| Author | Message | ||
     Corporatemonkey |
I know this has been mentioned before, but I think things are getting out of hand. I am close to needing a 10k service. I have been shopping around the local dealers for a service quote. The prices are wildly different, but all are on the high side. Prof_Stacks MotoGuzzi thread has pushed me over the edge. If he can have a full service done, with valve adjustment for $250, why is a buell service so much. Before some wiseass posts up, "why not do it yourself," As I have stated before, I can't, I have a special parking arrangement that precludes me from doing any maintenance. Here are the prices the local (Seattle area) dealers quoted for a 10k: Downtown HD: $625 + tax (I have seen $695 on their reader board) Buell of Seattle (Lynnwood): ~$700, they wouldn't even quote me a price, they use shop time only. The guys said it is usually around 700. Eastside HD (bellevue): $1000 + parts/fluid fees + tax. I choked when the guy told me this. A GRAND FOR SERVICE?!?!?!?! Now I am not against a dealer making money, but it seems out local dealers have gotten a little greedy. Maybe someone else is seeing an overhead cost that I am overlooking. But it looks like the "low maintenance costs buells" just got busted. | ||
| Djkaplan |
Go find yourself a smart private gun that can read a service manual and make his day. If I lived anywhere near you, I'd let you come to my garage and I'd hover over you and point and holler you through it. You could use my tools too. | ||
| Glitch |
My bike hasn't visited the dealership's garage in over 40,000 miles. Service at the dealership is like $85 an hour. But it looks like the "low maintenance costs buells" just got busted. Nope, it's still the cheapest bike I've owned, parts are cheap. Labor isn't. It also happens to be one of the simplest motorcycles in the world to work on. | ||
| Prof_stack |
Prof_Stack's Moto Guzzi thread has pushed me over the edge. If he can have a full service done, with valve adjustment for $250, why is a Buell service so much? Because servicing a Tractor is always going to be cheaper!  I know guy in town who will let you do the work in his garage/driveway and only charge you half what the shop does! You can admire his Italian bike while you work... | ||
| Froggy |
Hit up the RAN, see who in your area can help you do it. You would be suprised how many Buellers would loan you their garage for a 6 pack  If not, go and steal CityXslickers bike and swap the plastics. If you put some mud on it he would never know the difference, and he will use his employee discount to get the forks done | ||
| Glitch |
Hit up the RAN, see who in your area can help you do it. You would be suprised how many Buellers would loan you their garage for a 6 pack  | ||
| Ironhead1977 |
The 10,000 service includes fork service. I can bet Prof stacks service does not include this. And yes the shops get paid for what they know. If you don't know or want to know, then you pay.This is how it is no matter what name is on the tank. | ||
| Rpm4x4 |
Im not trying to be a jerk so dont take it the wrong way. Why not just bring the bike in the house to work on it? Mine fits right through the front door. Sometimes I will put it in the living room and clean it while I watch TV. I dont think $650 sounds like much money at all considering the work needed to rebuild the forks. Am I the only one that thinks that rebuilding the front forks every 10K seems a little excessive? | ||
| Corporatemonkey |
Go find yourself a smart private gun that can read a service manual and make his day. That is EXACTLY what want. I would be willing to pay handsomely for that sort of service. I really don't have the time, nor the inclination to mess with it myself. I realize if you play, you pay, but considering what others have mention what theirs cost, I feel a little raped. Hell when I went to look at the BMW I like, I asked for detailed service costs. At Seattle premiere (IE expensive) dealer, the cost overall were 10-30% less. | ||
| Corporatemonkey |
Why not just bring the bike in the house to work on it? I live in the city on the 7th floor. Not only would the bike not fit in the elevator. As soon as I got the bike inside, the fire department would be there to "talk to me" about the fire hazard. | ||
| Prof_stack |
Am I the only one that thinks that rebuilding the front forks every 10K seems a little excessive? I think Buell agrees with you. I believe the newer XB's don't require the fork servicing until 20K. Heck, if I were in Jamie's shoes, I would skip it at 10K and consider it at 15 or 20K. BTW, the fork seals on the Guzzi are scheduled to be replaced at 18,750 miles. | ||
| Corporatemonkey |
Heck, if I were in Jamie's shoes, I would skip it at 10K and consider it at 15 or 20K. I have seriously thought about it, but lately my front fork is becoming difficult to get into adjustment. I am getting new tires first to see if that calms the situation, but ever since my get off last year, the front fork has been a little different. I did have it checked last year, and the wheel/fork was in spec. So I don't know what's up. | ||
| Just_ziptab |
I was HUGELY surprised at the amount of CRUD in my 99 X1 forks when I replaced the leaking seal at around 6K........so 10K seems to be an OK number. $695.00 for a 10K service! What the hell does a 10K service cost on a car? Yeah,I though so..........they don't need a 10K service and neither do any of my Buells. I just take care of stuff as it comes up. | ||
| Cityxslicker |
