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Stealership...

6K views 35 replies 30 participants last post by  chromedome 
#1 ·
Well I dropped off my '07 RG at the Harley dealership by my house for its' 20k maintainance service. When I called last week to schedule the 20k service, I asked the person in service how much would I be lookin to spend for this 20k service. The guy quoted me over the phone, $480.00, which was still expensive to me but the cheapest quote I found. Now is it me or if one inquired how much a specific service would cost wouldn't you expect the price quoted to include BOTH parts and labor??? Well, when I was at the service counter getting my paperwork started, I mentioned to him my earlier quoted price of $480 total and he then looked at me kinda weird and said that $480 covered labor only NOT INCLUDING parts???? With parts cost included, I would now be lookin at just under $600 for this 20k service??? Man, the cost of maintaining a Harley by far isn't cheap. My wife is already givin me crap about accessory spending. I definately gotta keep this $600 'maintenance' price to myself or else I might get walkin papers.... :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:
 
#3 ·
That's why so many of us on here keep saying to buy the service manual and do the work yourself.

It really isn't to difficult and you have a TON of support on here!!
 
#8 ·
I'm doing my own 40K service tomorrow after work and I walked away from the parts counter with $111.00 in supplies to do it, so apparently I'll be putting around $500.00 in labor into it. I think the cold ones are going to taste just a little colder when I get to 'em knowing I just kept five hundred dollars in my wallet. Oh wait, the MINI needs license tabs this month...$432.50 - bill came in the mail today. Well, at least now I've got it covered.
 
#12 ·
Damn, our license plates are around $50
 
#9 · (Edited)
I just did the 20K on my 10 Ultra. The supplies were under $35 as I don't use Syn3.

Sure it took me two evenings at 3 - 4 hours each. But I do everything in the service manual for that interval. I know that everything is done and done right. Most of the time was because I am slow and also I forget where I put stuff. But at 71, I have an excuse.

Many that take them to the dealers have found that is not always the case.

I am not very smart ( just ask my wife) but their is not one technical issue with doing any of the periodic services that a girl scout could not do.

Remove by turning left, replace by turning right covers 80% of the skill. Add a torque wrench to complete. Knowing what hole to drain and what hole to fill adds a little more. Having a list of critical fasteners to check and setting the torque wrench at the low end of the value for the fastener will come close to finishing the job. Most remaining items with steering head fall away, checking brake rotors and pads, brake fluid, belt tension, tire pressure, wheel bearings, spokes, and some other detail will get you home.

The fees are NOT justified and are beyond obscene. I happen to be blessed with enough resources that it would not matter. I just will not over pay for a service. The local Toyota dealer has an oil change service with a 17 point safety inspection plus car wash for $19.95. The same goes for some area GM and Ford dealers. If they used HD rates it would be $350. One dealer is at $9.95 to change oil and filter.

80 % of the service is checking things not actually doing anything.
 
#20 ·
Girl Guide



Since I was a Girl Guide I will take it that with the service manuel for my 2005 this will allow me to do the job myself. Thanks
 
#13 ·
hmm,I've never thought twice about NOT doing the work myself.Years ago,I rode another brand of bike,and when I let the dealer do anything,I'd get the bike back with loose fasteners and parts,and things forgotten.I guess I just don't trust other people to take the same care I do.
 
#15 ·
Wow, does that dealer have gold plated floors or something? :confused: My dealer charged $150 in labor for 2 hours to do my 15K service. I think the only difference in 15k and 20k is new spark plugs at 20...
 
#16 ·
Wow, thanks so much for all the feedback on my thread. Well considering I purchased this '07 RG this past May from a non-harley dealer with 18k miles on her. Not that didnt trust the mechanics from this dealer, its just that the bike wasn't looked over by Harley hands, so-to-speak. The bike since I've had it runs like a champ which is a good thing. Basically taking it to a Harley dealer for the 20k service is gonna give me more-less piece of mind that at least I know from early on that the bike was looked over and serviced by Harley certified people. Once I get my RG back, TRUST me, my next purchase is going to be that SERVICE MANUAL and from here on out, I will be the one doin the blood,sweat n tears labor on my shark. Damn, I'm just thinkin how much accessories $480 bucks could have bought me instead of shellin it out payin fer Harley's ridiculous labor rate!!! :mad: :eek: :mad: :eek:
 
#36 ·
Basically taking it to a Harley dealer for the 20k service is gonna give me more-less piece of mind that at least I know from early on that the bike was looked over and serviced by Harley certified people.
It's funny you say that. Taking my bike to a dealer has the opposite effect on me. I'm completely stressed out about what they might have f*%cked up!
 
