Learned something about buying bikes today

[Anonymous]

Went to look at a Magna three weeks ago and liked it but the price was too high. Called him up a few days ago, made another offer that he took. Went to pick it up this morning and almost screwed up.

The guy took the bike in last week for service and the garage changed the oil (as well as a few other things) the owner took the bike out for a scoot (maybe 50 K's) I came to pick it up not intending to go over the bike too closely as I had seen it earlier and was in good shape. First sign of trouble was the thing did not start up right away and sputtered a bit, thought I better look into it and let it warm up. Five minutes go by hte bike is still sputttering and eventyally dies. Now I am getting concerned, push start and the motor did not even turn - I said to the guy that it looks like its siezed. He checked the oil and its bone dry, the garage forgot to fill the oil. WOW had he not took it for a ride I would have gotten it most of the way home and then try to get your money back.

Sloppy on my part but i will always bring a comression tester and a voltage meter even if i tested it before and ALWAYS check the oil. Lesson learned today for sure. Feel sorry for the guy though now he's stuck with a (somewhat) rare bike and a siezed motor. my third offer was for MUCH less than he originally asked, I will find out after he goes back to the garage on Tuesday.

Its not gonna be a warm day scooter but just another parts bike. So if anyone has one let me know (specially looking for an 84 standard)

 

[dan filipi]

I have a business consultant friend we've talked many times through the years about how to price things, sometimes higher, sometimes lower to make it all "balance"

I mentioned to him how little "Jiffy Lube" and Firestone charges for just an oil change. At the time about $25.
He told me it's all a play on numbers and the bottom line. They make it all "balance" by selling other work and mark up parts when they do.
Makes sense, I understand that.

He also mentioned that Jiffy lube accounts in this balance for mistakes they make.
The biggest one is failing to make sure they don't have an oil leak at the filter and drain plug and those times they forget to put oil in.

Jiffy lube now has a regimented routine with a check list that another employee has to verify.

Good you caught it early enough 1060.

 

[joedrum]

oh man its almost a death sentence to take a bike to a shop now days ...there going to screw this guy period .....you have all this training nowdays and the shops are totaly no where as good as in the past before all this ...i wont work on the old bikes crap ...right off the bat your taking a bike to a place considers the old bike a problem to sellinng a new bike ...not me those people are useless and so is honda and any other corporation that chooses this kind of buisness plan

 

[scdmarx]

I have a business consultant friend we've talked many times through the years about how to price things, sometimes higher, sometimes lower to make it all "balance"

I mentioned to him how little "Jiffy Lube" and Firestone charges for just an oil change. At the time about $25.
He told me it's all a play on numbers and the bottom line. They make it all "balance" by selling other work and mark up parts when they do.
Makes sense, I understand that.

He also mentioned that Jiffy lube accounts in this balance for mistakes they make.
The biggest one is failing to make sure they don't have an oil leak at the filter and drain plug and those times they forget to put oil in.

Jiffy lube now has a regimented routine with a check list that another employee has to verify.

Good you caught it early enough 1060.

Many times I see the Jiffy Lube receipts in cars I am working on. I'm convinced the average bill from Jiffy Lube is about $130 + or - a little change.
Upsells are common in most any industry. And many of them are legitimate upsells for needed services. The best defense against being taken advantage of is knowledge of the product or service you are purchasing. (do some homework) Beyond that is to develop a relationship with the person/company you normally do business with. When a company is advertising very low price, you can expect they're banking on volume and added services to bring the bottom line up to par. Many times their business model includes paying for cheap/unqualified labor.

I hate the word "FREE". The word free implies that it cost nothing. Nothing is free. While a person may receive something at no cost to them, it is not free. Somebody, somewhere down the line had to, or will pay for it. Somehow it will be paid for. Somewhere, somebody is footing the bill.

Looks like the owner of the bike will be going to small claims court. Hope the bike had some value.

 

[dan filipi]

Yes, educate yourself fer sure.

Like the time Chevy service charged me $65 for a air filter I never requested they replace.
Kragen has it for $35.
I told Chevy to put the old one back in, boy we're they surprised!

