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dealer question

5K views 30 replies 18 participants last post by  Easyryder01 
#1 ·
I am not sure where to put this so here goes
On sat (6/30/12 ) I bought a 2008 road glide with 14,433 miles on it from a local dealer ,
Ad says certified used Harley , here are the issues
No owners manual
The day i got it home i was learning where all the important things where ( wasn't shone at dealer )
Like how to check the oil . I checked it it was black and a quart low
filled it contacted salesman he said he would talk to service dept next day
next day 7/1/12 Wife and i want to take it to church i am loading some things in the saddle bag and notice right muffler ready to fall off . Oh now i am upset
The wife and i go all the way back to dealer 80 miles 1 way on the way their salesman text me to let me know to have the bike at the serice dept at noon for oil change ( ON the house ) I get their tell them about muffler , also mention missing key fob ( only 1 ) they say they should have a extra one , and would let me know , Tues 7/3/12 the have a fob but i need to pay 24.00 to get it programmed ( OK fair enough )
They get done and the service writer tells me ,,,Its due a 15.000 mile service for 350 bucks :eek: Wasn't that supposed to be done before the sale , IE. certified used ?
It gets better on the way home the volt gauge freaks out and i have to flick it with my finger to get it off 16v back to normal And when i get home i want to remove the pass back rest but is has some kind of lock for the quick release and the dealer ( after another call ) says they do not have them
out of 5 days ownership i have been at the dealer 3 of them 160 miles round trip. each time
Am i overly upset or should i contact someone higher up in management , should the 15000 mile service been completed before delivery ?
 
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#2 ·
I would be very upset. In fact I think I would give it back to them. What is 'certified' supposed to mean? Sounds like they didn't do anything to certify it.
 
#3 ·
not sure about the service but they shouldve gone through the bike for safety sake before they sold it to anyone. i understand its a used bike but thats BS. i would be pissed off too. i would make a complaint to someone higher up definitely. who knows what else is wrong. its your safety not theirs
 
#12 ·
I agree. If the dealership owns the bike outright they should have done everything necessary to sell a properly prepped bike. Many times the used bikes are on consignment. I can understand that the dealer doesn't want to invest time and money into a bike they don't own; however, most dealerships charge the consignee a non refundable fee ($150-$275) to inspect the pre-owned bike. This fee is usually put into their pockets and nobody ever inspects the bike. The consignment fee should be used to prep the bike and make it sellable...... but dealerships are greedy and that rarely happens.
 
#5 ·
I don't know what Harley's Certified Program includes other than a 6-month warranty. In automotive-land most dealers have to perform a multi-point inspection (completed checklist & RO) and/or fix certain things to some pre-set standards to get the vehicle into the program/warranty.

First I'd also call Harley's customer-service group to see what the certification process requires. Then I'd ask for their copy of the dealer's service/repair order to meet these certification standards.
 
#6 ·
+1 on those suggestions. Give them an opportunity to make things right. Be firm but not demanding. Hopefully they will make things right - i fnot then I definitely would ask to see the owner or GM. Have documentation on every issue to show him. Sound slike either an extremely poor dealership or they were just having a very bad day when you're bike should have been thoroughly inspected and repaired.

I feel for you, this is not what you want to experinece after spending a lot of greenbacks on something you've bene waiting to buy. Kinda sucks all the fun out of having a new bike!
 
#7 ·
Have a fit and roll around in it... I think that all should have been done before selling one, and I would have really expected it from something they called certified. That usually indicates a dealer really goes over it well, and it has to pass some rigorous guidelines. Sounds more like it came off the truck and onto the floor without a second glance.
 
#8 · (Edited)
Sounds like your guy at the dealership has been fairly accommodating so far, and on a used bike (caveat emptor) he can probably get more done internally than you can. Whatever you decide to do, you'd be wise to keep the inside guy on your side.

And don't get too shook up about the 15K maintenance. Get a service manual and do it yourself. It's just a glorified oil change and as you tighten this and check that you'll learn a ton about your bike in the process.
 