#18 · (Edited)
I agree with the gang, a service manual is the way to go. I don't want to get down on dealerships because there are some good ones out there, but realize this, you're putting your life in someone else hands. At least by me doing my own work I know the work was done and it was done right at a fraction of the cost.:)
 
#21 ·
I would now be lookin at just under $600 for this 20k service??? Man, the cost of maintaining a Harley by far isn't cheap.
You need to find a new dealership or independent mechanic. IF all they did was the scheduled $20K service and they charged you over $600 they are just thieves. Replacing the fluids in three holes, adjusting the clutch, lubing a couple parts and doing the basic inspection - that's the 20K maintenance. How do they justify that much money? :eek:
 
#27 ·
Damn bro, relax. Thanks fer the heads up but, I don't need to get reminded of the obvious. As stated before, I just needed some piece of mind that at least my Glide was looked over by Harley hands at least ONCE. From here on out, I'm pickin up a service manual, jumpin in the deep end and tackling workin on my Glide on my own. :cool:
 
#25 ·
six benjamins will buy some nice shiny bits, and a moco shop manual is around $60 on ebay last time i ordered one for a buddy. nothing too tough about routine maintenance and lots of good free advice on here. i avoid the stealer just like i avoid the revenooers!
 
#26 ·
I paid $900 for a 2 year service contract with my dealership. It includes oil changes every 2500 miles and all service intervals. I have 14,000 miles on my RGU and 8 months left on the contract. I'm hoping to renew it.
 
#30 ·
To the OP. Don't worry about all these folks telling you what you should have done. I understand why you did what you did for your piece of mind. When I got my Harley, I felt the same way. I didn't want to touch it. I don't know why considering I had always worked on my metrics before. Now I have no problem working on it, but have also found a Indy shop to do anything I don't want to do. By the way my Indy shop charges about $200 for the 20k service, and he replaces the fork oil. So, my advice is although you are going to get the service manuel, it might be a good idea to find a good indy shop to. That way you will have someone just in case you feel like you are over your head, or just simply don't have the time to do it.
 
#31 · (Edited)
To the OP. Don't worry about all thesue folks telling you what you should have done. I understand why you did what you did for your piece of mind. When I got my Harley, I felt the same way. I didn't want to touch it. I don't know why considering I had always worked on my metrics before. Now I have no problem working on it, but have also found a Indy shop to do anything I don't want to do. By the way my Indy shop charges about $200 for the 20k service, and he replaces the fork oil. So, my advice is although you are going to get the service manuel, it might be a good idea to find a good indy shop to. That way you will have someone just in case you feel like you are over your head, or just simply don't have the time to do it.
+1...I understand why you did it as well but while prices for everything are always high at dealers at 600 dollars these guys charged you about twice the going rate. I have no insight on who in the Chicagoland area is the best, Im sure some on here would, but I wouldnt spend another penny at the one you went to.

BTW who was it so if Im in the area I dont inadvertenly give the theives any of my money.
 
#33 ·
...Picked up my RG from the dealer today with the completed 20K service. Took her for a spin and she ran great. Nice knowing there's fresh fluids running through her veins along with whatever minor adjustments that this service required. Funny, but I'm not sure what that service guy I dropped my bike off with last week was smokin' when he told me that the quoted amount of $480 that was given to me over the phone by their service department when I originally set this 20K appointment was just for labor NOT including parts??? WTF??? :eek: ...When all was said and done, that $480 quoted amount that I was originally given included BOTH parts AND labor, out the door with tax $497. Although still pricey, I'm gonna try and tackle future maintainance myself. :cool:
 
#34 ·
Darned pricey if you ask me. I am only about 120 miles south of Chicago and just got my 10k service done at the dealer for under $300 with everything included. The 20K and 10K are almost identical.
 
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