Casbolts

[Berries]

I have always wondered why Dunedin's Meat & Vege gave up the Honda dealership.

I heard it was the hassles of warranty claims - especially on the farm bikes. Who knows?

Nah, it was all due to the lack of the pink dollar down here.

I get up to Chch fairly often so used to always make a habit of wandering around the shops on Manchester Street. Can't be sure of the names so will watch what I say. The one on its own on the opposite side of the street to the others (blue shop ? sporty bikes anyway) was the only one where they actually said hello, asked if I was ok looking around and generally acted in the manner I expect shopkeepers/salesmen should. The two big shops were not bothered at all even though I was always in buying mode if I saw something on my trip to the 'big city'.

One time I was wanting to have a look at an AGV helmet and found one of the smaller shops had them on display. Was made to feel like a thief though when I went in so no sale there. The big shops left me staring at the helmets on display for too long (one of them ignored me completely) so in the end it was a new Shoei from Meat and Vege and my search for a decent summer glove continues.

Now when I go up to Chch I rarely bother going to the bike shops.

[Gibbo89]

Nah, it was all due to the lack of the pink dollar down here.

I get up to Chch fairly often so used to always make a habit of wandering around the shops on Manchester Street. Can't be sure of the names so will watch what I say. The one on its own on the opposite side of the street to the others (blue shop ? sporty bikes anyway) was the only one where they actually said hello, asked if I was ok looking around and generally acted in the manner I expect shopkeepers/salesmen should. The two big shops were not bothered at all even though I was always in buying mode if I saw something on my trip to the 'big city'.

One time I was wanting to have a look at an AGV helmet and found one of the smaller shops had them on display. Was made to feel like a thief though when I went in so no sale there. The big shops left me staring at the helmets on display for too long (one of them ignored me completely) so in the end it was a new Shoei from Meat and Vege and my search for a decent summer glove continues.

Now when I go up to Chch I rarely bother going to the bike shops.

dabble with the other stores not on manchester. not sure about other chch people but i get a good vibe in hampton honda (carmen road?) and i heard that the suzuki store near sockburn round-a-bout is good. and Just Motorcycles in New Brighton are always friendly. dont give up on the cantabs just yet...

[Banditbandit]

There is something slightly wrong with NZ's parts pricing and I do not think it is all the dealers fault - there is a wholesaler making a whack too.

I'm not sure about the motorcycle dealers - but the car repair industry puts a 100% mark up on parts ... I've even seen 150% mark up .. and that's on the price the repairer pays for it ... so the wholesaler has his cut ... then the repairer basically doubles that price ...

[Eyegasm]

Buy Jewellery, It's even worse than 100% mark up.

I worked for a watch importer and we brought in a limited piece and only got 2 watches. I bought mine for $450 (cost+GST) and the other sold in a shop for RRP of $2,499

[HenryDorsetCase]

Buy Jewellery, It's even worse than 100% mark up.

I worked for a watch importer and we brought in a limited piece and only got 2 watches. I bought mine for $450 (cost+GST) and the other sold in a shop for RRP of $2,499

I want an Omega Speedmaster Moon Watch please. Steel band.

[GMcC]

We were down South for a couple of weeks Feb last and the battery on me S2R 1000 went a bit belly up ( were over the West Coast at this stage - tried to get 1 locally but no luck of coarse )
Rang Ducati daelers - Casbolts and they fired one up on the trickle and we picked it up later that day - was near on closing time too..............
They could not have been more helpful !!!!
Both parts guys and mechanic fussed over the bike and even reset my fault code on the dash read out - showed me how to do for the future ( bike gone now )
Full marks to them

[AxN]

I feel obliged to post something in this thread because the great, friendly service I have experienced at Casbolts recently. I started shopping for my current bike from about 8 months ago, and I had visited Casbolts several times and each time I was able to talk to a salesperson, and Craig always took time to sit down for a chat despite the first 4 or 5 visits were purely window shopping. And bike purchase process went smoothly and for a rather inexperience bike rider/owner like me, they have always patiently answered my questions and provided prompt solutions to my problems.

Casbolts gets two thumbs up from me.

[Muppet]

I bought a bike of Craig at Casbolts in the 90s, and when I go in he still recognises me and says gidday. I have never had a problem with him, but old man Casbolt is a twat.

