blink
Novice Class
Posts: 48
|
posted July 05, 2003 09:27 AM
How To
I need to know how to get a motorcycle shop to complete work that is supposed to be done on my motorcycle. My bike has been in this shop for over 5 months (going on 6). I paid for all of the parts up front as well the most of the estimated labor ( I knew this would change and probably go higher as work was supposed to progress on the bike). I haven't been able to get any commitment on when or even if my bike might be completed. When I call there they are too busy to return my call. When I go there there is no work being done on my bike but there is always a different excuse. "Need to order a bearing" or there is no cutter etc. etc.. Is this kind of stuff normal? How do people ever get their bikes running if this is normal? What can I do to try and get my bike back? I have tried to really patient but I am getting frustrated.
  
|
BA
Pro
Posts: 1592
|
posted July 05, 2003 02:11 PM
Sure sounds like they are straight ripping you off dude.
There's always small claims court, but, you could talk to the owner and at least try to get the bike and the 'paid for' parts back, then find a new shop to assemble it.
You could report them to the "Better Business Bureau", but if they aren't a member, then it's a waste of time. Even if they are a member, all the BBB does is "log the complaint", they don't help you get your money back.
That's an ugly situation you've got there.
PS. once upon a time, there was a local guy that was totally ripped off by one of the local dealerships.
He drove around with a BIG, and I mean BIG, sign on his car that said something like........"Another quality Rust Proofing by XYZ Automotive".
His complaint was taken care of right quick. 
|
your car is slow
Needs a job
Fuck Nitrous...Got Boost?
Posts: 4089
|
posted July 05, 2003 02:47 PM
Dont really know how to deal with this.
Both sides of the fence are friends of mine....as its SM2W (shop where Kevin works) thats doing his bike.
Id really like to see it worked out for the best for both sides (if thats possible at this point).
____________
Do not taunt happy fun ball!
|
addisonzx12
Expert Class
Posts: 213
|
posted July 05, 2003 05:32 PM
Sometimes it's a bitch when building a bike with hi-performance(non-stock parts) can't do much on things custom made. My 12 was down for 10 months!! Everything that could go wrong did, Falicon screwed up my crank, ended up having it for 6 nonths! Kibblewhite promised to have the valves in two weeks, it took 7 weeks, JE pistons changed the 3mm over design(had to buy a complete new set,when I only needed 1 piston), etc. etc. Sometimes all you can do is WAIT!! And try to plan better for next time!!
|
VincentHill
Needs a life
Posts: 6520
|
posted July 05, 2003 09:04 PM
First thing is what you just did! You are already ahead! Someone here knows the problem and if it is some place involved with Kevin, then I know it is not a Rip - Off! Speak to Kevin about it and see what he has to say! He is someone I trust! (I do not trust many!)
____________
Made History @ Daytona and still one fast old man!!
|
kcadby
Pro
Posts: 1733
|
posted July 09, 2003 05:27 PM
I'm not going to go too much into detail because we here know that THIS IS NOT the place to do this...
When did you call??? I WAS NOT TOLD... and was actually surprised that I didn't here from or see you towards the end of last week...
When you brought your bike here we were VERY short handed in the shop...I went WEEKS without being "allowed to" work on ANYONES motors (there were 3 other motor jobs here before yours...two of which are friends of mine that ended up getting pissed at the shop for the same reason you are...TIME... and the 3rd ended up being a nightmare because the guy basicaly brought in old worn out Gixxer1100 parts for me to build him "a good motor" (we would/will NOT even take a bike like that in here again now that we have more work than I can possibly get done as quickly as WE would ALL LIKE...
First gixxer cases were junk/worn-out...it took HOURS one day... to find that out...first crank was junk/cracked...I had to look at/inspect parts from TWO MOTORS to build one decent one...
They (shop) had me working on "sales bikes" for WEEKS so we could afford to "keep the doors open" on this new shop...I HATED THAT and believe it or not...actually lost sleep over it...ESPECIALY when it involved friends of mine...not getting to race they're bikes as soon as they wanted/planned to...
NONE of the above is your concern...but that IS why it took so long to get started (in depth) on your project...
Muzzys said it would be 6-weeks for the BigBlock...it took at LEAST 10...I don't remember exactly how long but it was a VERY long time...
I ordered RodBearings for the the rods that I was told we were going to be used in your motor after we couldn't talk you into Carrillo Rods...then...YOU walked in WITH CARRILLO RODS that you bought somewhere else AFTER THE BEARINGS WERE HERE for the "other rods"...
I had to pull your engine parts out and re-clean, RE-check (plasti-guage) with the Carrillo Rods...
The clearances were "OK" with the new bearings but...guess what??? the Rods that you brought in use the "old style" bearings and the bearings I ordered/HAD HERE were for the "new model" rods that WE BOUGHT FOR YOUR MOTOR...I should have remembered the diff. in the bearings for the rods the day you brought them in but...quite honestly was so busy that day (as usual) that I didn't think of it...MY fault/weekness...
