[aron77]

I got a dealer to give me the mount and passenger back rest for my vaquero for a decent price, I sold them my old bike but only if they gave me a deal on the seat. Even at the price I still felt screwed paying $572 for a mount and back rest but the Vaquero isn't popular enough to have any other options so sadly that is actually a good price down from the almost $700 they started at. But here's the kicker, they wanted to charge me $300 to install the seat! I asked them why it took three hours of labor to install and they made it sound like it was some major job to get the saddle bags off and then the trim pieces which had to be drilled. They had me worried but there was no way I was paying $300. I had the saddle bags off in literally two minutes and the whole job took 90 mins with me taking my time and bs'ing with my brother in law. The holes are premarked and it was even easier than I expected before I spoke to them. I emailed them after and told them their 3 hour price was ridiculous and that they misled me telling me this was a difficult job so I would not be using them anymore.

I don't mind paying someone to do work because people who do this for a living can normally do a better job than me but I won't let someone screw me. I've had auto shops try gouging me like $300 for brakes and it just pisses me off to no end, I'm not a mechanic but I can turn a wrench and I will before I pull my pants down and let you have your way with me.

What are your worst stories of attempted sodomy?

 

[zippywonder]

The last time I took a vehicle to a traditional mechanic was 20 years ago. I paid like 200 for a belt to be installed. It was a one for all belt. 2 days later, the belt snapped, fried the water pump, alternator and bent the fan blade. when I tried to get my money back from the idiots, they claimed to have never worked on my car, even though I had reciept in hand. I won in small claims, got my money back and all new parts. Joe does all my work now, at a fraction of the cost. Backyard mechanics are better in my book.

 

[Stablefull]

l got a gift certificate from my brother-in-law to CycleBarn back in the day, a Christmas gift. l put a hole in my quad tire, so l went there with the gift certificate. l asked how much for a new tire and to get it mounted. They wouldn't tell me. They said, "Oh, you but the tire in the parts area, then take it to service to have it mounted." l bought the tire, then the service desk wanted $45 to mount it. l gave them the middle finger and took it to Les Schwab, who mounted and balanced it for ten bucks.

l haven't spent a nickel in a dealer since.

 

[cmonSTART]

Of course, the other side of that is if they rushed things and scratched something, or made the holes sloppy the customer would probably be pretty angry, likewise if they quoted an hour and it ended up taking 2 or 3.

 

[dilbertrob]

I dropped the Red Baron ('92 Honda Nighthawk) off at MotoMax in Raleigh, NC to get it inspected and replace leaking fork seals. They charged me over $225total and both fork seals were leaking again within a month. I took it to Capital Powersports in Wake Forest when I needed a front tire. The mechanic Doug told me that whoever did the fork seals, did the bare minimum and skipped proper steps that should have been done. The tire and new fork seal job was less than what I originally paid for just the fork seal job in the first place. Doug has been my mechanic ever since. MotoMax will never see a dime of my money again.

 

[jag13]

As far as I know I've never been screwed by a "dealership". But nearly every small privateer bike shop within 80 miles of me will screw you to no end. HONEST "independent" shops are severely lacking in my neck of the woods.

 

[hogcowboy]

I dropped the Red Baron ('92 Honda Nighthawk) off at MotoMax in Raleigh, NC to get it inspected and replace leaking fork seals. They charged me over $225total and both fork seals were leaking again within a month. I took it to Capital Powersports in Wake Forest when I needed a front tire. The mechanic Doug told me that whoever did the fork seals, did the bare minimum and skipped proper steps that should have been done. The tire and new fork seal job was less than what I originally paid for just the fork seal job in the first place. Doug has been my mechanic ever since. MotoMax will never see a dime of my money again.

Look on the bright, you paid a little for some education and found a good and honest repair shop for your trouble. Sounds to me like you are a winner.:biggrin:

 

[aron77]

Of course, the other side of that is if they rushed things and scratched something, or made the holes sloppy the customer would probably be pretty angry, likewise if they quoted an hour and it ended up taking 2 or 3.

Yeah but this one isn't even close, an experienced mechanic in a shop with all the right tools could take his time and do this job in an hour easily. They made the saddle bag removal sound like a chore and it was literally a two minute job with only two bolts holding them on, I knew right then and there they were trying to screw me.

I've got an auto shop that I use for small repairs and where most people charge you by the book these guys charge you by the labor they actually put into the job and that is why I use them.