Indy shop vs Dealership

Many people think that the dealership is out to screw them over.
I used to wonder myself but since working at one I have come to realize
what else is going on there.

Sure, sometimes the labour rate is lower at the indy.
Guess why.
The indy shop often has an uncertified mechanic working on a variety of
bikes with which he may or may not be familiar.
He doesn't have all the service manuals, he doesn't get the service
updates and he usually has a less than stellar shop.
The dealership, if it is a good one, has paid for its mechanics to be
certified on the bikes they will be reparing, has a large investment in
all the service manuals, usually has several mechanics available, often
keep slots open for emergency work.

They generally have a well stocked parts and accessories department
staffed by several people who usually either know what they are doing or
have access to that information.

The dealership usually has hundreds of thousands tied up in stock so that
it is readily available when they need it and has an overnight, daily,
order going in to the mother company, whoever that might be.
They also have several accounts with aftermarket distributors and send in
large enough orders that shipping is covered.
At the indy you often have to wait for an aftermarket part until they
have enough items to order it or they charge you the shipping.

The dealership usually sponsors a local chapter of a riders group,
perhaps a race team or two, donates to several causes, and is generally a
good corporate citizen. The indy just works cheaper.

So, the dealership could match the price you got quoted from the indy but
they would have to reduce stock, not carry as many bikes, pay way less
for trade-ins, do less to make sure they were in good shape and stop
standing behind them, move to an older, cheaper location, fire most of
their staff, stop sponsorships and hire cheaper, unqualified mechanics.

Next time you decide to save a few bucks by finding out what you need at
the dealership then going across town to the indy, think about the
consequences if everyone did that. All that to make your expensive hobby
just a touch cheaper.

--
Bob Mann

Cap'n, ah need moor pow'r.

Posted by Mark Olson on May 10, 2008, 9:24 am

Bob Mann wrote:

> Many people think that the dealership is out to screw them over.

[snip]

> They generally have a well stocked parts and accessories department

> staffed by several people who usually either know what they are doing or

> have access to that information.

> The dealership usually has hundreds of thousands tied up in stock so that

> it is readily available when they need it and has an overnight, daily,

> order going in to the mother company, whoever that might be.

> They also have several accounts with aftermarket distributors and send in

> large enough orders that shipping is covered.

> At the indy you often have to wait for an aftermarket part until they

> have enough items to order it or they charge you the shipping.

In my experience with most Japanese brand dealers in my area,
unfortunately these particular points aren't true.

I frequently know more than the kid behind the parts counter.
I can't find a common $2.17 O-ring (used in literally hundreds
of common Kawasaki applications including popular ATVs) in
stock at any of the 15 local Kawasaki dealers.

When I ask that a part be ordered I usually get the response
that it will take "5-7 business days" even though I know that
the dealers get free 2nd day FedEx shipping from the Kawasaki
warehouse if their order is more than a certain amount, which
is easy to do during the busy short riding season here.

Surprisingly most of these complaints don't apply to the
outstate dealers. The farther I go from the metro area the
better service I get, and the more likely I am to find a
part in stock.

I did have a great experience recently at Bristow's Kawasaki
in St. Cloud. I called on a Monday at 8:30AM to order an $8
part, they ordered it at 10:30AM and I had it on Wednesday.

I'm sure the other dealers could do this too, but for some
reason they seem to think people who want bike parts are
content to waste precious nice riding days waiting patiently
for parts.

--
'01 SV650S '99 EX250-F13 '98 ZG1000-A13
OMF #7

Posted by tomorrow@erols.com on May 10, 2008, 9:35 am

> I'm sure the other dealers could do this too, but for some

> reason they seem to think people who want bike parts are

> content to waste precious nice riding days waiting patiently

> for parts.

That was my experience with the large, local, multi-brand bike
dealer. My experience with franchised Ducati, Triumph, and Harley
dealers has mirrored Bob's description pretty accurately.

However, for many years I dealt with a local "Speed shop" that was not
a franchised dealer, was in independent, and DID sponsor my racing
efforts. That shop was much more competent - in general - than the
large, local multi-brand dealer. In general. Both had glaring
weaknesses, and I often pitied new riders who lacked the experience to
know how to avoid being victimized by those weaknesses.
Unfortunately, that independent shop changed ownership, and with the
change, its efficiency went downhill too.

