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Service Blues

Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 11:09 pm
by The Reverend
Just had my Falco serviced by a well known dealer in Buckinghamshire - just a basic service, oil and filter change.....but charged for 4 hours labour. This seems excessive to me. Last year I had the service done in Scotland and it was less than two hours labour. The same Buckinghamshire dealer serviced my RSV Factory last year and only spent 3 hours.

What is the normal time/cost for a basic service on a Falco?

Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 11:25 pm
by exupmonkey
Thats a whole lot of tea breaks. Even if they did your valve clearances I shouldn't think it would take that long. I think I would be asking for an explination....unless they charged £2.50 an hour in which case its a bargain.

Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2008 6:14 am
by phillvr6
Having done mine myself for the first time a couple of weeks ago, I reckon I could do filter and oild in an hour or so. Add plugs to that and I reckon another hour now I know what I'm doing.

Phill

Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2008 6:52 am
by EdinburghFalco
Just as a matter of interest, where did you get it serviced in Scotland?

Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2008 7:10 am
by Firestarter
I think my last normal service cost around £160 for oil, filter etc. The "full" service, with valve clearance checks, cost around £280 iirc. Don't know how many hours each of those is

Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2008 7:25 am
by scorpio24v
Four hours is taking the piss for an oil /filter change it only took me an hour and i faffed around for half of that cleaning funnels ect. I always make a point of getting an estimate now for the car then suck through my teeth,shake my head and say "cant afford that" "can you move on the price?"
Done it day before yesterday and saved 40 quid at the main stealer. If you dont ask you dont get!

back to the point, speak or better still, write to the dealer principle and ask him for an explanation. Next time go somewhere else.

Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2008 8:03 am
by Nooj
Since they spend all day servicing these bikes, shouldn't they have a set rate they can quote you before you book in?

Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2008 11:35 am
by Firestarter
Nooj wrote:Since they spend all day servicing these bikes, shouldn't they have a set rate they can quote you before you book in?
That's exactly what I got - a set rate. They then tried to charge more :smt012 until I set them straight :smt002

Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2008 11:55 am
by HowardQ
Biggest problem with all bike dealers is lack of competition, much less chance of going somewhere else than you have with your Ford Fiesta.
Then you consider Aprilia dealers, the first problem is finding one, the second is the ridiculous cost of all Aprilia spares.
I live in Sheffield, we used to have three dealers within a 30 mile radius. There was a small dealer in Sheffield, Hillsborough Motor Cycles, who were small and friendly and better than average on prices, so they were my chosen dealer, they went bust this year.
Then there was Clay Cross Powersports, not that convenient, between Chesterfield and Ripley, (who always quoted around £100 more than HMC), they are a multi franchise dealer, who decided to drop Aprilia 18 months to 2 years ago.
So now we just have Premier Bikes, up between Doncaster and Selby, again a multifranchise, but not really used them, and certainly not convenient for dropping a bike off in the morning and picking up at night.
Hence all my recent servicing, I've done myself. Need a valve check soon though, so gonna have to try them.
Anybody here used Premier Bikes?

Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2008 12:45 pm
by The Reverend
I spoke to the 'stealers' today and, on checking their records, they admitted that they had charged me for a major service instead of a minor one. The cost of a minor service should have been £175 plus vat for labour and parts. I guess I should have spotted it at the time but I was just so glad to get her back that I wanted to get on the road asap. Maybe next time I'll do it myself - should be fun.

Edinburghfalco, it was Jim Allan motorcycles in Falkirk who did my last service. Can't really fault them on anything and the cost was a reasonable £144 plus VAT. Telephone number if you want it is 01324 620111.

Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2008 9:40 pm
by xrphil
minor service is easy to do yourself, and valve check isn,t that difficult.
Minor would cost you £40 for oil and filter, major not much more just takes longer.

Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2008 11:21 am
by Falken
:smt001
Howard, have you heard of John Carr at Alfreton.
This may be a little nearer to you than Premier bikes.
They took over the Aprilia dealership from Powersports at Clay Cross.
Heven't dealt with them myself, but have a mate who bought a bike from them, and he rates them very highly.
Also Sean who used to have Corse Performance, who set up the suspension for Fastasfcuk and myself now operates from there.
Take the A38 from M1 jct 28 heading south, come off at the first exit, up to the main road and turn right, it's about 100yds on the right.
Hope it's of use to you.

Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2008 11:26 am
by HowardQ
Yes I've been there quite a few years ago, not close but pretty easy to get to down the M1, didn't know they were Aprilia now, thanks a lot!
Will have to check them out.

Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2008 12:17 pm
by fastasfcuk
as falcon says, sean is the service manager there now,i rate him highly.

Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2008 1:28 pm
by joecrx
i got a price for a oil change and filter break and clutch fluid change , tighten chain and lube

for 100 sqid from avuss in paisly , ask for kevin , if he still works there