"If not, go and steal CityXslickers bike and swap the plastics. If you put some mud on it he would never know the difference, and he will use his employee discount to get the forks done" They are intimately aware of my bike. They will never let me forget when they found a frog in my air box after a particular fun muddy ride. edit, sorry, sometimes my fingers fly faster than the spell check, grammar check. (Message edited by cityxslicker on August 09, 2008) | ||
| Corporatemonkey |
The are intimately aware of my bike That is exactly the reason I wouldn't want his bike. It is sort of like a 42 year old hooker, well used... Edit: horrible typo (Message edited by corporatemonkey on August 09, 2008) | ||
| Cityxslicker |
have you ridden a 42 year old hooker ? I am not sure if that is a compliment on the bikes performance or a backhanded slap at how filthy she is.... In either case,.... its fitting. | ||
| Tramp |
""Before some wiseass posts up, "why not do it yourself," As I have stated before, I can't, I have a special parking arrangement that precludes me from doing any maintenance. ?!??!?! Simply go to the nearest self-storage facility in your area, and rent a small (5x10') unit in which to keep your tools and to perform service. You can always rent it for a few months and save HUGE on service costs. If this is too expensive...don't you have any friends with garages or driveways? A 10K service is damned easy.  } | ||
| Corporatemonkey |
have you ridden a 42 year old hooker Hooker no, woman yes... Filthy can be a good thing, just not with machines... | ||
| Tramp |
Did she have a driveway or garage you could have used for that service? | ||
| Corporatemonkey |
Tramp I hear what you are saying, but storage facilities are REALLY expensive here. And they all have a no maintenance policies. You realize I live in Seattle. Everything must be green. As for a friend with a garage. Most people I know either live in the city, or live the "city lifestyle," which entails no private garage, and certainly no tools. Norm has his place, but I not about make a mess of his tools, or garage, that and the fact the Norm and myself would mostly find someway to injure ourselves with the forks. | ||
| Corporatemonkey |
Did she have a driveway Yes she did, it was a good place for a servicing as her hubby was inside the house. | ||
| Daves |
Corp, This is not a slam on you. Just go pay the dealer. You already said you do not have the place, tools, or inclination to do it yourself. 625 is about right for all they do on a 10K 1000 is high IMO Sure there are many people on here that can and do their own service. Doesn't sound like you even want to be one of them so why complain when the dealer wants some $ to do it for you? For years, people have been bitching about the cost of service but yet I am sure they all expect to be paid for what they do and know? Alas, it is the same with bows. The great part is I then get paid to fix the stuff they "fixed" on their own(or had a buddy do for them). You'd be amazed at the number of self proclaimed "bow technician experts" there are. Some people balk at the 35.00 per hour I charge to work on their bow, til they shoot it  | ||
| Tramp |
If it has pulleys, and requires a technician, it ain't a "bow". | ||
| Bbbob |
Jamie, Any small "mom & pop" Harley repair shops in your area? I didn't want to use the HD dealer either. I checked out a few small independents in my area. I found one that had a good rep. For $250 he did the 10K (minus the forks), plus he swapped the V&H on the bike for a stock can I brought him. | ||
| Reepicheep |
Living in the city is expensive... we all make our choices. I generally do my own maintenance. On the few occasions where I tied to "save money" by doing it with a cheaper mechanic, it has turned out to be insanely expensive. Pretty much resulted in totaling out a Honda Prelude once. My experience has been that you should "Do it cheap yourself, or pay what it costs." | ||
| Rick_a |
I do my own work as well. A 10K on a Tuber is a lot more involved than an XB, if it's done right. Interestingly, our shop charges $489 for both. | ||
| Akbuell |
As others have said, the routine service is not brain surgery, but it CAN be intimidating for those w/little or no mechanical experience, not to mention no place to do it. Or the tools. $625 would be ballpark, as that is a little over 7hrs labor. Some of the stuff is easy, like changing the fluids. Others, like changing the fork oil, involves removing the forks. And lubing the throttle and clutch cables requires removing the throttle and loosening the clutch cable from the lever, so 7hrs would be about right. Checking the RAN for help and a place to work would be my suggestion. Could make a great friend/s that way. And you don't have to do the whole thing in one sitting. | ||
| Djkaplan |
I know a car guy who doesn't do any maintenance on his Porsches. He has a guy who works out of a backyard shop service everything, including engine and suspension rebuilds. Warranties all his work and beats Brumos Porsche by over 50% on labor. The guy won't take his 911's to anyone else and has had this professional relationship with the mechanic for 20 years. Find yourself a guy like that. | ||
| Cityxslicker |
Corporate, you have mail  I think you will like the info. | ||
| Corporatemonkey |
I think Brian has come through with a solution. Daves, thanks for weighing in on the service, what really bothers me about the whole thing is when I got my bike (06) the service was just under $500, in less than 2 years it has doubled for the same work (for this particular dealer). The dealer that offered $625 (really $700 with syn3) was the dealer that "forgot" to actually change my oil last time. That was after keeping the bike for weeks. I am not thrilled with them. The one dealer I would consider trusting I didn't even bother post the cost, it was a little higher. I am not against paying for service, just give me a little value for my $. |