I think Harley has an advantage over other brand dealers here. They
source their large parts inventories across a very stable range of
models, they sell a premium product and can thus afford to staff with
more expensive, more experienced people across the whole dealership,
and they don't suffer the staff turnover rates (at least not around
here!) that other shops seem to. Their clientele is demographically
older and higher income, so they don't get as much impatience or
requests for corner cutting or price cutting. Their customers are
less likely to buy parts and accessories (RGD excluded, natch!) and
take them home to install themselves, rather they prefer to let the
shop staff take care of it for them. Also, their technicians only
work on Harleys, and generally, only newer (Twin Cam with the odd Evo
mixed in) models, so they can be experts, whereas a tech at a large
multi-line dealership has to be able to work on three or four brands
and perhaps as many as 50 or 60 models, including startlingly
different engines, chassis, and suspensions. Harley technicians
(Buells excepted) have 2-3 variants to learn.

Posted by Stupendous Man on May 10, 2008, 9:28 am

> Many people think that the dealership is out to screw them over.

> I used to wonder myself but since working at one I have come to realize

> what else is going on there.

While I agree with most of that, as a European and exotic auto tech I always
preferred to work at a small independant where I was "the mechanic" instead
of "Employee # 32". While I have run across a small few blatant cheats in
the business, they worked at or ran either type of shop.
I was trained by old Krauts who taught me that a good man doesn't lie, and
good mechanic never needs to advertise. They also taught me that a
snivelling customer is best "sent down the road".
--
Stupendous Man,
Defender of Freedom, Advocate of Liberty

Posted by Steve T on May 10, 2008, 10:15 am

:The dealership usually has hundreds of thousands tied up in stock so that
:it is readily available when they need it and has an overnight, daily,
:order going in to the mother company, whoever that might be.
:They also have several accounts with aftermarket distributors and send in
:large enough orders that shipping is covered.
:At the indy you often have to wait for an aftermarket part until they
:have enough items to order it or they charge you the shipping.

I find just the opposite in my area.

Here, most of the authorized dealers have 20-something mechanics who
are just out of school. There is no way they have any experience
with the literally hundreds of models and makes of J-brand bikes.
They carry so many brands that they can't possibly stock even a
fraction of the parts they need. They have to order parts just like
the independent shops.

The independent shops in my area are run by 40-60 something
owner/operators who have been in the business forever. The owner is
generally the mechanic. He usually has a wealth of knowledge and
specializes in one or two brands.

For J-brand bikes I have Morrison's Cycle. He's been fixing them
since the late 1960's.

For recent Harleys, Frank's V-twin shop is just down the street. He
worked for the authorized dealer for 5 years in the 1990's and now
runs his own shop. I believe he has about 18 years experience on Evo
and Twin-cams. For performance stuff, R&R Cycle in Manchester and
RJ's Cycle in Nashua are most excellent. They carry and install the
aftermarket brands that the Harley dealership won't touch because it
wasn't made by HD.

For my Panhead, when I screw it up, I go to Sal at Black Death
Cycles. He's arguably the best in New England.

For antique British bikes I have Don Hutchinson Cycle. Don and his
crew are internationally known. I used to have Jim Bernier Cycles,
but sadly, Jim passed away from cancer.

For my scooters, Javaspeed is one of the best shops anywhere.

And... I have the local J-brand for the simple stuff. Their
mechanics, although inexperienced, can change a tire and do state
inspections. I don't trust them to do anything mechanical given
their history with my bikes. I can't recall them getting very many
things right. Their parts people are generally good as long as they
have the microfiche for the particular bike for which you need
parts. Aside from air filters, grips and fluids, the generally don't
have what I need on hand so they have to order. My local J-brand
shop gets me the parts I need within a few days.

For my late-model Harleys, the dealer's parts supply is excellent.
They have almost every part I need for any bike newer than 1995.
Their mechanics have been atrocious every time I have used them.
Their lack of attention to detail is appalling. If you ask for
something specific, they almost always do the exact opposite. I
think that is because the "service writer" and the multitude of
20-something mechanics don't communicate. The service writer types
the order into the computer and whichever mechanic is available next
is rushed to finish the job as quickly as possible because of the
flat-rate pricing an many things. Even the service writers are under
30. Most have no apparent mechanical experience. They have not been
able to answer my questions.

So... I have to disagree. Our independent shops, both motorcycle and
automobile have proven to be far superior in competence, level of
service and availability.

---
Small town person clinging to guns out of bitterness

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