Yes LLoyd Coopers in Watford, useless bunch of hamfisted spanner monkeys!!!!
As usuall its the bloody service deptment that lets a dealership down ( OYB Alesbury aprilia...see 'My Spring service' all 6 volumes >:( )
Now OYB lost a sale, my GTR cos they are a bunch of useless w*nkers, and it seems this strange ailement called ' we don't give a sh*t about your shiny bike' has been caught by Lloyd Coopers.
I took the bike in for a service last month everything was fine and dandy until i picked it up, low and behold the tank is scratched, it looks as if someone took it for a test ride in their overalls and had a couple of bits of swarf on the knee.
When i pointed the damage out I got the usual, nothing to do with us mate!... we don't damage bikes...oh except the footrest hanger on my wifes bandit every bloody time, but heyho!.... anyway I managed to get a mate who owns a Jag garage to get his bodywork peeps to polish it out.
sooooooooooo to today... i'm fitting the Oximiser leads to the battery and guess what, the plastic panel that goes over the battery is damaged, looks like some it has been well over tightened and the plastic snapped off, a very crap attempt at repair has been done.
I give up, i honestly do. Do dealers actually want us to buy bikes from them or get them serviced or not . in the end it costs them, cos next year when 'er indoors wants to change her bandit we wont be going to Lloyd Cooper, nor will i be going there to change the GTR the year after.
Me and the Mrs spend a bloody fortune on bikes (we have 4 between us) that's a fair wedge on tyres, servicing and the mountain of kit we buy each year. It's no wonder bike shops are going down the pan all the time when customers get treated like this.
Its all smiles, coffee and muffins when the sales team are trying to releive you of the thick end of 14k, but when it comes to servicing and repairs most dealers don't take enough care of the customers bike.
An unhappy service customer does not return to the sales dept.
Rant over..... :'(
Glad I don't live near Watford... :o
Oh Dear ... I don't think Kawasaki UK would be impressed by that >:(
Ride down to Worthing West Sussex and visit " Alfs " .... 10/10 ... as recommended by ME ;)
this is excactly why my bikes do not go to the dealers. have got and heard so many horror stories of "ham-fisted trained monkeys" making a balls up of the most simple job! I bought the oil and filter and the recommended shaft oil and did it myself, infact the dealer did not have the recommended shaft oil, they tried to palm me off with a GL4 gear oil, then told me this was the recommended shaft oil. so pointed out the A.P.I GL5 heavy gear oil was what kawasaki recommend for the gtr1400 shaft drive! rather do it myself then I know every nut and bolt is tourqe correctly and the plastics are not damaged. "no one looks after your bike like your self" just keep the receipts for the dates the genuine consumeables used.
You have a point my friend ... when the Gtr is out of warranty I shall invest in some basic tools and crack on .... oils, filters, pads etc ... all the easy stuff but as you say if you do it yourself you get to know the bike .... on a serious note though your dealer really doesn't sound any good at all >:(
Many years ago my VFR went in for new tyres and came out with a scratched rear wheel ... nothing serious but I knew it was there because I knew my bike, AND they had a new lad starting there on that day ... he is now a senior guy .... I rubbed it out and painted it over .. really very small but none the less it was damaged. Didn't raise it with them as I knew the new lad would get it in the neck ( me being a southern softy ) but apart from that I have never had any issues with dealer servicing other than it costs a lot !
Dawinism applies. . . . If they treat paying customers that way they will fold sooner
or later. Dont forget you are not tied to a kawasaki dealer to maintain your warranty.
EU anti competition rules make it illegal for them to stipulate this I use my local main dealer for major services (and negotiate the cost) and use my fave bike shop for everything else.
I know my dealer quite well, he also knows me quite well and is well awear am very anal over my bikes, he also knows that am more than capable of doing my own maintenance. if am unlucky enough to have a warranty issue then I will have no choice but to let them sought it out, he as also agreed that providing the genuine parts have been used this will not effect the kawasaki warranty. suppose his heart is in his mouth when I turn up. he knows me from old! he also knows that I know that corners can and most likely be cut when servicing is done by any garage. at least if you do it your self you know its done right!!
So you have a problem with one dealer, maybe MCN should do some secret shopping :) http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/News/newsresults/General-news/2011/January/jan2811-destination-dealer/_/R-EPI-128874 (http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/News/newsresults/General-news/2011/January/jan2811-destination-dealer/_/R-EPI-128874)
Mogster, I feel for you. As has been said there is a lot to be said for doing your own servicing. You know whats been done and you know that it has been done correctly with the utmost of care. If I'm working on my bike and I should be careless enough to damage something then its down to me, 100% obviously. Yes I'll still be annoyed but it'll be my fault.
