Short and sweet version: Know the EXACT part no. before you go to parts counter!

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If you want to know the story, read on:

A couple of days ago I went to to buy: 2 spark plugs for my 01 Ninja 250, and: 2 spark plugs, an oil filter (and crush washer) for for my 02 Honda Superhawk.

Cycle Center of Freemont is both a Kawasaki and a Honda dealer (as well as Harley and Buelle), and is a short drive away from my work, so why not!! Two guys behind the parts counter, one (Joe) is busy with another customer, the other (call him C....) is not. C.... asks if he can help me. I say yes, and tell him what I want. C.... goes behind the counter, where I can see him look for the spark plugs, brings all of the parts back to me, and starts to ring me up.

After I mention to him that Superhawk is a v-twin and I only need TWO spark plugs for it, not FOUR, he says oops and takes the extra two back. Then, having lost my confidence in him, I ask him: "Could you please double check the part numbers for me, I just hate to find out I have the wrong parts when I am in the middle of doing the actual work!" He reassures me (without double checking) that these are exact right parts, and that I shouldn't worry. Great, I reassure myself: "this is the dealership, they know the right parts, stop being a dick!"

Next day something tells me I should check these for myself. I go online to Ronayers.com to check the part numbers vs. the ones that appear on my receipt.

Strangely enough the actual part no. for Honda's spark plug has an extra X at the end of it (DPR9EVX-9) - The EVX type plug is a platinum spark plug, an absolute MUST for superhawk, and should be changed every 8k miles. Remember, the same type of plugs in a Honda car is recommended to be changed at 100k miles!

Not wanting to trust the receipt, When I get home, I look at the actual part, and sure enough, it is the wrong type. I call them up, Joe answers the phone, he checks his database and confirms that I got the wrong part. I laugh and ask him to put the right parts aside for me at the counter so I can exchange them the next day. No worries. An innocent mistake, I assume.

Next I wonder about my Ninja's plugs. Are those the right ones? I check the manual, it needs a CR8HSA type (R identifies a resistor type plug.). Check the plugs I bought: C8HSA. ****!!!

I call Joe back, he checks, and again confirms that I was given the wrong parts. I ask him to put these two next to the other two for me to pick up tomorrow.

I went back there this morning, on my way to work. Service dept. was open, talked to Steve there, talked to Jill there, Jill took me to the parts counter which wasn't open yet, found the right spark plugs waiting for me at the counter, discounted the difference in the price (a total $3 or so), and promised me to talk to CXXXX and let the parts manager know about this.

Moral of the story:

Never trust the dealer (or anyone else for that matter) to give you the right part. Always find out the exact part no. of the part you want before hand (from the manual, online, etc.), and have it with you when buying parts. Double check the part no. before leaving the counter.