I think im getting ripped of by my Mechanic

[m2736185]

What should I do? It all started when I took my bike for a tune up, It cost me $460 all togeather $120 for the oil change and lube, $130 to clean the carbs and sync them. ( he told me they needed to be synced since I have a jet kit...even though I never seen a syncin machine in there) and the rest was for the front sprockets which he said "looked like his grandmas teeth" because the person I bought it from over tightened it. Well I dropped my bike and cracked the starter cover towards the bottom after everyone on this forum told me I could just replace the cover and gasket then add oil I went to the shop early in the morning today he is usually closed on sundays. He wasnt there yet and had this other guy that answers the phone and stuff. I asked him to call him and tell him I want my bike he did and then he told me work was already done to it so I waited for him to come to the shop so I could talk to him. I looked at the bike before he came and I saw tissue stuffed between the gears so I guess he may have been telling the truth. He came and told me someone worked on the bike on sunday and they took all the gears out and straightened what ever needed to be straightened then took it to the machine shop to have it balanced. I dunno what he ment by balanced, does this sound like something that would needed to be done? Well anyways I told him I didnt have the money to pay for all that and he was like well the price was cheaper than we had expected I was going to call you this morning to suprise you. Im sure he was. Anyways his new price is $250 for the labor which he reduced to $200 $120 for the machine shop balancing and of couse $64 for the cover and he said he gave me the oil free. Does any of this make any sense at all? What should I do

[Mojoe]

what you should do is get the thing running...bite the bullet for what this guy charges you....and see how it goes. it is really hard for any of us to give you any reliable advice because you haven't given us the name of whatever was bent...so we have to try to guess what the heck you are talking about. for future reference, take a notepad to the shop with you when you have to go in for repairs. ask questions and request specific answer. a good question to start with would be, "what is that part called"? This way you can fill us in on what is what so we can try to give you some straight answers.
I will go so far as to say that if you dropped your bike and broke the engine cover....plus had an oil change/lube....and the carbs cleaned and synched.....well, $460 is not bad for all of that if you are really 100% dependant on a mechanic.
You just have to accept the fact that the prices will always seem high and you will always feel like you are getting ripped off.

So what should you do? You should buy a manual. You should read it from cover to cover...if for anything, just to get some idea of the mechanical aspect. Then try doing some simple maintenance to the bike on your own to get a feel for it. You really have to start doing the simple things yourself cuz $120 for an oil change and lube is just plain nuts.

Other than that....can't tell you if you are getting ripped off or not cuz I still have no idea what this thing is that is supposed to be bent. take notes buddy....so you can fill us in with a bit more info.

[takirb]

$120 for oil change???!!! i agree that you should get the manual and look it over, there's alot of things in there that's simply DIY stuff that'll definately save you money in the long run. my kat 750 is the first and only bike i've ever owned. i was able to get a manual and change the oil, then i got to the plugs, next thing i knew i was swapping the motor by just the manual. the shop quoted me $300 - sure did feel good saving that money!

[Mojoe]

i just re-read my answer. it sounds a bit "smartass". i was in a mood cuz my tire was late coming in and i lost a weekend of riding...so don't pay much attention to it....lol.

[BucKatana]

anyone who charges $120 for a oil and lube job is definitely soaking you. Are you sure that's the correct quote?

More details required to make a fair assessment.



Buc

[BucKatana]

Unless...................unless the lube job included dissassembly of the swing arm and linkages. That is a time consuming task.




Buc

[mx916]

I live close to Queens, let me know which dealer it is so I can remember to stay away. That oil change and lube price seems astronomical.

[m2736185]

Its this shop in Long Island City called JL Cycles Club, I believe it is the HQ for the United Eagles Motorcycle club

[Gecko]

il tell you what i got some oceanfront property in arizona ill sell you for a 120 dollars...lol sorry you got rammed up the arse with no lube that sucks

[ThAzKat]

Its this shop in Long Island City called JL Cycles Club, I believe it is the HQ for the United Eagles Motorcycle club

well that says it all, Long Island, where a studio apartment goes for $1200 plus a month. The mechanic needs to live

In Ohio most places charge a hourly rate of about $85 an hour. It doesn't take an hour to do a oil change, only.

[takirb]

you should come to SC, i think it's like $60-65/hr here. if memory serves me correctly, that was even the dealer's price....

[JokerZwild]

Wow!!! I didnt have to read nothing but the title to tell you "Yep you got hosed!" Dealers are absolutly outragous in there rates. The second day I owned mine I blew the gearbox apart. The local Suzuki dealer wanted 2k for a rebuild. I wound up taking a mechanics course at the local tech school...cost: $250, parts around $500.
the satisfaction of doing it all myself......PRICELESS!!!

[ctandc]

I do all my own work...but I will tell that $130 is CHEAP to clean and sync carbs. That's IF he really did it.

I was a GM wrench for awhile...and most people don't realize all the labor (which means TIME) it takes sometimes to just GET to the part that's being replaced or the job that's being done.

Get a Clymer's and a FACTORY service manual for your bike. Search the forums, read the manuals get the basic tools and give it a go...

[steves]

Back to the dead zombie thread!