Servicing Costs

[Carsick]

Hey,

I know this topic goes round and round and round, but I'm going to bring it up yet again.

My K4 needs it's 7.5k service (600 miles late, but oh well) and I've just been quoted £220 by my dealer.
They say that it needs oil, oil-filter, air-filter, plugs and synchronizing the throttle bodies as well as the normal adjustments and so on.

Now, I know I'm not a mechanic, but the servicing book just says that out of those, only the plugs and oil need doing, the air-filter just needs inspecting.

I am going to do all the basics myself, anyway, just because I refuse to pay so much for stuff I'm capable of doing myself.
but my question is, are they taking the p*ss with this quote?

What should I be able to get them down to if I do all of that normal stuff myself and just get to inspect the bike and make the necessary adjustments to get me my stamp?

[Mogs]

Fowlers of Bristol have a fixed price quote see here

http://www.fowlers.co.uk/service.html#

I've just had mine done at the local dealers and the cost was about £160

[jamieclayton9]

that is a tad dear. its more your choice on the oil and air filter. they will try and change it every time because it will keep them in pocket. a fully syn oil and filter is only tops of £30 and air filter tops of a tenner and a set of plugs tops of £15. all the rest is labour. i would say do it yourself its just when yout missing that dealer stamp from your service book it devaluates your bike a bit. you get proper stuck in the middle. good luck iver way. cheers jamie

[Scoobs]

Carsick,

Where are you going?

Rob Willsher? Crescent?

I'm sure that my service at Wilshers weren't much more than 120 notes. Can't remember exactly. Parts is about £60 and probably takes 1 - 1.5 hours to do the service.

Yours is a new bike so I would get it dealer serviced. I know it is cheaper to do it yourself (I do mine, but it's old), but you could void the warrenty if you DIY.

[Carsick]

Crescent are my dealer. Good place, just dear for servicing.
The only reason I'm even asking them for a quote is because I want my dealer stamp, but if I were to actually pay them to do it everytime I'm going to be giving them half the cost of the bike again over the next year or so.

Even if I do the oil, both filters and plugs myself, he said still 1.5 hours of labour.
I think I'm quite likely to say stuff it to the little stamps, I'll keep a service history for what I do.
I'm not worried about voiding my warranty, since my dad is a qualified mechanic and we'll be working strictly to the service schedule laid out by suzuki.

[Scoobs]

Crescent are my dealer. Good place, just dear for servicing.
The only reason I'm even asking them for a quote is because I want my dealer stamp, but if I were to actually pay them to do it everytime I'm going to be giving them half the cost of the bike again over the next year or so.

Even if I do the oil, both filters and plugs myself, he said still 1.5 hours of labour.I think I'm quite likely to say stuff it to the little stamps, I'll keep a service history for what I do.
I'm not worried about voiding my warranty, since my dad is a qualified mechanic and we'll be working strictly to the service schedule laid out by suzuki.

1.5 hours??? What's left to do??? Are they going to look at it for an hour and a half??? Give Willshers a bell for an estimate.

[Mogs]

Mine was the last time that I have my bike done at the main dealers. but the warrantee runs out in two months. It costs a lot to get that little rubber stamp. If you don't have it, fate will interveen and you'll need it, get it and fate will ensure that you won't need it.

I'm going to get my bike serviced at the local bike repair shop, 200yds away from home, I could do it myself but I don't have all the proper tools, the local shop will still stamp my book so it will have a full service history.

[Scoobs]

I could do it myself but I don't have all the proper tools.

You would be surprised how few tools you need.

[Carsick]

1.5 hours??? What's left to do??? Are they going to look at it for an hour and a half??? Give Willshers a bell for an estimate.
Throttle synchronizing (which I'm going to do myself, anyway) and general adjustments and stuff.
I'll give willshers a call later. Not got time to get it done this week, now, since I'm in Birmingham tomorrow and got a progress review for work on friday.

[Roo]

Had my 7.5k service last week at Chelsea Scooters in Fulham, labour was £90 plus 2 plugs at £4.50 each plus £10 oil and vat, seemed ok for me as I am lazy anyway and feels nice and buzzy again.

[Flamin_Squirrel]

The way I look at it, the very worst that can ever happen is your engine goes bang, and you can get a replacement for £300-400. That's unlikely, but if it did happen, you can make that up after doing two services yourself.

Also, since you'll have a very high milage bike by the time you come to sell and therefore won't be worth that much, a FSH is going to make little difference to the sale price. Certainly not the several hundred pounds you'll save by doing the services yourself.

So I say, sod the dealer and don't bother with em.

[chris SVK3]

I always service my own bikes at least I know for sure the the works been done, and how much extra value does full service history give you when you sell the bike. Last time I did the maths it was not worth it.

[Scoobs]

The resale issue is not necessarily the issue. Carsick has got a new bike. It's a question of warranty.

[Carsick]

The resale issue is not necessarily the issue. Carsick has got a new bike. It's a question of warranty.
Kind've like Jordan said, if I do blow an engine then it's less than the cost of a couple of services to replace, so no real loss there.
Besides, my dad is a mechanic, I'm not worried about doing it myself, I just wanted my fsh.
Now I don't care about the little stamps in the book, I'm gonna do it all myself.

[curium]

My bikes only a year old but it's seen a bit of action :roll:

The rads bent although not leaking and the rear fairing is scratched so I figure this devalues the bike far more then the lack of any dealer stamp (£320 for new rad). As a result I'm doing more and more things myself. I'm only limited by not having all the tools (getting there), lack of experience makes me hesitant and no garage means sometimes it's just too bloody cold :wink:

[Cloggsy]

Don't get me started on service prices :evil:

Robbin' Suzuki gits :roll:

Do it y'self :wink: