shop ripoff?
10-20-2008, 12:35 PM
#1
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Location: New Hampshachusetts
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shop ripoff?
hey all,
so i just picked up my SHawk this summer and it finally got the the point where i had to do some routine maintenance. I was thinking i would bring it to the local shop here in MA to get an oil change among other things. I've established a pretty good relationship with the people at the shop so you can imagine how blown away i was when they said that they charge around $75 for an oil change!!!
needless to say i made some time in my schedule to do it myself. wound up saving plenty of cash doing it at home.
seeing as i am pretty new to the motorcycle world, does this sound right? i am pretty mechanically inclined so i have no problem undertaking a good portion of the work on my steed. Is super expensive service something i'm going to have to come to grips with? $40 in labor charges for a quick oil change seems astronomical to me.
what do you all think?
so i just picked up my SHawk this summer and it finally got the the point where i had to do some routine maintenance. I was thinking i would bring it to the local shop here in MA to get an oil change among other things. I've established a pretty good relationship with the people at the shop so you can imagine how blown away i was when they said that they charge around $75 for an oil change!!!
needless to say i made some time in my schedule to do it myself. wound up saving plenty of cash doing it at home.
seeing as i am pretty new to the motorcycle world, does this sound right? i am pretty mechanically inclined so i have no problem undertaking a good portion of the work on my steed. Is super expensive service something i'm going to have to come to grips with? $40 in labor charges for a quick oil change seems astronomical to me.
what do you all think?
10-20-2008, 02:52 PM
#5
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SuperBike
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Portland, Oregon
Posts: 1,051
sometimes it's hard to justify it, but ...
the shop has to stock the parts, pay the mechanic, rent, utilities & insurance & try to make a little money.
good for you for learning to do it yourself !
tim
the shop has to stock the parts, pay the mechanic, rent, utilities & insurance & try to make a little money.
good for you for learning to do it yourself !
tim
10-20-2008, 05:07 PM
#6
Remember stock is BAD!
SuperSport
SuperSport
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Jacksonville FL
Posts: 760
I think that is about right, I know that my neighbor has a hardley.
He mentioned that a friend of his showed him how to change the oil, and as a result he saves the $100 that the hardly dealership charges for an oil change.
He mentioned that a friend of his showed him how to change the oil, and as a result he saves the $100 that the hardly dealership charges for an oil change.
10-20-2008, 05:33 PM
#7
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MotoGP
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Austin, Tx
Posts: 4,138
$40 an hour is a huge deal by Austin standards. Small independents are getting $65 and are busy as can be. The franchise names, Honda, Yamaha, Hardley I think these shops are closer to the 100 mark.
10-20-2008, 06:13 PM
#8
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SuperBike
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,015
My moto is never ever take my steed to the shop. If i cannot fix it or repair it or perform the normal service on it then i do not deserve to have the ride.
I had save myself money and time 80% of the time and the other 20% i cost my self time and more money, but i come out ahead in the long run and i have TLC when performing the work.
I had save myself money and time 80% of the time and the other 20% i cost my self time and more money, but i come out ahead in the long run and i have TLC when performing the work.
10-20-2008, 06:46 PM
#9
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Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Austin, Tx
Posts: 4,138
[quote=Thumper;185976]My moto is never ever take my steed to the shop. If i cannot fix it or repair it or perform the normal service on it then i do not deserve to have the ride.
quote]
I/we pull all the normal maintenance on all the machines and I/we record it on the wall. When it came to the CCT's it was a no-brainer to let my mechanic do it. I was short of time, the bike was running out of time - tick -tick tick boom The same stands for the brakes (gixxers) and the forks (thanks, Greg) and the Penske shock.
The mechanic knows that I'm not going to bring him everything that breaks. He knows I'm going to bring him the big stuff but it better be perfect. So far we're a hundred percent. He's also caught some issues with the bike during this work that has long term value.
It's a win-win for me. They are hard to find and you pay 'em as they ask and shut up from there. And he won't admit it but he likes having my Superhawk in his shop for a week or ten days. That's cool as long as they polish it after they drool on it for a week!
quote]
I/we pull all the normal maintenance on all the machines and I/we record it on the wall. When it came to the CCT's it was a no-brainer to let my mechanic do it. I was short of time, the bike was running out of time - tick -tick tick boom The same stands for the brakes (gixxers) and the forks (thanks, Greg) and the Penske shock.
The mechanic knows that I'm not going to bring him everything that breaks. He knows I'm going to bring him the big stuff but it better be perfect. So far we're a hundred percent. He's also caught some issues with the bike during this work that has long term value.
It's a win-win for me. They are hard to find and you pay 'em as they ask and shut up from there. And he won't admit it but he likes having my Superhawk in his shop for a week or ten days. That's cool as long as they polish it after they drool on it for a week!
10-21-2008, 06:23 AM
#12
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Superstock
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Independence, Oregon
Posts: 367
DIY
[QUOTE=nuhawk;185979]Makes you realize what a great deal Greg-built forks are, doesn't it?
10-21-2008, 06:34 AM
#13
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Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Triad, NC
Posts: 4,825
Price sounds bout right.. Maybe a hair on the high side. I think I paid $65-70 first-last-only time I had local indy shop do an oil change for me.. After that I started my own $20 or less oil changes..
10-21-2008, 07:46 AM
#14
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i'm going to tackle the brakes next. the oil change knowledge from cars transferred over to bikes pretty easily. as nerdy as it sounds, youtube has some helpful stuff. I'm very visual so i can read how you should do something a 100x but never absorb it. on the other hand when i see something done once...i can usually recreate it no prob.
needless to say i prefer the DIY thing from a self-sufficience standpoint. I love the satisfaction of wrenching on my own stuff. i was a bicycle mechanic all through high school so i guess its a logical transition.
needless to say i prefer the DIY thing from a self-sufficience standpoint. I love the satisfaction of wrenching on my own stuff. i was a bicycle mechanic all through high school so i guess its a logical transition.
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