Servicing problems
 

So, I pop's me XT into West London Yammy at the weekend, handed over the chain and sprocket I'd bought, told 'em about the faulty electrics problem and asked them to give it a 12000 mile service (sans Oil and Air Filters as I'd already done those). About an hour before closing they call to say that it's ready so I hair over there in the cage to pick it up and ride away after forking out nearly �300 just in the nick of time.

10 Minutes down the road I realise that I STILL have no headlight � bugga! Oh well, they're shut now I'll call 'em Monday. I get home and look over the bike. New Chain and sprocket � check; Light working � no; ANYTHING ELSE � NO!!! I realised that my coolant level was on the the min and to be honest, save for a Break Fluid top up they had apparently done nothing. Not happy. It definately doesn't feel like it's just had a 12000 mile service, that's for damn sure.

Anyway, long story short I've taken it back this morning for them to do everything they not only said they'd do but everything they'd charged me for! (�300 to put a C&S on and top up some dot4 � I don't think so). Immediately they start suggesting that the aftermarket bulb I put in is the cause!!! Are they suggesting that if I replace a bulb it can only be from Yamaha? To add insult to injury I have to opt for their cr@ppy loan bike as there's a fcukin tube strike! I managed to get them to remove the L Plates though :icon_neutral:

By the way, the purpose of this thread is because I feel quite traumatised by riding to work on a 125 and am in desperate need of sympathy...

(plus a wee gripe about West London Yammy was on the cards �*they've always been so good in the past, I can't understand why they've slipped!)

sorry to hear of the absalute trauma of being on a 125! lol

what is it they have loaned u?

the xt? dt? there ok bikes or is it something worse?

Ouch!!! That's serious money for a service. I don't mean to rub ya nose in it but I got my oil and oil filter changed by my mate Kev for �40 plus my service book stamped.

I keep telling people to go and see him as he's the best mechanic I've ever heard of. He won't rip ya off for sure. His normal price is �35 per hour and he's quick but thorough. He's got over 20 years of experience and bikes are his passion. His customers rave about his work and you don't hear that often about a bike mechanic. He is also doing 10% off for XT660.com supporters.

http://www.xt660.com/showthread.php?t=2936

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One of these P.O.S's. Nightmare!

I had already done the oil and air filters!

That money was meant to cover the rest of the service and putting the C&S on!

If they don't come good on sorting this problem and making me feel a whole lot better they will be losing my business from now on in. They're not even that close to where I live!!!

MLC good thread you have started here. Also sorry for about to hijack your thread but I am considering the overall benefit of having a pro do my service or do it myself. If you look at it how much value do you put on the dealer stamp? For me I think I can more than service my bike ie oil, oil filter, clean DNA filters. Clean & adjust chain, lube cables/bearings etc etc. If you say Yamaha charge you �300 for a full service including parts (guess) and you have that done twice while you own the bike does it really add to the value of the bike by �600 when you come to sell.

When I look at a bike although I am interested in the service history I do not put any value on it as I am always looking for the actual condition I see and not what a bit of paper tells me.

What do you and others think as I would value your input.

I know I shouldn't laugh but that bike you've got on loan.............I bet you've got ya knees up by ya ears when riding that cos ya not exactly short are ya.

Good luck with the garage. I've just had a chat with my mate and he said that a chain and sprocket can be fitted in less than 10 minutes. Christ knows what else they are doing to warrant a massive bill like that. Exhaust valves don't take long to check either if that's what they are doing.

Give 'em hell fella. :076:

Almost forgot, LOL on the 125cc loan bike. How pants is that! I bet when you open it up you are still waiting for it to accelerate!

mate, can't believe your bad luck!! I use Steve Jordon for all my servicing drop it off in the afternoon and pick it up the next day, they are a Susuki dealers but the servicing it top notch, if you want to get it done at a yammy place then use Lamba in Carshalton, don't get your tyres changed there as they cost a fortune get them done at Merits in leatherhead. If you want to use either Merits or Steve Jordin then I can drop you off at home or over to mine for a cuppa if it's for tyres. Both companies are good price and do a great job. Don't get nicked speeding on your way to work!! LMAO

I could change a C&S myself to be honest. In the past when Yammy have serviced it I've had it back and it's felt like a new bike. They usually clean, lube and oil every last moving bit. It's not just been an extravagance but a real pleasure in the fact that it's quite a comfort to know a pro has done it (I always lack a little faith in my own work as I've had to pick things up here and there rather than proper training). Plus the service history (although you've made a good point there, does the real value equate to the cost?).

I will give serious consideration as to whether it will go back there again in 6000 miles!

That's the bit I don't get. You very rarely get "pro's" in dealer shops. Those places are all about making money and sod the bike. Well that's my experience anyway.

Surely you could get your bike over to Woking for the next service. I don't bang on about Kev for nothing. He is the best. I'll bet my bike on it!!!

They've just called me back (doubt I would have heard from them untill five to closing if I hadn't called) it is fixed... apparently... and it was NOT the flashy aftermarket bright bulb I put in there (a day of suprises... not!). Like I told 'em when I dropped it off, it was a broken wire (they also found some corroded wiring which they have replaced) at the front.

They tell me that they're far too busy to drop my bike in central London and pick up their 125 and the prospect of having to ride that heap back to West London is leaving me in a state of deep depression. I don't know what club footed mongoloid has been riding that thing but I'm having to change gears with the heal of my foot. The rev's keep disappearing... normally while I have a taxi in a hurry right behind me and to be quite frank I find riding with my knees in front of my line of sight quite off putting!

I need a cup of tea! :crybaby:

I think a trip to your mate Kev may well be on the cards in 6000 miles.

You won't regret it, for sure.

Well I've got the XT back and all in working condition (lights and all!) after a somewhat harrowing rush hour ride across London on the scoot they'd lent me... I was nearly in tears by the time I got there so you can imagine my dismay when they tried to charge me for the work!!! The work, I might add, that should have been done on the Saturday what with a whole 12000 mile service going on and all that!!!!

My view was that �288 was quite enough to cover everything they'd done (I have an itemised list should anyone be interested) and if more labour was required, as they suggested, then I would suggest that they start working quicker. I also pointed out that wires on a 1 year old bike should not be considered a wear part and I would suspect in fact, that it is covered under the warrenty!

They're speaking to Yamaha and trying to put it through as warrenty work. They did add that although it took them two and a half hours they were only charging me for one hour because of the c0ck-up on Saturday... I thinks not, the cheeky bar stewards!!!!

Bike dealers are just full of it.

When I took my XTX to Infinity Motorcycles for it's 1st service they told me that they allocate 3 hours for the job. It was completed in 1.5 hours. I also noticed that the ticks on the check sheet didn't resemble the work that had been done. Plus, I had cleaned my bike the night before and they left oil running down the frame and loads of oil prints all over the bike.

They just showed me their true colours and I will never darken their door again. What a bunch of cowboys. :rant2: