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did i get ripped off??!?!?!?!

1K views 9 replies 9 participants last post by  hkmp5s 
#1 ·
hi,

The reason i'm posting this message is to find out if i was ripped off. Little back round first: I just bought my first bike a Kawasaki Ninja zx-6r 1998 last thursday. the bike had about 7500 miles on it and looked in perfect condition. Now to the good part. I took the Bike into a local shop to have a tune up, because they said Kawasaki's need a major tune up at 7500 miles. I told the guy at the shop that i had no idea the last time it was serviced because the person i bought it from didn't really ride it and he was the second owner himself. The bike mechanic said to do the tune up beacause of the mileage amd i wasn't sure if it had been serviced. So i said okay. He quoted me about $370.00 worth of tune up. so i droped the bike off and picked it up today when he called and said it was done. I asked him how it was and if it was tuned up recently and he said it was good and yes. Then he said he changed the spark plugs and put the old ones in a bag for me. Then when i started questioning him on the spark plug condtion he said that they weren't bad, but since he was down there he should have replaced them anyways. But then i wanted to keep the old plugs and he was telling me to "just give them to him, so he could throw them away" I just said no its okay and he persisted a few more times with stuff like: "i will throw them away, other wise they will just sit around your house" etc... I also asked him about adjusting the valves and in one statement he said the valves didn't really need to be adjusted, but all valves can be off a little bit "1000's" he said. So i paid him $340.00 dollars and get home and see that the screws on my left fairing aren't tightened at all. They were loose to the touch. Should i be mad and do something, or should i just forget it and accept things.

p.s. I'm thinking if a three fairing screws were loose, what else might be?
p.s.s. My main reason for thinking i was ripped off is, Did they just put new spark plugs in to get money from me, and did they even adjust the valves, like reported in the reciept.

Also in the tune up, The only fluid they changed was my oil, He didn't bleed my brakes or radiator fluid. He told me that was extra.

Please someone help,
 
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#2 ·
Honestly, not sure about a possible rip...BUT...

There is NO reason for any discussion about who keeps the plugs...unless there is something that you might discover by keeping them (i.e., maybe something like the plugs you were shown/given weren't the right ones for your bike...therefore couldn't have come out of your bike)

The loose screws are just shoddy workmanship...period..and there is no reason to believe more critical workmanship is any better.

All the valve service requires is CHECKING the clearances and only adjusting those individual valves that are out of tolerance. My last check of 16 valves @ 30K miles on a Kawasaki Concours didn't require any adjustments so that isn't unusual for none to need adjustment. The work required to adjust the valve clearance is typically very little more than simply checking the clearances and the price is usually the same whether any 'adjustments' were made or not (except for parts on some engines)

However, you now have an excellent lesson about the value of getting the factory service manual for your bike, a surprisingly few quality tools, and doing the work yourself!

I truly enjoy wrenching my own bike....I am a tinkerer anyway, but I KNOW the work is done right if I am doing it and you shouldn't have to pay more for parts if you do the work yourself. I draw the line at cracking the main-case open, but I will do just about anything else, especially with a factoy service manual by my side.

Plus, you don't have the hassle of dropping-off/picking-up the bike, and you can do the work on YOUR schedule (maybe a no-riding rainy day project? ...and if you don't have a covered place to do that, talk to a remote-storage business about renting a large space for a weekend like I had to do once, it cost me a whole $10) rather than the shops.

Later...
 
#3 ·
it's too hard to say if you were ripped off. i would like to say, this is why you buy a factory service manual. do that stuff yourself. the tools and parts would need are less than what you spent.
 
#5 ·
I agree with the above posts. Around my area one has to be careful where a bike is taken for service. A buddy of mine took his bike in for service, then had to drain excess oil from where it was overfilled. He also questions whether or not they actually changed the oil filter. I've heard several other complaints from other riders concerning the same shop. I'm learning to do all I can on mine myself. After much looking, I finally found one good mechanic. He is the only one other than myself I'll let work on my baby!
 
#6 ·
WAIT.............He, as a licensed service repair facility, whether factory certified or not "MUST" relinquish "ALL" parts to you on your request unless there are "FACTORY RECALL" issues. THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA BUREAU OF AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR "SAYS SO"! :finger:

Sounds like he was giving you some BULL SHIT excuses. Furthermore, the plugs should have had PLENTY of life with only 7500 miles or so on the motor. :eek:

Who was the shop?


Johnny
Team No Limit Racing
http://www.teamnolimitracing.com

P.S. YOUR VALVES ARE VERY IMPORTANT! IF THEY WERE NOT SERVICED.......THIS COULD LEAD TO $1,000.00's IN REPAIR COSTS!
 
#7 ·
$50 to mount a tire...

you must be close to columbus, indiana...
the dealer here want to charge $190.00 for a D207 180/55r17 and $20.00 to put it on... I decided to buy my own from maw for $120, included s&h, and now the dealer wants $50.00 to put it on... what is the going price for mounting tires?

I was expecting to pay around $30 - $40 to have both mounted.

I guess when you have no competiton close, you can charge whatever you want.
 
#8 ·
Tire mounting

Shop around! I have never paid more than $12 to mount a tire. It is a simple affair, and if you ask me- easier than a car tire. Don't let 'em rip you off!
 
#10 ·
Take your bike to another shop next time, or better yet just do it your self. Plugs are like $3 each an idot bookis like $30 whats that 42 bucks? you save $300 and if you don't have any tools $300 buys a lot of tools. One tip though try to use up all your gas before you take your tank off. As long as your not getting in to the motor everything is easy to work on.good luck.
 
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