Update from K-TOOL.... Good news!

[K-TOOL]

First off, let me start w/, the repair will be covered by HONDA in full. Parts and labor. WOOOOOHHHOOOOO!!!!!

For those interested in the story. I have been waiting very patiently. In 3 weeks I only called the dealer twice. Both times they told me that they were waitng on the HONDA rep to get back w/ them in reguards to the warranty issue. Of course going from riding every day to not riding at all I was becoming a man of very little understanding. So I decided to call the HONDA customer service number. I spoke w/ a very helpful guy named David. I gave him all of the info and explained the situation to him. He began to explain to me that it was not the dealer waiting on the rep but it was in fact the rep waiting on the dealership. He said that the rep had already notified the dealer of the repairs being covered under a " GOOD FAITH" claim. Labeled so because they were unable to find a faulty part. The rep said that the bike was running exceptionally lean. He did not believe the pipes to be at fault because the exhaust ports were not burnt up. Once agian, since there is no specific faulty part they call it a GOOD FAITH repair. While on the subject, I asked if the fix would still be covered by HONDA if I had a power commander on the bike. The answer was a defintite NO! The repairs would solely be my responsibilty.

Anyways back to the story. After my conversation w/ the HONDA service dept. The dealer calls me. Unaware of my conversation w/ the rep they tell me that they have good news, that the repairs will be covered by HONDA. BUUUUTTTTT, Honda was only gonna cover 9.5 hrs of labor and it was a 15+ hrs job so they wondered if I could cover $600 to help pay the mechanic. I politely told them no and that I would call them back in a little while. Called up the Rep again and asked why the dealer wanted me to pay $600. I explained exactly what the dealer said about the hours. He was outraged and told me that he would take care of it. Ten minutes later I get a phone call from the dealership manager. He said that there was a big misunderstanding and that it would all be covered. He then proceeded to blow a bunch of smoke up my ass, what an idiot. He asked me if I would call the rep back and let him know that everything was alright. So thats what I did. When I got a hold of him he was in the process of writing the dealrship up in regaurds to the whole matter. He said that he caught the srvice manager in a bold face lie and that he was not happy with the way they handled the whole matter.

Now that I've made a long story long, I have a question or two. They said the repair bill could approach approx. $6,000 dollars. They have to take the entire engine completely apart and measure all of the pieces and such. If anything is out of spec it will be replaced. At that price wouldnt it be better( more cost effective) to just drop a new motor in it? How much does a new motor cost? Either way there will be at least one new piston and some new rings( amongst many other things) so the bike will have to be broken in agian. Should I put the stock pipes back on during the break in process?

I'll keep you guys updated.

Thanks,

Mike

[Northman]

Is it too late to switch dealerships? :???:

[K-TOOL]

I'm still debating that. I dont think there is a problem w/ the mechanics ability. I think the paper pushers are the ones to blame here. It would a big pain in the ass though. The motor is in a thousand pieces, literally.

[floridaxxbird]

Mike,

Very good news,Finally.. We need to have a drink to celebrate

What dealer is it at?by the positive results finally, it cant be fucking Seminole Powersports. I forgot if you mentioned it in your orig post. Gonna be funny you having to do the speed limit again till she's broke in.. :wink:

Thanks for sharing the great news

[birdie_xx]

Good for you !

And yey !!! for HONDA (not the dealership :evil: )

Btw, I worked in few dealerships and each one had some different rulles about their service. In the most recent one, they separated the departments (sales, service, parts...) so each one was like a little shop. Each manager was told to find ways to make money...And not every way was good for the customer :roll:

When mechanics would come to parts counter to shop for their accessories or parts they needed for their side jobs, they would get the employee discount. But when parts people (i.e me..) would need service, service mgr. would cut part of the labor time, but !!!! we would have to buy the parts through service dept. at full retail !!!! :banghead:

Yep, they wanted to get the comission from the parts...

Piece of advice.....If you go to the service (I said "IF" !), and you get quoted the price, ask them how much will you save when you remove the bodywork yourself ! I do that everytime with my service I go to, and they charge me less time....

Plus I don't have to worry about new scratches and broken off tabs... :twisted:

Cheers,

[SwampNut]

I would find another dealership. A lying thief usually employs questionable people. You don't want one of your people exposing your lying and thieving, after all.

[jcrich]

Hey Mike, that's fantastic news. It is Seminole Powersports, isn't it? If you have a way, I would get it out of there and take it somewhere else. IMHO. You should not have to go through the whole process again, since Honda has documented it and said the repairs will be covered in full.

[jrdxx]

I would second that. Float it past the Honda rep, and they may even assist you in finding a competent and fair shop to perform the repair.

