Courtesy Bikes

[bathwiggle]

So i took one of my bikes into a dealer, it took them a month to do a spark plug change and they failed to do any of the other work.

The bike is meant to be going to another dealer so i can be amazed at their customer service. However my bike is my sole mode of transport. If this garage has it a week then how do i get to work? It's a 20 mile jolly to get to work each morning, and each weekend i have a 90mile jolly home.

Bare in mind that i have a 600 for a reason, so they've offered me a 50cc scooter as a courtesy bike. Is this reasonable?

[garynortheast]

Tell them you'll go somewhere else unless they sort you a sensible alternative.

Or do the servicing yourself.

[jchu1988]

What work are they carrying out?

A month to change spark plugs is taking the mick.

[bathwiggle]

I normally do, unfortunately this bike decided to break at work i couldn't get it home, where i live currently doesn't have a garage, so my tools aren't with me, and i have arthritis s i don't really like having to work outside in a car park in the cold and wet when i'm playing with the engine.. Those that know me know i normally do the work. Unfortunately this is meant to be this company showing me how sorry they are for the appalling service i received, by having a different dealer fix the issues that the first dealer didn't do/caused.

What work are they carrying out?

A month to change spark plugs is taking the mick.
As i pointed out, it's taking the tank off, the air box, and then changing them. it would take an idiot an hour. They seem to think i'm unreasonable. They also refused to let me have the bike back unless i paid the £176 for the pleasure of them taking the bike for a month.

The second garage are meant to be fixing the FI fault that now has appeared since the garage got it, replacing the seat lock thats gone missing, and servicing it as a goodwill gesture.

[Sir Trev]

Where is the bike? I cannot believe the Org cannot come to the rescue here. I'm no mechanical genius but pretty good at the sympathetic noises to accompany someone more proficient with spanners than me. Someone nearby will have a garage and tools. Another may well have a trailer. And so on.

Unfortunately with most dealers they do not put anything reasonable on as a temp hire bike. They may have some older items taken in PX hanging about but they need tax and insurance. Best bet is a demo bike but not every dealer has them. If a 'ped is all they have... The only bike I ever wrote off was a loan 'ped when a lane-changer decided he wanted to use the bit of tarmac I was already using. The shop were OK at the time, took me on to work with the mangled ped in the pick up, but they had all sorts of hell from their insurance and got nothing like true value for it. So, I'm not surprised you're not getting far with them.

[bathwiggle]

I wouldn't mind if i had 5/6 miles to work and back. But unfortunately the distances i got to work or anywhere else it's be a flipping nightmare. AND i'll have to miss an org ride out if they give me a ped, as there's no way i can get to my parents to get another bike to go on it.

Guess i'll ring up the person i spoke to tell him not to bother unless a vehicle suitable to actually getting me somewhere before christmas can be found and i'll just do it myself and never use their brand again

[SVJC]

Sorry but i didnt realise delboy started a bike garage up :D

What was the garages justification on taking a month to change a set of spark plugs?

How does one lose a seat lock? Is this not integrated into the fairing/panel. This has baffled me somewhat as im sure it has with you.

Where are you situated?


Sent from my HTC Desire HD A9191

[bathwiggle]

I'm in Tring. Ignore the essex bit.

The dealer claimed they couldn't contact me on the 3 phone numbers they had, me/my mother ringing every other day and being told to carry out the work countless times. This is a main dealer. The lock should be attached to the frame.

I would like to say at this point it isn't my sv that has had the problems and having spent the last 4 years taking that to a small garage in wickfords who have been amazing, it isn't an issue with suzuki!

[SVJC]

Have they given you a estimated (i use that term loosely) date that they will finish your bike? What bike is it?

The dealer should not be allowed to get away with this. Surely as a customer that you do have rights?

Sent from my HTC Desire HD A9191

[bathwiggle]

The first dealer i paid to get the bike off as they'd had it a month, not called me, not done what they were meant to, and lived up to the name of taking people for mugs. I complained, they dragged their feet, said it was as they couldn't get in contact with me, and thats about it. They had said the work would take a week.

The second dealer has told to contact me by the head of customer operations who i accidentally bumped into at the NEC and when asked what i thought of the make, was horrified what had happened and is trying to make amends by getting the work that should have been done, done for free at the second dealer. The issue is the second dealer want to take my bike for a week and give me a 50cc ped in exchange. Which would actually mean more hassle than me sorting out the bike myself, as it limits how i can get about, and where as i can't take a 50cc on motorways and given my OH is 40miles away by the M1, my parents are 90miles by M1/M25. Oh and the dealer is 30miles away from me in the first place.

My issue is being expected to do this sort of mileage on a 50cc ped to fix the issues caused by a dealer.

[rb8989]

Bloody hell, name and shame! I'd have given you a hand and I've not even done anything to an sv yet, though I've always serviced my own bikes.

[metalmonkey]

I'm in Tring. Ignore the essex bit.

