Help with! Is it worth it to let stealer do service?

[Daytona]

Anyone had a good experience with dealer doing your service or is it necessary?? This is for a GSX1300R 600 mile. Zuki says no valve adj for 18k miles! $150.00 they want for what, oil & filter, leave fairing screws loose, scratches are no charge! The only time any touched my Bandit (which $ were included in purchase price) they left the eng vent hose off air box end, didn't take the valve cover off to adj valves!! but said they did, and crimped the tank vent hose. Anyone know if it can be a neg if warranty is needed? Bike is running great! I'm leaning towards oil & filter R&R (with rotella T 15-40 check fluids, hoses etc and ride it to BOSS.      

[tacoman]

Do it yourself.  Unless a job requires real skilled labor most bike shops hire kids at min. wage to do the menial jobs (oil changes, inspections, etc.)  Plus, you spend top dollar for their oils and filters.  Do it yourself and with the $$ you save you can buy high quality oil, filters, and tools if you need them (filter wrench).

[Red01]

Neither the dealer nor manufacturer can hold it against you for DIY scheduled maint here in the USA. I keep records and reciepts to show I did it just in case the warranty is needed and they try to balk.

If a dealer every tries to flip you crap over this, just mention "Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act" and it should refresh their memory.

[PaulVS]

I took my Bandit in at 800 miles to have the first valve adjustment done... and I have serious doubts about whether or not they actually did it.  There is no indication that the valve cover ever came off.

Either way... they did CHARGE me for it.  

Next time I have a dealer do it... I'm going to mark a couple of the valve cover bolts with paint beforehand.  

[gearset01]

I use the dealership R&D Powersports, I went into the service area and gave the guys a once over. They were in there mid 40s and looked salty.
Its 65 per hour to cover their nut, insurances, pay roll, and overhead. Not really alot of money, we get 125 per hour. They are slow and thorough and sometimes annoying. But they do good work. I look at it like this, I fix every thing at home and my wifes car within reason. I fix crap all week long for the job. This bike is to forget that for a while if only for a short while.
 
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[Have Blue]

I would prefer to be able to find a dealer I could trust to do decent work, but with the exception of one independent dirt bike shop, I've never found any dealer I thought was worth bothering with for mechanical repairs.  The last time I went to a dealer, it took three weeks and $120 to get them to mount MY tire on a wheel I had removed from the bike and brought to their door. After that, I dont even trust a dealer to mount and balance a tire.  I mount and balance my own tires now, rivet my own endless chains and buy a factory service manual for every bike I own so I can rebuild it completely my self if need be.  If something breaks, I know whose fault it is.  :-)

Blue

[Daytona]

I use the dealership R&D Powersports, I went into the service area and gave the guys a once over. They were in there mid 40s and looked salty.Its 65 per hour to cover their nut, insurances, pay roll, and overhead. Not really alot of money, we get 125 per hour. They are slow and thorough and sometimes annoying. But they do good work. I look at it like this, I fix every thing at home and my wifes car within reason. I fix crap all week long for the job. This bike is to forget that for a while if only for a short while.
 
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I would prefer to be able to find a dealer I could trust to do decent work, but with the exception of one independent dirt bike shop, I've never found any dealer I thought was worth bothering with for mechanical repairs. The last time I went to a dealer, it took three weeks and $120 to get them to mount MY tire on a wheel I had removed from the bike and brought to their door. After that, I dont even trust a dealer to mount and balance a tire. I mount and balance my own tires now, rivet my own endless chains and buy a factory service manual for every bike I own so I can rebuild it completely my self if need be. If something breaks, I know whose fault it is. :-)

 Ah but that is the hard part! Every time i take anything to have it fixed i regret it! My bandit never had valve cover off either and they adj valves, vent hose left unhooked! Son's pick up (Nissan) Hood creased from rag left in latch area and big fat mech horsed down on it! Oh no didn't happen here! The zuki dealer's shop guys look ok but 150 + parts i find out for what will be an oil & filter change, left loose fairing screws that will be falling out all the way to B.O.S.S. !!! B.S![/color]                

[Have Blue]

I hear you.  I found I was spending as much time fixing the dealer's fix as I would have just going ahead and doing it myself.  Its nice to go out to the garage, fix the bike and know its done right the first time.  :-)  I like being able to go for a ride without wondering what is going to break or fall of this time.  I must be getting old.  I just cant deal with incompetence anymore.  LOL

Blue

 Every time i take anything to have it fixed i regret it![/b][/i][/u] My bandit never had valve cover off either and they adj valves, vent hose left unhooked! Son's pick up (Nissan) Hood creased from rag left in latch area and big fat mech horsed down on it! Oh no didn't happen here! The zuki dealer's shop guys look ok but 150 + parts i find out for what will be an oil & filter change, left loose fairing screws that will be falling out all the way to B.O.S.S. !!! B.S![/color]                

[tacoman]

Remember these guys are business men in it for the profit.  This means the lowest labor costs with high as possible shop labor rate.  Also, they need to turn bikes as quick as possible.  The more units that go thru the more dollars.  Result:  rushed work by less than skilled techs!

[Maximus]

If I need a top-grade mechanic, I pay for one.  You probably won't find him working for a dealer for $12 an hour.  No, he will charge $75/hour cashy-money and put all of it in his pocket, not some dealers.

Most work I can do with Haynes and Clymer manuals and my ever-growing tool collection.  Plus, I work really, really slow, have no substance-abuse problems, and am extraordinarily anal-retentive about my work.  I feel much more confident with my own wrenchings than those of the meth-mouthed mechanic at the Suzy dealership who does not know what a torque wrench is but is really well-practiced with heli-coils.

[gearset01]

WOW
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[Tundrahog]

I guess I'm the exception.

My local dealer did the initial service, no problems, they did do the valve adjust, I could hear the difference.  Later, I had a problem with a series of small oil leaks, the bike was close to the end of it's warranty, so they told Suzuki I got a bad gasket set, tore down the engine, and replaced all the gaskets in the top of the motor.  No problem.  Afterward I went over the bike and couldn't find a loose bolt anywhere.

For the major stuff I guess I'll stick with them, a little expensive, but woth the peace of mind.