 2009 - 08:27 pm: |
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They can do amazing things(other than build great bikes)! Excellent! |
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