Just wanted to share my experience with everyone. A experience thankfully with a happy ending but so much frustration in between (to say the least).
I will try to keep it short and sweet. I purchased a brand new KLR650 last september from Motosouth in Invercargill. After 4000km's the bike was certainly using unacceptable amounts of oil. I let the dealer know. he said to keep an eye on it. A day after a service it broke down in the catlins with an electrical problem. I left the bike with the dealer he said he would get it sorted. Oil And electrical issues that is. I live in Queenstown by the way.
Nine weeks later, and alot of frustration and not alot of communication from Motosouth I finally got my bike back. Electrical issues sorted (say they say) and a new set of rings( Rings not bedded in properly for some reason).
Rode the bike home all good ......So far!
Three weeks later up the west coast. 370 km's and half a litre of oil used. An email to Kawasaki NZ and Motosouth. Not to happy. It gets worse. On way home the bike stops dead 40km's south of Franz Josef. A reoccurance of the electrical issue. By now I am really starting to pull my hair out. Thats being kind by the way! Lots of phone calls to the dealer!
This was the last straw. Did alot of homework about my rights and decided the best thing to do was to officially reject the bike under the Consumer guarantees act. So thats what I did!
Alot of emails between me and Motosouth and Kawasaki NZ.Kawasaki NZ can talk the talk but ultimately they remind me of Winston Peters. Are you going to vote for Winston?
The Hearing at the Motor vehicles dusputes tribunal was a big new learning experience for me. I Basically had ten grand riding on it. To often the little guy gets done over. I knew I had a good case but was still very nervous.
So here is what happened. The disputes tribunal awarded me A full refund of the purchase price plus some expenses. They found that The bike had Two Faults with it from Manufacture. One the wiring loom was routed through bike in an incorrect manor which caused electrical issues. A friday afternoon bike perhaps.They found that a reasonable mechanic would have found the problem.Two, that the Bike had an issue regarding the rings from manufacture. The rings were not working properly as they were designed. This was backed up by evidence provided by Kawasaki NZ with emails from them to Kawasaki Japan as to why Part numbers had changed. This is in regard to the third set of rings being put into a bike that had done less than 8000KM's.
Kawasaki's Japan's reply was they had been changed to help to reduce Oil consumption. they had been redesigned because they were abit loose. In essence they were admitting in a PC manor that the rings were not working as good as they should.
On top of all of this, with alot of talk between myself and Kawasaki NZ we worked out that Motosouth had been putting the wrong oil in the bike since new. Fully sinthetic oil not mineral oil.
All in all an experience that I hope no one has to go through. A bike that was a lemon and a dealer that........................... (the less I say the better).
I do want to add that the KLR650 for what it is is a great bike. A great value for money bike that you can have alot of fun with. As long as it works. When you buy a brand new bike you expect a bike that performs like a new bike should. My one did not!
Now that the dealer has in effect had to buy the bike back from me he is now selling it. Has he learnt his lesson in customer service........ I doubt it but you be the judge. Would you buy a bike that has this kind of history? Will the dealer tell the prospective buyer its history? Its on the web described as a very tidy low KM bike.
That is exactly what it is. He does not mention any of its history though! Beware!
I take delivery of a KTM 990 Adventure on the weekend. My Dream bike. I have learnt my lesson.Worth alot more than my previous bike. But I no longer feel like ever riding a Kawasaki again. Motosouth is a KTM dealer but you bet I did not buy the Bike of them! And I will not let them touch my new bike with a barge poll!
Bring on a Glorious summer so we can all ride to our hearts content! Here's to care free motoring.Bring it on!
Cheers Digitdion!
Reply With Quote
Opinions are like arseholes: Everybody has got one, but that doesn't mean you got to air it in public all the time....
Oh bugger
Seems the majority a trained like robots to do just one job & have no idea about any of the other elements of the production line. He's now back in Thailand doing god knows what as once a position is terminated there there isn't any going back and there's a waiting line for positions at the factory.
Originally Posted by Digitdion
Bookmarks