#9 ·
Sounds like their certified program isn't worth the paper it's written on.

Is there even a Harley certified program? This must be a dealer program, not a program that Harley offers like many of the auto makes now do. Did they tell you what's involved in the certified program? I would think they would do a ___ point inspection (I know in cars it's often a 100-150 point inspection) to correct any issues, and then they offer a warranty. Sounds like other than saying it's a "certified Harley" there was none of the other stuff done.

They should do better for you, and hopefully they will come through.
 
#10 ·
I think I would speak with the GM and make an appointment for them to look at the scoot to make things right. While the bike is in service, I would meet with the GM to discuss the whole situation. They need to step up and treat you right.
 
#14 ·
Last year I bought my wife a "certified previously owned " car because it was still under OEM warranty. When we were shopping for the car for her I noticed that every one had now used the "CPO" phrase. Turns out the folks that coined that phrase and live by it and charge extra for it is Lexus. Everyone else just uses that phrase as a selling tactic. If its not under OEM warranty I won't look at it or if I have family that works at the dealership. I wouldn't hold my breath when it comes to the dealership doing the right thing on something like that because it means them admitting they are wrong and a rip off.
 
#15 ·
I wouldn't hold my breath when it comes to the dealership doing the right thing on something like that because it means them admitting they are wrong and a rip off.
Lots of folks like to rag on dealers.
I know a couple of guys that are GMs at different dealerships. They are stand up dudes. Sometimes things fall thru the cracks. Give them the opportunity to make it right before just assuming they won't.
 
#16 ·
personaly the first thing i would check is the oil and if its low and black i dont want that bike to me its been abused and not properly maintained. but hey thats just my opionion.I say shame on both you and the dealer because nobody checked this bike out before the deal was made!!!
 
#17 ·
To me this sounds like the OP is getting a life lesson whether he wants it or not. When I bought my (used) FLHP, I assumed everything would be like it should be. It wasn't, so I changed all the fluids, did a few things to freshen up the bike. Meh, it was what it was.

It's a used bike. People that trade in bikes don't usually change all the fuids and whatnot before the trade it in. If you buy a used bike, any dealer will comply if you ask for a fluid check and a pre-purchase checkout ride. But a dealer (or a salesman) is not going to offer it.

Like I say: I have a million dollar education pounded up my a$$ one nickel at a time. Live and learn.
 
#19 · (Edited)
have the bike at the serice dept at noon for oil change ( ON the house ) .......they get done and the service writer tells me ,,,Its due a 15.000 mile service for 350 bucks :eek: Wasn't that supposed to be done before the sale , IE. certified used ?
tell them to pound sand on the 15k service. they already did a large part of it by doing the oil change (at 14,400 miles, close enough). the rest of the service involves 'checks' ie. visual inspections and a quick lube of a cable or hinge..

i know a guy who used to be a salesman at the local dealership. whenever they took in a bike on trade, they did a complete service before putting it on the floor for sale. including tires if they were more than half worn, a battery if it needed it, etc.

for quick reference, here is a spreadsheet that i made from the owners manual/service manual for my 2010. check it against your manual to make sure everything is the same (if you still don't have your manual, you can check it out online at h-d.com, under owners)

home.earthlink.net/~skratches/10 touring maintenance.xlsx
 
#20 ·
Call the bitches up and don 't be kind, and push and push for extras!
Tell them you have a lawyer friend, and then call the local TV station up and ask for one of the reports then bitch to him about your problem. Maybe a call from WWBITCHCBS ch2 news will have them calling you.
 
