Extremely Unhelpful Dealer

I called the local Honda dealer a couple of weeks back to ask about a new set of tires for my 2003 VFR. They tell me nothing is in stock and I should come in to look through their catalog and they can order some. Well I figure that I'll get them cheaper and faster if I just get them online. After the tires get ordered online I call the dealer again to ask what they'll charge me for mounting and balancing the new tires. The price they give me is the one for me taking the wheels off myself and bringing just the wheels in, They quote me a price of......drum roll please... $150.00. WHAT THE #@%@. Okay, so I think I have a set of tire irons ordered from Ebay before this guy can hang up the phone. So is this dealer hitting the crack pipe or am I ? For the sake of argument I did get the new tires mounted and balanced with dynabeads with a little elbow grease. So seriously what are dealers getting for mounting and balancing a set of tires ? I don't mind seeing someone make a fair profit but I don't need to pay his kid's college tuition for the whole year. Thanks, William

 

They don't dig mounting tires not bought from them. Usually, if ya buy from say a local shop or tire shop, they charge $35 to mount and balance per wheel if ya bring in the bike, other wise they'll bend ya over

 

Just means you know where never to go in the future, be it for anything. Many years ago I went to a Honda dealer for an oil filter for my CB750, stitched me $25 , can get them for $5 online. I said to him "look at my face", he said "why", I said" because you will never see it again" I've never been back

 

ya my Honda dealer sells Harleys too

 

Sounds about right for Alaska, years ago we designed a complete communications package for Bassett Army Medical Center in Fairbanks. We had the systems priced out in the lower 48 at a little over $6 million dollars, the local general contractor quoted over $9 million! We waited for building to be finished, and the Army did it themselves and we supervised!

 

What some dealers forget is a very simple word, it is called "service", you give service without screwing somebody over they will come back and they will tell others of the good service, worked for many years but seems to be disappearing now

 

Its not called.. screw the customer service for a reason

 

I know the dealer that I worked for did not like to mount tires that he did not sell ,we had some problems with tires old and difficult to balance . customers blamed us for the mounting of them wrong and eventually we just stopped doing them if they were not purchased from us ,but we did try to come close to online deals most of the time . We also had a big problem when the Goldwing Dunflops were recalled as a customer from another store crashed and we got named because we sold him some plugs for that bike and should have told him not to ride it even though it had never been to our shop $5 grand for legal guy on that one

 

Boo Fucking Hoo! So your shop compensates by charging sky high prices to everyone who does not buy their tires at your dealership?

 

Yup it is the owners choice of who he will service and I guess he figured to take care of his good customers and screw the cheap bastards .

 

Sorta ran into the same deal hear. Our local Honda shop wanted $75 ea. off the bike mind you. Then wanted me to leave them there as they had no idea when they would get to em.. Went to the another dealer, $35 ea. did them right then and now too. Plus gave a shit too on the placement of the balance weights, and asked what type I'd like. I didn't expect that, but it sure was a nice touch, then add to it they actually gave me props for having nice rims to work with. They will get more of my business and they are not a Honda dealer.. they're KTM..

 

Yes and there is always the chance that if you give good service and the bloke leaves with a smile, he might just come back one day and buy a new bike from you, treat him like shit and he will never return

 

My local dealer that I use (we have a few here thankfully) charges $45 CAD per wheel, mounted and balanced.

They don't give a shit where it came from - but you bring the wheel in. They charge more if they have to remove the wheels.