The place we order bearings from (so we can afford to buy them without "ripping people off" with the price we would have to charge for them out the door) takes WAY LONGER to get parts to us than what I wish/want...nothing I can do about that right now...
The valves we got in for your head were NOT what we ordered...we had to order them again AND wait for them to be MADE FOR US...
"The cutting bit" we needed/HAD to do the NICE valve-job to your head got BROKEN when Ryan simply tightened the set-screw that holds it to the fixture...NOT his fault in my opinion, he has attached cutting bits HUNDREDS of times with no breakage...HAD to be a flaw in the bit...
It was a CUSTOM MADE bit that we ordered to our specs and the dam-ed thing just cracked the first time he tried to use it 
It took WEEKS to get another CUSTOM MADE bit from Freekin FRANCE so we could do the type/quality of valve job we want to do...
Crap...I try REALLY freekin hard to get everything I need to get done here and...there just isn't enough time in my day...
I (and the boss) wish they could CLONE me so WE could get more done... WITH the quality that I demand...
I'm on SALARY and put in MANY extra hours (for free) trying to get everything done here...but I can only do so much...
I have NEVER looked so foward to a holiday like I did this last weekend...time off...for ME...
ANYWAY...I'm VERY sorry...that it has/is taking so long to get your motor done...
Probly won't make you feel any better but...Ryan came in on HIS DAY OFF Monday to finish your valve job after "the bit" came in end of last week...the head looks VERY NICE...
Ryan also worked on your head ALL DAY TODAY...blending in the new valve-job, finishing the port-work, matching the intake manifolds, and assembling the head with the new valves/springs...
THE HEAD IS DONE...so now... IT'S BACK ON ME...to finish the job...
Bad news is...I will be on the dyno all day tomorrow so I guess I will have to stay "after work" to get more done on your motor tomorrow...but I WILL do that...
I guess I could/should??? be working on someones bike right now instead of posting here...Now I come here to GET AWAY FROM WORK and...look what happened
It's ONLY 9PM and I could be making UMMM??? ZERO more on my paycheck this week for doing so...
Phuck-it...I'm putting spark plug wires on MY car and...going home for a few hours...
Thank you Vincent...made me feel better
|
your car is slow
Needs a job
Fuck Nitrous...Got Boost?
Posts: 4089
|
posted July 09, 2003 06:09 PM
Nothin worse than workin OT when you are on salary.
Sounds like a serious management problem to me.....to much labor...too few laborers :/
____________
Do not taunt happy fun ball!
|
blink
Novice Class
Posts: 48
|
posted July 09, 2003 06:20 PM
Well thanks Kevin. I know you are very busy. What seems like a very short time to you because you are so busy in the shop seems like an eternity to me. In a few weeks (2.5) it will be six months and no I really didn't think it was going to take this long. Thanks for finishing the head. I had begun to doubt that anything was going to be finished on my motor. It's nice to have something, hope.
|
kcadby
Pro
Posts: 1733
|
posted July 10, 2003 05:44 PM
 Edited By: kcadby on 10 Jul 2003 18:47
Sorry for the RANT last night people...
I TRULY am sorry for this situation Carl...NOT how I (anyone) would like this stuff to go
One thing you can know for SURE is...I will do my absolute best to build you the best motor that I know how
I HAVE spent MANY hours (days-worth) on your motor...doing things like cleaning that freekin YAMABOND??? off of the engine covers and cases...that stuff will NOT be on your bike when we get it done 
The high in the dyno room was a HUNDRED and THREE today...OK...102.8 jeez-us...why do people $pend hundred$ of $$$s to make a 30HP bike (650 VStar) a 34HP bike??????????????????????????????????????I feel drained...for some reason  and won't be staying any later tonight...so I will be worth a chit tomorrow...
YCIS...yes there has been a lack of management here...from day one...
One thing we need more than anything is...someone (Service MANAGER) that KNOWS the status of ALL the work that's in here so bike owners can be updated when they call (or maybe even be called by us??? WOW what a concept huh?!?!?) and I think most EVERYONE knows that it is NOT EASY to find good (qualified) people that do high quality work on bikes...
Believe it or not...I stay here (OT) by choice because I LIKE what I am doing here...don't remember ever having a job that I could say that about (to this degree anyway)...the owner is good to me...has given Snap-on Man money towards my bill and bought parts for my car...things like that...he sees/knows what I'm doing for "us"...
Between that and loving what I do here (most of the time ) it makes it worth it...
I was planning to take this week off for my vacation (extra long because of the 4th) but...since Carl's motor isn't done AND...HDL's bike will be here for a Custom-Map...I decided to wait...been waiting since April so no big deal...
|
|
|
HOME
NEW TOPIC