We used to have a bike shop in Saltaire Shipley which had a reputation for dropping bikes when they were changing tyres. They actually used to tell you that if it fell over in their workshop they would fix it, if any damage occurred. I never used them.
I have in the past insisted that staff at garages come out with me to the carpark and physically walk around the bike/car and check it for damage before I hand the keys over. If they're not prepared to do this then I refuse to leave the vehicle there.
I agree with all said, I had similar prob involing my wife's zzr being released in dangerous condition (have dealt with mechanic, he won't forget me) took her bike to alf's in worthing who offer coffee bicci's an eye contact even when droppin in for service or can o wax! LR wonder we'll turn up at same time oneday
Unfortunatly i have all the mechanical patience of a 4 year old. so it's usually a dealers for anything more technical than taking a wheel off.
But i shall be doing he whole 'Bodywork checklist' next time i take something in.
Thing is, good customer care = repeat business... I have had a couple of probs with my Mazda dealer over the years and each time they have rectified it without argument and even sent letters to apologise for the incovienince and vouchers off future servicing, and because of this we have had 4 new cars in 6 years and will be getting a new one in march from the same dealer.
Some establishments do not yet realise that they are only in business because they are supported by loyal customers.
You are all right of course ... dealers can't exist without return custom so why offer bad service in the first place ? I just don't get it ! I have, over many years tutored a number of officers and the golden rule I always tell them is " treat someone the way you yourself would wish to be treated " and that will I can assure you, in uniform or not, get you a long long way ;D ;D
True words there. Courtesy and good service cost nothing but both can reap benefits ten fold.
Mogster
I would contact Kawasaki UK and report it. May not do any good but at least it would place on record there has been a problem. I doubt dealers want trouble from their Franchise H.Q.
Kawasaki will soon pick up on dealers who have regular complaints against them re the service.
These posts sadden me mainly because I worked in the franchised motor trade for over 20 years with SAAB, Rover, Jaguar and Lotus. Unfortunately it seems that the dealers lack personal service and attention in their thirst for short term results and quick profits. I have many friends who have left dealers because of this. It appears that the Motor Cycle industry is no different. My own experience of Kawasaki dealers is limited to 2. Ashton Kawasaki who did not even have the courtesy to call me to say no when I asked for a road test on a GTR1400 12 months ago. When I returned to buy some parts after buying a bike somewhere else, was greeted with the same apathy and dis-interest. I have recently had a service and 2 tyres at Bolton Kawasaki, no issues so far and all the staff seem very helpful and friendly. The technician even took the time to come and explain a few things to me when I collected the bike. Unfortunately despite 2 emails and 2 phone calls I am waiting for them to come back to me with a price to service my son'e SV650 (they are also Suzuki dealers). Like someone else here as stated, in our house we have 3 bikes and spend a lot of money each year on bikes, bits and clothing. It annoys me that the best attention I have ever had is from the local Honda dealer, Hunts of Manchester, who keeps nagging me with the old slogan, sooner or later your gonna get a Honda. We will see. Come on Kawasaki get your finger out. Come on GTR riders, name names on this forum, for the good and the bad but also voice your opinion to the dealer concerned, good and bad, it's the only way they will learn. Rant over.
I don't think the issue is purely a Kawasaki dealership one. Generally, customer service seems to have suffered in all industries.
I get on with my dealer, but I'm not always convinced the mechanic has my interests at heart. He's a good mechanic, but at the end of the day he just wants to get the job done in the shortest time which is incompatible with the TLC I would show the bike.
A prime example of this is a tyre change. Note how quickly it is done. I've yet to witness anyone applying the correct torque to all the bolts, greasing the axle or splines. Stuff that I class as value added service. My local tyre fitter allows the use of his tools for the owner to remove their own wheels so all they need to pay for is the tyre change. He observed me removing and refitting the wheel with the checklist I had prepared. His comment was he wished all bikers that used his facility were that diligent. I asked why couldn't his tyre changers provide the same service. He didn't have an answer.
It's probably best to service your own bike or find a dealer/independent that you trust.
Sorry to rock the boat, but I have used Lloyd Cooper on my GTR fo 18 months (4 sevices) and have found them to be excellent. In fairness, a scratched tank coul;d be caused at any time, and most dealers would react the same. If you have concerns then as suggested a pre-handover inspection seems in order.
I also used them on my VFR when the electrics died and they were very good on this, lending me a bike when I turned up on the recovery trailer!!