#22 ·
This reaction may be effective for getting your frustrations out, but I wouldn't recommend this approach if you truly want positive results. There are a whole shit ton of things that "shoulda, coulda, woulda" happened in this deal, but the fact of the matter is it didn't. Stress your concerns to a manager to let them know you've lost trust in their practices. BUT, be understanding that sometimes shit happens and give them the opportunity to make it right. They don't owe you anything additional other than correcting the problem. Demanding this, that, or the other on top of resolving the issue at hand is only going to deminish their willingness to fix what went wrong. JMO
 
#21 ·
I'd be just a little upset, lol. Sounds like your dealer didn't even check the bike before they put it up for sale. My local dealer will not sell a trade in until it has been completely checked and serviced, the dealer should have given you the fob and performed the 15k service just for you having to ride back 80 miles one way.
 
#23 ·
I sent a e-mail to GM Here it is

Good morning ,
My name is David XXXXXXX , On 6/29/12 I purchased a 2008 road glide anniversary edition , I had to be at work that afternoon , So they got me In and out in great amount of time , When i got home i checked the oil on the Bike , I didn't know how ( i should have asked more questions before leaving ) But i figured it out , To my surprise it was a quart low , So i contacted XXXX And he said he would get with the service dept on the issue, Meanwhile i needed Oil so i drove 30 miles to the motorcycle shop and paid 12 dollars each for 2 quarts of amsoil 20/50 motorcycle oil because XXXX told me I couldn't Use rotella T in it to get by . I ordered a owners manual from e-bay ( None with the Bike ,And i did ask about that before i left sat ) And it says If oil is needed (Harley oil not available ) you can use oil rated for diesel engines .( page 145/146 ) .
On Sunday 7/1/12 my wife and I are getting ready to go to church on the bike , while i am putting something in the saddlebag i notice the right muffler is ready to fall off . Needless to say I was upset , So my wife and I head back up to the dealership ( Now this is 80 miles each way for me ) We get their before you open so we go to get a drink and XXXX texts me and says he contacted the GM about my concern and to have it at the service dept they open at noon, I told him i was already their .( He knew nothing about the muffler yet ) They get us in and the Finance manager tells me they will change the oil on the House and fix the muffler. We get 10% off on a set of heat shields for the rear cyl heads and they where installed for free while the bike was in the shop . I also found out on Sunday i was supposed to get 10% of on merchandise the day of the purchase , Is that true ?
I ask XXXX about a second key fob he says he might have a extra one he would let me know , On Tuesday 7/3/12 he text me says he has one i can have i just have to pay to have it programmed . So i Drive back up to have it programmed pay the 24 dollars and when i am Leaving the Service writer tells me " My bike is due the 15,000 mile service ,,I say " wasn't that done when the PDI was completed ? " He tells me no , and it would cost 350 Dollars , By this time i have put over 320 miles on the bike riding back and forth from the dealer for repairs for minor things i feel should have been taken care of before delivery .
So after that i am upset because now i need 350 dollars for a service and i Haven't owned the bike more than 5 days , On the way home the voltmeter goes nuts and pegs to 16 volts , Well i am over halfway home and tired of riding back and forth , So i stop to see what is wrong , I flick the gauge it goes back to normal ( I figure i can have it fixed under my extended warranty at a later date ) I get Home to take the wife for a ride and Go to remove the sissy bar / back rest and it has some kind of lock on it ( I only have 1 key to the bike it don't work on this lock ) So Again i call xxxx ( I am sure he is tired of me by now ) But he is extremely nice and says he will try to contact the original owner to see about the key for the sissy bar and extra ignition key give him a couple days ( This is on Wednesday ) .
On Friday 7/6/12 I have to go to Aiken, While I am their I go To Augusta Harley and Buy 2 Quarts trans/primary fluid and a primary funnel and gasket set (40 Dollars ) . On the way home is when all this catches up to me , I feel like this service ( 15,0000 mile , With neck bearings adjusted /greased and clutch adjusted ETC. ) should have been done and the bike cleaned ( I found wax residue on fork uppers once i got home Saturday and other places ) Before it hit the floor for sale . If I am wrong then i stand corrected . No hard feelings, I understand communications get mixed and things fall thru the cracks , And sometimes a bike gets put to the floor before it is checked out And no one realizes it happened .
I am sending you this e-mail to see if i have a justifiable reason to be upset Or if i am not looking at this right . I wanted you or the owners to know what has happened . I just want to know if this service should have been done before the sale , If not Then this information should be told to the buyer so they are prepared for the expense if the bike they are buying is that close to a service. My bike had 14,439 miles at the time of purchase 561 miles away from a service . I thought when i saw Certified preowned That all services due where complete bike was safe with good brakes, fresh fluids, good tires ETC and any adjustments that where needed where completed .
A response would be appreciated
I am off sat 7/7/12 and if you want to call me or text me about this my number is xxx-xxx-xxxx
Thanks for your time
Dave
 
