Triumphrat

windwaves · 09-24-2005

Yes guys it is all over indeed.

After many phone conversations with the service person first (the one who had called to get my authorization to do a number of things) and even more with the owner of the shop and getting nowhere, I today decided I would get the bike and just see them in court.

So I went in and said so, saying that I had run out of topic of conversation with them so I would get the bike and then let a judge decide. Oh, the reaction was fabulous, first they say they "are not sure" they can take Amex (not true, they do) then they want me to sign a paper where I declare that I will not contest the charges, I mean tons and tons of b/s it was absolutely fantastic.

Then the owner shows up. We have another long talk and finally he accepts my number which was $1,700. Now, am I happy ? no, not at all.

Just to say one thing, said before, I brought in the bike for service (12k) and said 10 times that in particular I wanted the valves done. Then they charge me out of the blue $2,300 and the valves were not even touched !!!!! Meaning, I still have to bring it in for that, which can cost up to $400.

Thank you all guys, the super vast majority of you have been of incredible help.

ww

97TB · 09-24-2005

So now - where did you get your service done?

Speed3 · 09-25-2005

I think it might be a good idea if you find another dealer to do your valves and future service! Holy sheet! :hammer:

mbeebe900 · 09-25-2005

I hate to say it, but unless you want to do it yourself (which is usually the best way) I'd definitely take your bike to a well known, reputable shop right away for a valve-check service and to have them look over your bike. After those monkeys touched my bike I certainly wouldn't want to put my life in their hands and actually *ride* the thing.

windwaves · 09-27-2005

Speed3,
absolutely. The sad truth is that I have a dealer/mechanic whom I trust 100%. Had it been him to charge me $2,300 I would have not even questioned it, as infact I never have in the 5 years he's worked on my bike !!!

I just was out in east Long Island and felt at that point it was not safe to come all the way back to the city. In fact, I think I mentioned this, this is the second time that it happens to me, because I spend the summers out there. Last summer my bike fell during the night (yes, dont ask..., huge storm, lots of rain, and the kick stand just gave in in the gravel) and I had to bring it to the same place !!!

mbeebe900, indeed I have no choice at least for the valves. I have been in touch with my mechanic (of course that is where it is going) during the whole thing, so he knows I am going to bring it in. It will be very interesting to see what he says about the work done.

ww

windwaves · 09-27-2005

And by the way, this for those, actually very few I must say, who suggested that manhattan is expensive and I should not be surprised of the bill. Of course !!!! how would I know manhattan/NY is expensive, I have lived here only for the past 15 years.......with $50k bills for private schools for my children !!!! - and that is just hte beginning !.

And for the past 5 years I have always used one mechanic, who now is in NJ and it costs me $90 just to have my bike picked up each time (I have never brought it in myself). And it goes there even for an oil change.

This whole story with that outrageous bill was just a simple matter of "enough is enough" I am not taking this b/s. It was almost a matter of self-respect.

The resolution of it all leaves me skeptical. The owner of the shop during our final discussions seemed "reasonable" and sort of blamed to whole thing to a misunderstanding, or more precisely, "miscommunication" between myself and his service manager. I do not know however if that was just a way for him to get rid of me. I sort of doubt he was trying to accomodate me as a customer...I just don't know.

Oooops, sorry a bit long !

OK dudes, I won't bother you anymore with this story. This forum has been great, and is great for many things. So I will go back to riding and real S3 talk !

ww

[ This message was edited by: windwaves on 2005-09-27 07:57 ]

wanker · 09-28-2005

congrats windwaves, you stuck to your guns and you got some satisfaction,maybe not enough but some. now please tell your speed triple brothers the name of the dealer so we don;t get burned as well.

windwaves · 09-28-2005

sure
EAST END MOTORCYCLES.

By the way, I am pretty sure I still have their bill when I brought it in there last summer after the bike spent most of the night down on its side. As you know, in that case oil goes all over the place so there is cleaning and stuff to do.
I am curious to know what they charged me....

best,
ww

mookieblaylock · 09-28-2005

dude an oil change on a naked bike like this is almost as ez as filling with gas-no need to go through all that trouble just for that--glad you got your scoot back

[ This message was edited by: mookieblaylock on 2005-09-28 09:02 ]

crudmop · 09-28-2005

Ahhh, see, NOW this makes sense.

I bought my s3 from East End, as they were the only ones in the tristate area with a black one at the time. After negotiating the price (the owner worked with me, and got the number I wanted), the sale went downhill. Once it left his hands, it became a week of total mess.

Their finance/registration/sales department is the absolute worst. Made me ride out to Southampton 3 times to finally pick up the bike.

They originally told me it would be ready to be picked up on "x" day. I took the 1 hour ride out there, and it wasn't ready. Pissed off, but trying to be understanding, I returned home. 2 days later, when it was supposed to be ready, I called to make sure and they told me the bike was ready for pickup - I took the 1 hour ride with my GF to go get it, and when we got there, they hadn't registered or plated it yet. The finance department told me that the DMV wouldn't give them a plate until the next day. After a screaming match with the finance manager, telling her I was taking time off work to travel all the way out there, she apologized multiple times for the mixup, that it wasn't her fault, the DMV was unable to plate the bike and there was nothing she could do about it. She refused to send someone at that time to plate it immediately, and told me there was nothing that could be done. Next day I call, still no plate. Day after, they finally get the plate on the bike - as I picked it up, with the finance manager and owner talking to me, the owner apologized for not having time to plate the bike over the last few days, because he was very busy and couldn't get over to DMV. No DMV issue, he couldn't get there to pick up the plate for me! Caught in a lie, the finance manager sulked away.

I know this is a minor issue - but if this is the way you are treating people who are paying you 10k for a bike, you won't be getting my business again. I am thankful tho, as it was this whole experience which sent me over to Ramp, and have been treating like royalty since.