Dealer service history/DIY servicing. Discuss

[G]

Originally Posted by fizzwheel

I think it depends on the bike and the owner. If I could see that the owner was a competant mechanic and had a shed / garage full of tools / oil / cleaning products and had receipts for parts used then I woudlnt be so bothered.

I would agree with that, however unless the person came recommened I probably wouldnt have even got as far as to look at it.

While in warranty I have always had my bikes serviced by a main dealer.......as soon as they are out of warranty, I get them serviced by a considerably cheaper, small well established business that comes recommended by friends.

If the bike still is in warranty, then I'd get it done by the dealer for the warranty's sake. However, after the 2 years is up, the it's over to me! I self-service my 675 - and more frequently than the service book suggests. I have faith in my own abilities and also believe I take better care over my bike than the dealer. For instance, mine recently went to the dealer for a fuel pump relay recall. When I got the bike back, they had made a p!ss poor job of piecing the fairing back together; sticking fasteners in the wrong holes and losing one altogether! Luckily I had spares, and I generally like the dealer in question (the spares dept is the best!). To me, it just illustrates the difference between someone who really cares about their bike and someone who does it for a living and slaps it back together.

[dizzyblonde]

When I first got Suzy she went straight to the mechanic as she needed proffesional help to get her back on the road. Im Indoors in the midst of degree and no time to DIY. I basically rode her til she fell apart, but she was in working order.

When I got Dave, the bike had been serviced regular by Dan and his dad, dad being a bike recovery guy and all, so that were good enough for me.
Suzy was due for the rebuild and my mechanic had a near fatal accident, I wouldn't trust anybody at the time with my bike and i still wouldn't justify Suzuki prices either. Im Indoors still in the midst of degree YC stepped up to the plate, not only have I found a very competant person to look after my bikes, but someone I trust and someone i can watch doing the work, learn and ask questions.

To me, selling either bike on is more a matter of conscience, I know that either of my bikes (well at least when Suzys electrical issue is resolved) would be able to go out of the door with a good service, wheels firmly bolted on, the frame and engine aren't going to seperate etc etc.....couldn't really say that about dealer service, can't keep a watchful eye, or see if bodgerand scarper are working ( even at my mechanics i could sit and watch or learn)

[Lissa]

Originally Posted by fizzwheel

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Something a bit more exotic such as a Ducati, MV that kinda of thing, the no I wouldnt buy it without full main dealer service history.

But as we've found out, there are some dealers who are held in very poor regard, and having them on your service history is a negative!

We bought our Duke with only a partial service history, which is supposed to be a huge 'no-no', but after 7,000 miles so far nothing has bitten us in the ass

I guess we'll find out how dumb we've been when she has her major service next month

Originally Posted by Durbs

WTF????? I'd have thought they'd be an ex-dealer if the manufacturer found out about that. I assume they know you personally or something?

Nope. I bought the bike brand new, and queried the running in process as I'd easily cover 600miles in the first fortnight.

Part of the sale was also me asking about service schedule, and appropriate costs, knowing I'd easily cover 25k miles a year. I also made a point of asking "OK, if I get it serviced by another garage, where do I stand on the warranty?" - basically hinting that if it's not covered, I'd walk away.

The answer was "Buy the parts from us, get whoever you want to do the labour, hell, do it yourself if you're competent - it frees my mechanics up for other jobs & puts money in my till. I don't have a problem with that."

As it turns out, I never had to claim on the warranty.

[Wideboy]

i've done it all my self, just rote in what I've done in the dealer stamp bit, if the buyer thinks otherwise then that's their problem, i know its been done

[northwind]

Depends a lot on the bike... You have a tasty, up-to-date, highly resellable bike there, so hurting its resale value's probably a less good idea than it is for most. Also, it'll stay more or less current for longer because Triumph can't afford to run with the 2-year replacement madness of japan. Also depends how much you ride- the depreciation hit for non-FSH is identical whether you do one service yourself or ten, but the savings aren't as great.

If it was something disposable like a GSXR600, I'd home service it without a doubt, they depreciate like mad with or without fsh and after 2 years they're the old model and out of fashion ().

I've got no qualms about buying a home-serviced bike myself, but then I'm not normal.

PS, on warranties it's a tricky situation... In the EU anti-competition law outlawed the practice of making warranties dependant on main dealer service, but that's still the only way to get straightforward and good warranty support. It can be very hard to get warranty work done on a DIY or small-dealer serviced bike, because just like with insurance legality doesn't actually come into it much, and it becomes more about persistance and orneryness. If it goes to court- as it does, quite often- you have to be prepared to defend your mechanical competence under pretty stiff attack.

Also, you do see constant cases of good dealers securing really good warranty claim results, on things that the manufacturers aren't obliged to cover. Sarah Jordan posted a really good example of that on here a while back, where a GSXR had been left in the sun and the clocks melted, because of the sun shining through an aftermarket screen. They got Suzuki to replace the clocks, that's a big value item, and wasn't technically warranteeable.

Originally Posted by northwind

Also, you do see constant cases of good dealers securing really good warranty claim results, on things that the manufacturers aren't obliged to cover. Sarah Jordan posted a really good example of that on here a while back, where a GSXR had been left in the sun and the clocks melted, because of the sun shining through an aftermarket screen. They got Suzuki to replace the clocks, that's a big value item, and wasn't technically warranteeable.

But does this have any bearing on the fact that her and her husband are a Suzuki dealers!?

Originally Posted by lukemillar

But does this have any bearing on the fact that her and her husband are a Suzuki dealers!?

I think the point is that the GSXR wasn't theirs personally, but was a customers.

An example of a dealership pushing for warranty to cover something that it technically shouldn't (well, whether the warranty should/shouldn't cover it is debatable - clocks shouldn't be made of soft plastic & easily melt).

i think to a certain degree it works both ways with bikes past their warranty, sometimes people have FSH cos they dont know jack, that scares me more than someone servicing it themselves. We all know how many people dont understand much about the mechanics and end up with no oil etc. but have it main dealer serviced after its many years old