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rustic101

Wellington Motorcycle - Poor Service

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11 Comments
by
rustic101
, 2nd February 2010 at 16:49 (13009 Views)
Now I appreciate that owning a bike and servicing it is not a cheap exercise. This I was and am prepared for… However, when you are given a total quote on two separate occasions you expect that to be the cost. On each I was told the total cost would be $395(ish), not the fricking $592.43 I have just bloody paid.

My baby has just had its 12,000k service. I have got home and am still fuming! Not only has the ‘required work’ (ref service manual in front of me), not been done, but that I have just found out I could have exactly the same done cheaper by elsewhere…

On the Tax Invoice it clearly states:

“Carried out service as required. Changed engine oil and filter. Replaced spark plugs. Clean Air Filter, check engine value clearance. Checked operation of all switches, electrics and lights. Checked tyre pressure and condition, set pressures to f32/r36 psi. lubed pivot required. Checked lubed and adjusted drive chain as required. Checked operation of all cables and lubed as required. Checked clutch adjustment. Checked brake fluid levels. Drain and replace engine coolant. Adjust brakes as required. Checked battery, terminals. Ran and Tested –ok.

Note – Both Tyres are worn out.”

I first parade my bike every morning or after a period off it to ensure its (an I are) safe. So what was not done?

Hazard switch still jammed. ‘Checked operation of all switches, electrics and lights.
Rear Brake light not working. ‘Checked operation of all switches, electrics and lights.
Rear brake peddle was not even touched. Adjust brakes as required.
Chain still has far more than 15-20 millimetres of play (but was lubed). Checked lubed and adjusted drive chain as required.
Bike clunks (low revs) when putting into first gear. Checked clutch adjustment.
Certified Inspection Officer. Tyres - are ok and not worn out.

So I get on the phone and discus my concerns highlighting points etc asking questions. All I will say is what a waste of fricking time. In fairness the owner did offer to rectify. However, after what I have found, I would and will never take my bike back to Wellington Motorcycles.

They were great to buy the bike off. Every time I have gone back to buy accessories they have been the most expensive and I have either gone to TSS (Alice Town) or bought from overseas sites.

Forget the tyres, My safety was potentially at risk from the chain, the brakes, and the rear brake light and the poor quality workmanship.

I will be getting the bike independently tested then writing a letter of complaint to LTSA around the safety aspects, and to MTA around the poor workmanship. Further more I will be posting this and other comments on various web forums.
I feel absolutely ripped off. If I was to use one word it would be ‘disappointed’

Wellington Motorcycles sponsor a number of events and my experience of their after sales service is in my opinion an extremely poor reflection on those events. They also advertise on here.

Pleased note this is my experience, not the view of others

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Categories
Personal entry , Sport/Road Bikes , General Bike Maintenance , General Bike Ravings

Comments

  1. Toaster's Avatar
    Gee mate that is APPALLING. My bike will need a service soon and am gutted to see that place doing such a poor job when I had every intention of going there. Will have to find another Suzuki dealer!
  2. 2crafty1's Avatar
    Ive had no probs with WMC apart from their exortiornate rates. But the chain issue is definately something to be addressed, last week I followed a bloke on a BMW and his loose chain lock up the bike totally with a 30m skid mark to boot. He was VERY lucky not to lose it over the bank ( we were comming down from the Paekock lookout). Igave him a hand to free the rooted chain, and gave him a tow with a rope we found on a tree- down to the shops
  3. Mudflaps's Avatar
    That is bad news indeed!

    Definitely write a letter to LTSA. Us Kiwi's don't complain about poor service enough, and when it comes to bike safety we don't need any other excuses or statistics for ACC to sting us with.