 

[scdmarx]

I told Chevy to put the old one back in, boy we're they surprised!

According to California law, legally they weren't allowed to install a new filter without your prior to approval. In fact, for them to remove the new one would require a written repair order with your signature for authorization BEFORE any work begins, even if there is no charge. You were not legally bound to pay for the new filter, or any labor to install it. And they were subject to a fine. Generous of you to let them take it back though. :yes:

 

[dan filipi]

I told Chevy to put the old one back in, boy we're they surprised!

According to California law, legally they weren't allowed to install a new filter without your prior to approval. In fact, for them to remove the new one would require a written repair order with your signature for authorization BEFORE any work begins, even if there is no charge. You were not legally bound to pay for the new filter, or any labor to install it. And they were subject to a fine. Generous of you to let them take it back though. :yes:

Hmm, I'll have to remember that.

 

[mcgovern61]

I got a knot in my stomach reading this! What a shame....a perfectly good motor damaged from not filling the oil. We all make mistakes, but this is a shame. The shop is responsible...I hope they take care of him. :cheeky:

 

[Anonymous]

The thing is while I had the bike running the Oil light was not on, that I am certain about. Regarding the garage I hope it was a real one not someone like us who do these things for freinds and aquaintences, somehow I think it was the latter.
I feel real bad for the guy, should have seen the look on his face when he checked the oil and heard him mubble about how much more bad luck can he take. If i was rich I would have taken it at the price (maybe thats why I'm not rich).

 

[Anonymous]

well the guy called me back - I guess the garage took the bike back and unstuck it and I am going back Sunday morning to have another looks at it. (pretty sure this is going to be a parts bike now or soon)

this time I am bringing a compression tester and 4 liters of oil incase he dumped a couple of bottles of STP into it - Gawd I am getting cynical in my old age !

 

[dan filipi]

Hmm, well I have unstuck a couple no oil engines and ran them ok but more mechanically noisy. Got rid of them soon after so I don't know how long they lasted.
They freeze from metal to metal contact which means lots of wear.
Definately no longer a reliable engine imo.

 

[scdmarx]

Maybe he'll pay you something to haul it away? :whistling:

 

[joedrum]

my its terrible that this shop trashed that bike a classic hard to kill bike done by so called experts ...gee never let anyone work on an old bike you dont know ...what a bunch of crap this guy has been serve for his money ....total loss of value ...sheeeesh ..

 

[Anonymous]

I couldnt agree more - at this point I am prett y sure this is going to be just another parts bike I will be glad enough to ge t the summer out of it before I start tearing it down

scuze the spelin small phone big fingers

 

[AApple]

I LOVE Jiffy-Lube type places...they're good for business! :mrgreen:

Years ago, Ma & Pa had a '76 Coupe D-evil Cad. Ma took it to a Western Auto to have the erl changed, tire rotation, etc. Paid then and left. Made it 2 blocks down the street before the engine seized up. She walks back to the store and tells them. They send some guys down the street, and they push it back. First thing they do is check the erl...or lack thereof. Took some creative language from Pa, but Western Auto paid for a new engine, and installation....at the Cad dealer!

Sucks that you had a deal made, and then had to back out due to something like this. I certainly wouldn't trust the engine at all. May run forever, may grenade in a couple of minutes...ya just never know.

 

[joedrum]

if it was done just right its a rebuild renew job ...but the window is small :smilie_happy: :smilie_happy: :smilie_happy: :mrgreen: i seen it work tho ...in farm equipment with motors twice the compression of oldwings and stress levels off the chart compared to wings ...the reality was it made a good motor out of one of those crap caterpillar 3208 v8 junk motors ...i didnt freeze up completely and was shut down as soon as it was loosing rpm from oil to hot and almost totaly gone in volume and viscosity ....it was unbeleavable that it starting holding better oil pressure and ouit almost com;pletely leaking oil and the deisil slowed down and virturaly stop draining into the oil ...the junk tractor actuly could br relied on afterwards

 

[mcgovern61]

Yeah...that 3208 was not one of their better engines!