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Frustrated & Harley service question

time2cruise

Member
Okay, after wanting a Harley for years I finally bought an 04 Ultra Classic about 6 weeks ago. It has 22,400 miles and looks like it's been well taken care of. After putting a couple thousand miles on it I start hearing a noise in the motor. Because I'd heard of the poor service at the local Harley shop I took it to another shop. They didn't look at anything, just diagnosed the problem as the cam chain tensioner from the noise. They wanted to put S&S gear driven system in and gave me a quote.

The quote was large to say the least so I decided I needed a second opinion. I took it to the local Harley shop last Friday (just before the 3 day weekend). They were pretty nice, got the bike right in and pulled the cam inspection plate. They confirmed that the tensioners were really worn and showed me some troubled spots. They recommended the new hyd tensioner upgrade over the gear driven set up and had good logical reasons for it. What really got me was their bid was about $800 less than the other shop.

I asked then how long to do the repair and they said 4 hours but that any parts they might have to order would be delayed because of the Labor Day weekend. I left the bike there with a good feeling that I should have it back by this weekend. I called Tues, Wed, and Thurs (today) trying to get a status report of the bike. I was surprised they didn't return calls from messages I'd left. Never actually talked to service until today. They tell me that they had to order parts and that it usually takes 15 days to get them from Harley. I'm floored and wished they'd told me that up front. Then they say the cam plate is on back order and won't be available until the 25th and I can expect an extra 10 days to get it here. REALLY????

Is this SOP for Harley? Am I just ignorant and think this is poor customer service? I'm usually pretty understanding but feel they could have mentioned some of this when I left the bike there. It may not have made a difference but at least I would have been prepared for it.
 
Okay, after wanting a Harley for years I finally bought an 04 Ultra Classic about 6 weeks ago. It has 22,400 miles and looks like it's been well taken care of. After putting a couple thousand miles on it I start hearing a noise in the motor. Because I'd heard of the poor service at the local Harley shop I took it to another shop. They didn't look at anything, just diagnosed the problem as the cam chain tensioner from the noise. They wanted to put S&S gear driven system in and gave me a quote.

The quote was large to say the least so I decided I needed a second opinion. I took it to the local Harley shop last Friday (just before the 3 day weekend). They were pretty nice, got the bike right in and pulled the cam inspection plate. They confirmed that the tensioners were really worn and showed me some troubled spots. They recommended the new hyd tensioner upgrade over the gear driven set up and had good logical reasons for it. What really got me was their bid was about $800 less than the other shop.

I asked then how long to do the repair and they said 4 hours but that any parts they might have to order would be delayed because of the Labor Day weekend. I left the bike there with a good feeling that I should have it back by this weekend. I called Tues, Wed, and Thurs (today) trying to get a status report of the bike. I was surprised they didn't return calls from messages I'd left. Never actually talked to service until today. They tell me that they had to order parts and that it usually takes 15 days to get them from Harley. I'm floored and wished they'd told me that up front. Then they say the cam plate is on back order and won't be available until the 25th and I can expect an extra 10 days to get it here. REALLY????

Is this SOP for Harley? Am I just ignorant and think this is poor customer service? I'm usually pretty understanding but feel they could have mentioned some of this when I left the bike there. It may not have made a difference but at least I would have been prepared for it.


Something doesn't sound right here!!! Have they called other HD shops to see if they had the items in stock there?? And YES - they should have checked inventory before writing the service agreement!!!
 
I agree with calling other shops to check availability of the parts. They should have done that first before taking ther bike in for service.

BTW, the newer hydraulic tensioner system is far better than the gear drive if it makes you feel better.

Ask them about a loaner.
 
Something doesn't sound right here!!! Have they called other HD shops to see if they had the items in stock there?? And YES - they should have checked inventory before writing the service agreement!!!

Not to my knowledge. They said that the parts they ordered were in a Pending status, and once they shipped that status would change? Doesn't sound like they bothered to do any more than that.

BTW, the newer hydraulic tensioner system is far better than the gear drive if it makes you feel better.

I read that when I googled it. I found the most useful information on this site. In fact every time I did a search on questions I had the best answers were here which is why I joined. This Forum is awesome.

Ask them about a loaner.

I'll try that but won't be expecting much.
 
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Not to my knowledge. They said that the parts they ordered were in a Pending status, and once they shipped that status would change? Doesn't sound like they bothered to do any more than that.

Go by in person and ask to talk to the OWNER of the HD shop - not the shop mngr. or the tech working on it BUT the owner!!! Call MOCO if you have to!! This stupidity on these shops are the reason MOST get a bad rap!!! As Glider stated - ask for a loaner while they have yours!!! Of course the status will change when they ship -- they are doing a "smoke and mirrors" on ya bro !!! I know because I work for a electrical product dist. and when we order items the pending status is a atuomatic response from the Co. computer!!!! What they did is "grabbing the money" first by writing the work order!!!! Hold thier feet to the fire here!!!
 
theyre givin you the royal run around-- fact is--to harleys credit unless youre lookin some pan head or shovel head parts -- harley is execellant of in stock items,,, shipping etc...... i think u best sit down an have an ole eye ball to eye chat with the dealer-- and if u dont like the way he's talkin-- trash can the deal an use another-- thats very easy to do.
 
Just an update. I went in on Thursday to talk with them. I talked to a parts guy I know a little bit and he told me that he would look for the cam kit I need from another dealer and see if he could get it in about the same time the rest of the parts come in this week. On Friday he said he hadn't found one yet, but was still looking.

Isn't HD on a nation wide computer system where they could punch in a parts# and see who has one? I know auto dealers have that kind of system.

Anyway, I also talked them into using one of their rentals yesterday. I picked up an 09 Street Glide because I wanted to see what the lower suspension was like. Loved it (the suspension that is) It was nice to be riding and a great day for it in Utah. I posted another post about a motorcycle accident we saw, but all in all it was a great day.

Hope to get my bike back by this weekend, but I'm not holding my breath. I'll talk to them again on Tuesday for an update.
 
most dealers have to call other dealers for parts has been my exp and i believe parts would be on backorder every thing i order seems to be
 
As R.Lewis said "talk to the owner".Most of the HD dealers are owner operated and in my expierience you get further faster by going up top.The squeaky wheel gets the grease as they say..
 
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