    Is a shame, as they portray themselves as the best.
  4. sinned's Avatar
    I have no complaints about WMC - but the opposite, so far they have provided good service. Price of a service can be a bit of a shock but I note the spark plugs were replaced - so what else did they have to do to keep it running sweet?
  5. Blew's Avatar
    The change of coolant would indicate your bike was a jap multi, I would expect the correct chain tension to be 20-30 mm not 15-20 mm which would prematurely wear your chain and sprockets out.
    Posts I have seen on here - most shops will happy explain or fix any problem if given the chance. Tyre's that are list as "worn out" may still be warrantable under our LTSA regs. You would be shocked by the handling improvement when you change tyres over 3/4 worn.
    Most shops use a generic text which is modified to suit individual services, has the none mechanic computer imputter forgotten to remove the none applicable text.
    12000 km services with valve clearance inspection on my 1250 Bandit cost similar in Auckland - the figure your say as quote sounds like labour figure.
  6. BMWST?'s Avatar
    Go and see gary gill or steve dundon.They are the owners.they would not be in business if they were not reactive.I think you owe them the opportunity to explain/put right.
    Then make it public.
  7. Densial's Avatar
    ok, so I am a noob and all but if a mechanic stuffs up your car service you end up coming to a rolling halt on the motorway, no biggie. If someone stuffs up your bike service you end up coming to a skidding halt on the tarmac, hopefully not under another vehicle. If you can you should do your own work (not always possible with new bike warranties) and if you can't you need to check everything (e.g. torque values, tyre pressures, the works). Some shops will get the apprentice to do the work and charge you an arm and a leg anyways.
  8. F5 Dave's Avatar
    Only point I would add is that you should have someone sit on the bike & then check chain adjustment. Some bikes have the pivot in an unfavorable position so you need to check it doesn't over tighten like this. Last time I saw this was on a g/fs bike that had been serviced, (erm well I'll let you guess where), but no drama, just haven't been near shops for service in last 20 yrs.
  9. Blew's Avatar
    12 k service, valve clearances on my 1250 was and addition I choose. Std check is 24 km, small GSF models are done at 12 k.
  10. Crasherfromwayback's Avatar
    Ken...it is indeed a shame we missed your jammed hazzard light switch, and that the stop light bulb wasn't working. I'm not trying to say the bulb popped on your ride home...but it could've. Both of those issues Steve offered to correct if you'd taken up his offer of bringing the bike back in. The brake lever..."Adjust as required". So if they don't need adjustment...they don't get adjusted. The chain...the chain was checked, lubed and adjusted. They require more than 15-20mm slack. The tightest point during swingarm movement is when the swingarm is parallel to the ground. This is how we adjust them. If a chain is too tight...it will do serious damage to the transmission brgs etc. Cluncking when put into gear? Quite normal...some bikes make more noise that others. The tyres? I personally saw your tyres...and they were totally stuffed! The rear was flat as in the centre, and the front had worn the shoulders off it badly. This causes bikes to handle badly...to the point they become dangerous. Yes...by the letter of the law they're still warrantable...but that does not mean they're not worn out or shouldn't be replaced. It is YOUR safety we're looking out for when we say the should be replaced! I doubt very much the man at VTNZ rides bikes if his opinion differs.

    As far as the bill is concerned, sorry you got a shock. Phil (our service writer) is very good at his job and explaining things to people, and he's adamant you would've been told $395.00 for labour, plus whatever materials are needed. I can only assume it's only the $395.00 bit you've remembered. If anyone can do the service on your bike including doing valve clearances...with materials for $395.00...they're welcome.

    I've been in the motorcycle industry for over 20 years and worked in five shops in that time, and I'm also a qualified mechanic by trade. I can say with hand on heart that the work coming out of Wellington Motorcycles workshop is of a higer quality than any of the other shops I've been involved with. Yes mistakes can be made...but we did at least offer to put it right.

    Hope you have better luck in the future.

    Pete
    Updated 5th February 2010 at 11:09 by Crasherfromwayback (Spelling mistakes)
  11. Mumbles's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Crasherfromwayback
    Ken...it is indeed a shame we missed your jammed hazzard light switch, and that the stop light bulb wasn't working. I'm not trying to say the bulb popped on your ride home...but it could've. Both of those issues Steve offered to correct if you'd taken up his offer of bringing the bike back in. The brake lever..."Adjust as required". So if they don't need adjustment...they don't get adjusted. The chain...the chain was checked, lubed and adjusted. They require more than 15-20mm slack. The tightest point during swingarm movement is when the swingarm is parallel to the ground. This is how we adjust them. If a chain is too tight...it will do serious damage to the transmission brgs etc. Cluncking when put into gear? Quite normal...some bikes make more noise that others. The tyres? I personally saw your tyres...and they were totally stuffed! The rear was flat as in the centre, and the front had worn the shoulders off it badly. This causes bikes to handle badly...to the point they become dangerous. Yes...by the letter of the law they're still warrantable...but that does not mean they're not worn out or shouldn't be replaced. It is YOUR safety we're looking out for when we say the should be replaced! I doubt very much the man at VTNZ rides bikes if his opinion differs. -
    Yes mistakes can be made...but we did at least offer to put it right.

    Hope you have better luck in the future.

    Pete
    I got to agree, you should take the bike back and get them to put it right. They did offer! (and you've already paid for it)
    All of the above make's logical sense and mistakes happen (a comment on the faulty switch would have been a good heads up).

    Mate we have all been there at one point or another, it's a matter of learning from our mistakes.

    How many times have I read on KB about guys riding home with rear tires splatted with chain lube, or incorrect tire pressures after a bike service, it only takes you a second to ask a question before riding your bike home on potently lethal tires...

    I know I would have been pissed had they failed me, then I would have been forced to get another set before legally being able to ride home and thats another $400+

    You've had your rant