[birdie_xx]

I'd second Jim. Call the Honda rep again and tell him that you are not so confident that such "confused" :twisted: dealer can do a good job rebuilding the engine!

I asume there are better shops around.... :???:

Cheers,

[Blaine]

Hey, which Honda "stealer" was it. SPS, Performance, or Cycle Riders? Let us know.

I bought my bike at Performance Honda and have been and have been using then for service. I'm not sure about the 1st service that they did and they adjusted my chain more on one side than the other, fixed it myself insead of driving all the way out there. If they are the one, then it's time to switch. On the up side they do have better prices on accessories and chain lube and such

If it's Seminole Power Sports, they've jerked me around several times, when I was trying to buy 3 different bikes and several accessories I wanted, but that's a whole 'nother story. They have a really bad rep with about everybody.

The service dept at the Colonial Rd. Cycle Riders has done pretty good for me when I had my Suzuki.

Anyway, when do you get your bike back?

Talk to you later!

[K-TOOL]

Its Performance Honda off of W. Hwy 50. I swore Seminole Power sports a while ago. They screwed up one to many times. The last time they left bolts out of the rotor after a tire change.

I'm fixin to call Honda service Dept right now and discuss some options.

Gonna be funny you having to do the speed limit

Speed limit what the hell is that? Are those the little signs before the corners to let you know that you can go at least triple the number shown? :twisted:

[tomek]

Don`t kill the messenger,they say they have not found faulty part(s),what is the guarantee it won`t happen again?

From what I`ve read about your story I have no confidence in the dealership,especially after their initial "diagnose",doing good job rebuilding your motor.

[floridaxxbird]

That's right Mike, those funny little blurry signs on the side of the road are speed restrictions for "other people" ...but you are correct ,Sir.. you multiply it by three. :shock:

I'm so glad that it's not Seminole... :grin:

Blaine,

I had bought a couple of my wifes bikes there... cash for hers, and so i was ready to buy the XX.. they didnt have one on the floor, So all i wanted them to do was locate one, and sell the bike to me.. I had fucking cash in hand and they still blew me off.. also many bad deals and repairs... their service is the worst..the only thing they have in stock is an oil filter... for all of the bikes......i've got some horror stories.. :evil:

Imagine...if I opened a shop that had a well educated staff, and no bullshit, I could make millions in this area.. even at a 50% effort level.. that's how bad it is..

[Blaine]

Seminole Power Sports, what a place NOT to buy a bike or get it worked on.

The first bike they ended up not selling to me, was a used bike and I offered them cash, $500 less than they were asking and they said no way several times. I went down the street to Cycle Riders and bought the same bike, new for the amount I had offered SPS, CR also gave me a killer deal on a used bike that my wife wanted. SPS missed out on both sales that day.

Then we both were looking for different bikes in October, we rode up to Seminole PS and told them we'd pay cash for a 02 Blackbird and a 03 Vulcan 1500 Classic. The sales person gave me his best price for both bikes, Said I'd be back the next morning with the trailer to get both and do the paperwork. I called back later that day to set up a time to come by and get them and was told a different sales person was the first to greet us when we walked in and we would have to work with him. OK, the new sales person got on the line and I ask about the two bikes and he said he'd call me back with the final price. TA DA, the price of both bikes was back up to suggested retail price and but he said he'd try to knock off a little when we got there and started the paperwork. I ask about the 1st price and was told there is no way they can sell me these bikes for that price. Now the 02 bird was new, but a year old on the showroom floor and the 03 VUlcan had been there since the spring as well and the new 04 Vulcans were already out. So I called down to Cycle Sports Center on John Young and offered them a deal on the 04 Vulcan on the floor and they said OK. We jumped on our bikes and headed down to their store.. We traded in her bike, did the paperwork and paid them as they preped the bike, a few hours later the wife rode it home. When I got home I called Performance Honda to see if they still had the 03 Blackbird and YES, and they agreed on the bottom line price I offerend them, put a deposit down over the phone and said I'd be there first thing the next AM. The next morning, the wife was at work so I had to hook up the trailer and headed out there. As soon as I got there they started getting it preped and had the paper work done in no time. I was home and riding before I knew it.

It was funny, I was waiting for them to finish the prep and the sales rep from Seminole called to see why we had not showed up to get our bikes. It was so much fun telling him what I was doing at that moment and how he lost 2 sales because he and his company as a bunch of asses trying to rip me off.

[K-TOOL]

Blaine,

I assure you that Seminole P.S. has seen the very last dollar I'll give them. A bunch of pecker heads. They have gotten a few new decent salesmen, but the service dept sucks. I would never buy a bike from a bunch of asses that dont ride themselves.