Out of the Manchester St bike shops Pitlane stand head and shoulders above any of them, and I will go there for anything I can. I visited Rolling Thunder once and didn't like being told that my bike was a piece of crap compared to the Harley I was looking at, but I'm sure if you ride a Harley they're fine. The Sportszone crew are friendly whenever I go in for a drool, but they don't sell anything I want. The new guy selling Guzzis seems pretty good and when I went in for a drool he was super friendly and offered me a ride on a demonstrator even though I told him I wasn't looking to buy.

Yes Don at Pitlane talks the talk and walks the walk. I've gone there since 1999 for tyres, chains, sprockets and brake pads. He speaks to every single person that walks in his shop even while he is flat out.

I'll tell you how much time I have for the guy: I waited 90 mins for him to change both tyres on my bike while he was dealing with a big influx of customers. Did I care? No because I was sitting in his waiting area reading some of the hundreds of bike mags and drinking coffee. Another time I took a friend's bike in for a new rear tyre and he discovered the rear brake piston had seized. To say it was a prick of a job is an understatement, he spent the next hour fixing it and wouldn't take any money for his efforts.

You can see why I won't go anywhere else, even if they're cheaper.

[HondaSTrider]

I would have to report much the same experiences as most others on here. Parts guys and mechanics pretty up front and helpful (service and accessory outlet on a VFR800) but certainly a very different reception on the shop floor!
Partner and I went in looking for a bike for her, not really sure what she was after. Saw something that may have done but was a little small in capacity. Asked if they had or knew of anything similar in type but bigger cc..... answer.... No. That's it, nothing added, just walked away.
Suffice to say we looked... and spent, elsewhere.
Went in from time to time looking for accessories, helmets, gloves, jackets etc and rarely got a decent reception out front... and at times bordering on rude.
When it came time to spend large, I went to Hampton Honda and swapped nearly $30K for my new ST 1300 with the extra 'ready to go' bits on it. More than happy with the process there before, during and after the sale! Well done Casbolts for assisting your competition!

Also get a good reception across the road at Sportzone. Can't see me ever buying a Soozy but the guys there are always cheery and helpful, hence a spend of around $2k on a couple of Arai helmets. Doesn't take that much effort to make a sale really ay? Takes none at all to get folk walking out your door!!!

[Old Steve]

Back a looooong time ago, when I started my first job, the MD asked me why the company was there. I said to sell engineering equipemt and parts. He said:

The company is there to make a profit for the shareholders.
To make a profit we sell equipment and parts.
To sell equipment and parts we provide service.

I've never forgotten that.

[Pixie]

Yes Don at Pitlane talks the talk and walks the walk. I've gone there since 1999 for tyres, chains, sprockets and brake pads. He speaks to every single person that walks in his shop even while he is flat out.

I'll tell you how much time I have for the guy: I waited 90 mins for him to change both tyres on my bike while he was dealing with a big influx of customers. Did I care? No because I was sitting in his waiting area reading some of the hundreds of bike mags and drinking coffee. Another time I took a friend's bike in for a new rear tyre and he discovered the rear brake piston had seized. To say it was a prick of a job is an understatement, he spent the next hour fixing it and wouldn't take any money for his efforts.

You can see why I won't go anywhere else, even if they're cheaper.

Congratulations for not saying " walks the talk" like so many NZ morons do these days.

[rabidnz]

budget are fine if you know exactly what you want and it is in their books, otherwise they are pretty much clueless, but all very lovely people, and as such it is my first port of call for bits and bobs. The guys at pitlane are more helpful and knowledgeable (they will compare parts to try find a match if you really need the bit asap), and they have alot more specific bike skills, but also seem alot more gruff, and the old guy never calls you back like he says he will when you ring up for a part.
I wont even set foot inside a stealership unless there is no way i can engineer an alternative fix. Was at norjos last week, seemed friendly till i had paid, then basically scooted me towards the door while i was having a geez at some of the bikes. The shop feels like an old bookstore or something.

Ps whoever said about the racing banners and classic bikes on show in sportzone, that is the best idea ive heard today, it would certainly get me in the doors!

[Renegade]

If you are after Honda bike parts I have found Econohonda in Hamilton real good (have only bought from them online).
http://www.econohonda.co.nz/

You can often choose OEM or second hand parts, and they seem to carry a pretty decent stock. If I can, I try to support someone in NZ first.

i second this, econohonda have provided great service for my honda parts and carry some second hand bits too, one phone call hand over credit card detail and part shipped that day, great service!! and in NZ with reasonable prices

[batboy]

Casbolts really suck big time, over priced attitude filled people.

Hampton Honda in Hornby are sooooooo much better, nice helpful people could not recomend them anymore!!!!!
Screw casbolts go to Hamptons,