Bad service experience

[Bluzmn59]

I need to get this off of my chest. I have had some issues with sloppy work out of our local dealer (Augusta H-D), but the latest is the last straw. In the past, I have had experiences such as oil leaks on an an oil cooler installation (on a brand-new bike) that took three trips to fix. I had them switch out the handlebars for me because I was concerned about fly-by-wire and ABS brakes and any warranty issues if I did it myself. When I got the bike back, there were wires hanging out from under the fairing. When I went to loosen the fairing bolts to push them back up in there, I found that they had cross-threaded one of them and the insert had to be replaced - minor stuff, maybe, but sloppy. So, I was pretty much done with them anyway, but I needed some new tires on my Springer, their cost to mount and balance them was pretty cheap and I had to buy tubes anyway, so I let them mount the tires on my powder-coated rims. Big mistake.

I picked up the wheels and did not look at them closely. When I got home and got them out in the sun, I found that they were scratched and marred in multiple places. There were two gouges that were all the way into the metal underneath. Just completely torn up. I called the service manager and, to their credit, they had me bring them back in. They took them apart and had them redone and they look great again now. My real concern is the sloppy nature of the work and the fact that they would even let them out the door in that condition. Did they think I wouldn't notice when I went to put them back on?

Anyway, other than any possible recall work, I am having a hard time imagining what would cause me to use that service department ever again. In the future I will only use the local indy shop or a very experienced mechanic I have learned about who comes highly recommended by some people I know and trust. Unless it is something that a Harley dealership has to perform like warranty or recall work, I cannot see myself using that service department ever again. I have finally learned my lesson.

[arealinvestor]

It's a shame that HD dealerships get such a bad name!!!!!Most mechanics they use are fresh out of school,and most guys that work there don't know $hit about performance mods!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ceraaa42]

Ultimately it is the dealers responsibility for the work they turn out, but it's the tech that does the work that causes the problem. A guy scratches your wheels, see's it, doesn't tell anyone since he doesn't want to get fired. The problem comes when the shop foreman does not over-see the techs work. And these kind of jobs are done with the lowerest tech on the pole and that's the person they should be watching.

Chris

[njyamahauler]

unfortunately they are making their mistakes and gaining their experience at the customers expense!

[Bosco1962]

Its to bad we have to pay for the work and then have to check and make sure it was don right I think now a days the only way to make sure it is done right is to do it yourself