The dealer claimed they couldn't contact me on the 3 phone numbers they had, me/my mother ringing every other day and being told to carry out the work countless times. This is a main dealer. The lock should be attached to the frame.

I would like to say at this point it isn't my sv that has had the problems and having spent the last 4 years taking that to a small garage in wickfords who have been amazing, it isn't an issue with suzuki!

Is that Tring, in Herts?

[bathwiggle]

Bloody hell, name and shame! I'd have given you a hand and I've not even done anything to an sv yet, though I've always serviced my own bikes.
I'm not going to until they've had their chance to apologise and make good. The sv is easy to work on, the other bike i've not had a chance to practise on yet.

Is that Tring, in Herts?
Yes it is.

[Grant66]

I'd be on the phone to the head of customer operations, explain why your dissatisfied with the service your receiving whilst they are making amends.
You could mention your going to ring him to the manager of the 2nd dealer, may change his mind as to what courtesy vehicle to lend you.

[bathwiggle]

I'm waiting to speak to the manager of the second dealer tomorrow before ringing had of customer operations. I just wanted to check i wasn't being unreasonable with wanting something suitable before i have to start expressing my displeasure.

To me it feels like they thought 'oh she's a girl, we'll just give her a ped.' However theres a reason i have a 600 and i've never ridden a ped.

[metalmonkey]

I'm not going to until they've had their chance to apologise and make good. The sv is easy to work on, the other bike i've not had a chance to practise on yet.


Yes it is.

Okay nice, what kind of tools do you need? There is a chance I'll be around the area in the next few days. I don't have the skill to work on your bike, but if you need some tools would that help?

[yorkie_chris]

I'm waiting to speak to the manager of the second dealer tomorrow before ringing had of customer operations. I just wanted to check i wasn't being unreasonable with wanting something suitable before i have to start expressing my displeasure.

To me it feels like they thought 'oh she's a girl, we'll just give her a ped.' However theres a reason i have a 600 and i've never ridden a ped.

You've got to have something useful really!

But what are they doing to your bike? Are they doing it on the cheap/free at suzukis say so or what?

The majority of people don't use their bikes so a 50cc ped to do 3 miles on is quite adequate. I'd just explain the situation and why that's not possible and see if they offer you a proper bike.


Name and shame the first set of kn*bheads...


If they are not doing it for free I would take a day off and go down to see Spanner Man.

[Davies]

Pretty shoddy service that you've received by the sounds of it but from what you've written it seems that things are now on the right track.

Being offered a 50cc bike as a courtesy bike for a 600 is quite silly too but the dealer may be apprehensive about lending a bigger bike out in the current weather.

As you said, it's not your SV that's knackered so would it not be an option to use that in the meantime? It might be a better option too as the excesses on courtesy bikes are usually pretty high.........just a thought :)

[NTECUK]

If you get desperate Im sure we can get it collected and back to a warm workshop were we can fix it :)

[bathwiggle]

Okay nice, what kind of tools do you need? There is a chance I'll be around the area in the next few days. I don't have the skill to work on your bike, but if you need some tools would that help?
I have progress, they have apparently got a 650 bandit i am able to use. avalible from next week.

You've got to have something useful really!

But what are they doing to your bike? Are they doing it on the cheap/free at suzukis say so or what?

The majority of people don't use their bikes so a 50cc ped to do 3 miles on is quite adequate. I'd just explain the situation and why that's not possible and see if they offer you a proper bike.


Name and shame the first set of kn*bheads...


If they are not doing it for free I would take a day off and go down to see Spanner Man.

They are going to check the work done by the first garage, sort out the FI light fault that now comes on more often than not, which it didn't before the first garage got it, service it, mainly as the top man at honda suggested it would be a start of an apology if it's due, and fit the seat lock. Free of charge.


Pretty shoddy service that you've received by the sounds of it but from what you've written it seems that things are now on the right track.

Being offered a 50cc bike as a courtesy bike for a 600 is quite silly too but the dealer may be apprehensive about lending a bigger bike out in the current weather.

As you said, it's not your SV that's knackered so would it not be an option to use that in the meantime? It might be a better option too as the excesses on courtesy bikes are usually pretty high.........just a thought :)
But lending a 50cc when you need to do 20mile trips really isn't on. I did suggest that he started going into work on a ped and then told me how reasonable it was. Then he suggested the bandit.

My sv doesn't like cold weather, so i couldn't know it would start every morning to get me into work. and i can't rely on someone being around to give me a lift in. And it's not in tring, its at my parents in a garage.

If you get desperate Im sure we can get it collected and back to a warm workshop were we can fix it :)

I think we might have finally reached an agreement, I'll still be on the sv sunday, but at least the honda will be going to the right place.


The guy i spoke to at the NEC has been true to his word, and his attitude is making up for the issues honda dunstable gave me. I wouldn't recommend them to anyone. Having spoken to the manager at the second garage things seem to be taking a positive direction, i'll just have to wait and see when he arranges to have the courtesy bike dropped off and picks up the honda.