Dealer took SIX months to repair my motorbike

losinj1

Hello everyone. Sorry if this is a bit long.

Does anyone know if it's possible to ask for money off the bill, for an unreasonable delay in repairs to a motorbike? No fix time was agreed when I initially took the bike in to the main dealer's service department, but I didn't ever imagine it could be six months - to replace a cylinder, piston and rings (on a V-twin).

Spares were ordered, but when I'd heard nothing after a couple of months I contacted them and was just told that the spares were still on order. I waited again, and eventually contacted the manufacturer's 'Customer Care' by email, asking them to investigate. They advised that spares had been sent out, but no record could be found of the dealer ever having received them. Replacement spares were duly sent out, and work was then able to progress.

It's hugely annoying to think that I've missed a whole six months enjoyment of riding, because the dealer had basically taken their eye completely off the ball. Goodness knows how long the situation would have continued had I not intervened (but why should I even have had to?)

For such an extended and unnecessary delay, I asked 'Customer Care' if they would consider a goodwill gesture of some kind, but evidently that kind of thing is in very short supply. The dealer has agreed to deliver the bike (60 miles) for no additional charge, rather than me collect it, but only because I asked them to under the circumstances. They've subsequently failed to meet an agreed 3-week delivery deadline, prior to a planned bike trip, so I shall now have to use a different means of transport.

Now I've found out they haven't completed all the work I requested. I had asked them at the outset to also replace the rear wheel bearing, while they had the bike, as there was noticeable play. Their reason is they wanted to get the bike back to me ASAP, and the repair was not urgent as it would only be an advisory on its next MOT. Erm, I think they missed the point - and they will not be the ones doing the MOT.

The repair bill is going to be about £1,600 - a good chunk of the 8-year-old bike's current value. When I queried why the job had initially been priced for 10 hours labour, the dealer phoned back and said 'yes, it was too much', and promptly reduced the bill by £200. What the...? I would like to think it's possible to get them to knock even more off the bill, as compensation for the delay, but how much is it reasonable to ask for?

forgotmyname

Start at £1,000,000 and work your way down to £0.

Initially estimated 10 hours because they didn't know what actually needed doing. Now they do know they dropped the estimate. Sounds fair.

AdrianC

So the delay is because the parts took months to arrive. I presume these were parts on back-order with the manufacturer (in the US?). There was another delay due to them having been logged as having been sent from the UK importer to the dealer, not logged as having been received by the dealer. So they were re-supplied... From the US, again?

£1,600 for a substantial chunk of parts and 10hrs labour doesn't sound bad. What's the hourly rate? It sounds like it's a lot less than you'd expect from a franchised dealer for a specialist car brand... That'd be not far off that for the labour alone, with the VAT included.

ssparks2003

losinj1 wrote: »

Spares were ordered, but when I'd heard nothing after a couple of months I contacted them and was just told that the spares were still on order

You don't seem like you were exactly keeping the pace up if your happy to sit there and wait months before you even thought to ask how things were going. At that point you could have pulled the plug and taken the bike elsewhere, but instead you carried on then only once the work is do you start sniffing round for a discount.

losinj1

Perhaps I need to add more detail.

I gave a summary, and didn't just contact the dealer once in a couple of months to ask how things were going. They knew exactly what work needed doing to remedy a scored cylinder barrel: replace barrel, piston and rings; so their book time should have been accurate. They admitted they had been slow to follow up on the first lot of spares with the supplier in Italy, but as I didn't really have anywhere else I could take the bike....

There are only two main dealers within a reasonable distance, and I've already lost trust for the other one. When they worked on the engine in 2017, to remedy an acknowledged design flaw with the valve gear, they said it made an unusually loud noise when they first fired it up, but it appeared normal shortly afterwards. It was the first job of its kind they had done on this engine. Did they screw up...? It's too late to prove anything now, as I'd been using the bike which appeared to be running normally until its performance began to fade a few months later, due to loss of compression in one cylinder.

The amount on the bill is immaterial. This is really about my rights as a UK consumer, to have a service completed in a reasonable time. I don't think it has been, and there seems to be an admission from the dealer. So should there not be an opportunity here, to negotiate on the the bill amount?

MEM62

losinj1 wrote: »

Perhaps I need to add more detail.

Yes you do. The name of the manufacturer and the dealer would be useful.

AdrianC

losinj1 wrote: »

They admitted they had been slow to follow up on the first lot of spares with the supplier in Italy, but as I didn't really have anywhere else I could take the bike...

It doesn't need to be a main dealer, of course. Any marque specialists around you?

The amount on the bill is immaterial. This is really about my rights as a UK consumer, to have a service completed in a reasonable time. I don't think it has been, and there seems to be an admission from the dealer. So should there not be an opportunity here, to negotiate on the the bill amount?

<scratches head> Contradiction?

Of course you can ask to negotiate the amount as an apology for the delay.

Do you have any statutory basis to insist? No.

chunkytfg

Out of interest what bike?

losinj1

The name of the ... dealer would be useful.

Moto Corsa.

Out of interest what bike?

Moto Guzzi 1200 Sport "4V".

Any marque specialists around you?

Not that I'm aware of. There were only two 'Guzzi dealers in the south of England within reasonable distance at the time, and I had faith in this dealer to do a good job.

<scratches head> Contradiction?

No contradiction. If it had been £160 the principle would still apply, yes?

Of course you can ask to negotiate the amount as an apology for the delay.

Yes, thanks, this is my point, but I'm wondering what would be a reasonable place to start the negotiation.

AdrianC

losinj1 wrote: »

Not that I'm aware of. There were only two 'Guzzi dealers in the south of England within reasonable distance at the time, and I had faith in this dealer to do a good job.

Googling "Moto Guzzi specialist UK" finds https://baldricksworkshop.co.uk in Leatherhead.

I presume you've also asked the club?
https://www.motoguzziclub.co.uk/

but I'm wondering what would be a reasonable place to start the negotiation.

Sit down and ask yourself what would have you coming away thinking "Yep, I've paid a fair price considering the ballache" - then start a bit higher and be prepared to come down.

chunkytfg

6 months to get hold of significant engine pieces on a Guzzi sounds about right. 1month shut down for august, Another for xmas.

I'm surprised when the dealer took it in they didn't point out parts can be a nightmare to get hold of sometimes.

My friends Garage will always let customers know whenever parts have to be ordered from Italian bike manufacturers unless the UK importer has them on the shelf the lead time on the parts could be literally anything!