#24 ·
Dave-

Hope you are having a good day. I'm out of town till Tuesday of next week. When I get back in the office I will check the service records on the motorcycle. Once I do that, I'm sure we can figure something out. I tried to call the previous owner with no luck, sorry. If the motorcycle has items on it that need a special lock and I can't get him to return my calls, I really can't do anything about that sir. When we take a use motorcycle in on trade or purchase on, we ask the owner for all items they have, security fobs, keys, manuals etc. If they don't have them we don't replace them. If Salesman has one that he can spare I will make sure I have him to get that to you. Once again please give me a couple days to address your other concerns. I will forward your email to my manager on duty in absence to see if he can help you before I get back next week. Have a great weekend and talk to you soon.
Note
Still didnt answer question what preowned certified is
And when i traded my bike in all they wanted was the key
I am going to service it myself and buy new locks
I learned my lesson
How was it said ? Millon dollars of education well in this case 15,000 dollars of education


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#26 ·
I would email back a confirmation to him that you received this and re address the certifies pre owned thing and finish off with you look forward to hearing back from the manager in his absence. I would also thank him for responding while he was away at the beginning of the confirmation of the email. I know it sounds a little too much but trust me ya get more flies with......
 
#27 ·
I did reply said thanks for responding , that i am not looking for free stuff I just want to know about the service , Was is done ? if not i need to know so i can arrange to have it done
And i said thank you for responding while on your vacation
In so many words i told them i understand it is used and i had some misunderstanding about the preowned certified , And i should have asked more questions.
I know to some this may sound like i backed down But I feel if i treat them with respect that maybe the will step up and make it right
 
#28 ·
I was curious as to your dilemma and wanted to see if 1 I can call your dealership as a future customer and get an explanation as to what a "certified pre owned " bike is and as much info about it, 2nd I was very curious is this just some promo jargan that just this dealer is using to sell bikes so I decided to call my local dealership as a future customer and get their explanation if they had the same "certified pre owned " and so they did and here is what they told me......certified pre owned motorcycles are ran through a complete inspection (didn't mention how many point inspection) of the bike change fluids so on and so forth. I asked him about the intervals of inspections and I presented to him a scenario like yours as to the maintenance interval and should it be that close what would happen....his answer was due to the fact that it was so close they would preform it at no charge. He also added that the certified pre owned bikes came with a 30 day unlimited warranty. So if it is any way close to this explanation then they owe you the service. They do not owe you the remote unless you make it a deal closer, or the owners manual or anything else that came standard with the bike and was not looked out for when they took the bike on trade in. So there's my curiosity killed by the investigation. Hope that helps.
 
#29 ·
The gm is supposed to contact me this week about the service
I talked to 2 other dealers they said the same thing the one you had talked to said
I have a feeling they are going to do the service if not oh well live and learn i went to a different dealer and got everything i need to do it myself



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#30 ·
Well
I gave up on the dealer , i went to augusta harley and they treated me way better and i didnt even buy the bike from them
They helped answered a bunch of my questions and got me fixed up
They have a new customer now
Thanks again augusta harley



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#31 ·
I hear ya I guess I just out of principal would want something to be done and still not use them again. I don't know....... get the materials from them for a future oil change. I don't know.......just something collateral that you can feel like you got something from them and they just didn't have to touch your bike again. That's just my .02
 
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