I need to vent about my Suzuki dealer...

[Trwhouse]

Hi all,

OK, my blood pressure is finally beginning to come down again into the normal range. I need to vent.
I just got home after going up to my local Suzuki dealer to buy two new Suzuki OEM oil filters, o-rings and drain plug washers for my 1991 GS500E.
Simple huh?
I get there, ask the parts guy for the VERY SIMPLE, straightforward, bought-them-there-a-hundred-times filters, o-rings and drain plug washers and he brings me a Fram oil filter in a box. I told him I didn't want a Fram oil filter, and that I want a stock Suzuki filter with an o-ring and drain plug washer. That's when he tells me he'll have to ORDER the DAMNED STOCK OIL FILTERS all of a sudden because he doesn't stock them anymore. Apparently the BRILLIANT parts manager at the dealership decided that since it's easier and cheaper to hand a customer the Fram box that includes the Fram aftermarket oil filter and o-ring, then that's all he'll sell.
It has to be the STUPIDEST thing I've ever heard.
A Suzuki dealer that doesn't offer a stock Suzuki part. Idiocy.
I know some people like aftermarket Fram filters for their bikes, but I'm not one of them. I have worked in motorcycle dealerships before and we always used stock parts such as these and I believe they are best for my bike.
I just can't believe I had to order an oil filter for my bike, as though it's an obscure part like a crankcase dowel pin or a crankshaft, which wouldn't be sitting on the parts shelf.
Has anyone else had such a ridiculous experience?

Be careful out there this holiday week.
And have fun.

yours,
Todd

[blue05twin]

Try a different dealer.  Most of the dealers here stock the OEM stuff because they charge more for them.

Personally I have never used an OEM filter if I'm doing the oil change.  I use Fram 


Have a safe holidays oh and Terry don't forget to post pic's of whatever you decide to blow up this 4th.

[cerius]

Try a different dealer.  Most of the dealers here stock the OEM stuff because they charge more for them.

Personally I have never used an OEM filter if I'm doing the oil change.  I use Fram 


Have a safe holidays oh and Terry don't forget to post pic's of whatever you decide to blow up this 4th.

ooo talking about blowing things up i should blow up my guitar lmao, start playing it the next scene it being in pieces lmao,

but yeah i hope i don't get shot at with those damn rockets, that wouldn't be fun. unless i was doing the shooting from my bike 

[ohgood]

I'm quite surprised the dealer doesn't want the higher priced filter on the shelf. Does the Fram cost more there incidently ?

My bike's PO used Fram, as did the original purchaser. I've used Fram on every change, and use Fram for my car(s).

I've yet to have an issue, then again I don't know that there is any reasonable difference.

my 2 cents

[Wrecent_Wryder]

I just recently vented about this same subject here.

As far as I can tell, the four closest Suzuki dealers don't carry any stock parts. I've never found a single part I needed in stock at any of them. I'm not certain they even look... when I called one in Baltimore about the clutch cover gasket, he told me that the part number I had was obsolete and had been superseded by another. That was the FIFTH dealer I called, none of the others mentioned that, they just listen to the number and say "out of stock, we can order it...".

As I said, this tells me what I can expect if I buy a new Suzuki motorcycle- an absolute minimum of a week to tend days for any warranty repair, because that's what they quote for every single part without exception.

I thought maybe it was just local, but maybe something's going on nationwide. Suzuki is concentrating on selling SUVs in the US now, and it seems like their motorcycle dealership service is going downhill fast.

I've even noticed that when I order from Ron Ayers, who's been pretty good, every single part I get is labeled "special order" and has my name on it.

[coll0412]

No offense but the Fram filters for our bike suck, compare the number of pleats(overall filter area) to that of the OEM or the Napa Gold variety. Its like 1.5 times the filter area for the OEM and Napa Gold. THe OEM and NAPA Gold filters use a much better bypass-valve too that does not go soft after alot of cycles(the Fram bypass spring will get very soft, compare your old filters by pass valve with the new one and you will see what I am talking about).

Just my 2 cents

[Egaeus]

It's not just their motorcycle dealerships.  My stepmom has a 1997 Suzuki Sidekick.  She's had it since about 2001 or so.  It's set up similarly to the bikes in that each spark plug wire has its own coil.  However, you can't just replace the plug wire, the coil is part of the deal.

Besides the fact that this is very expensive compared to a new set of plug wires, they're also a special order item.  Yes, spark plug wires are a special order item.  She finally got to the point where she couldn't wait anymore, and ordered them.  They said it would take about 3 weeks because they had to come from Japan.  So not only are they special order, there aren't any on this side of the Pacific. 

How Suzuki intends to compete is beyond me.  It's going to take more than "are our cars as much fun as our motorbikes?" commercials.

[Chris24]

trw,

i know what you mean, i have to work for a dealership just like that. looking for another dealer to go to though.
as far as someone said about being suprised they dont carry the more expensive filter, ill explain it.

i dont know the exact numbers, but its more or less like this:

say the stock filter is $12, and they get it from suzuki for $7, they make $5.
they sell the fram for $11, but they got it for $5, they make $6. thats why he carries the fram.

disgusting huh? granted the manager may stock just because it comes with the o-ring. he may actually be trying to do you a favor in this case, but for the most part dealers dont work this way.

[frankieG]

my suz dealer rocks, there is no hastle, no wait, no bs.  www.alpha-sports.com

[jordanearl]

an good luck finding fork seals either, i called 7 dealerships a few weeks ago, noone had them, ordered a set off bike bandit on a thursday night, had them at my doorstep on monday morning so................


  u u fuc%&(n dealership

[blueskygal]

I have a list of complaints today....but will only share two of them - first - my bike is in the shop was was bumped to the back of the service line by the sales manager over and over for the past few days cuz rather than listening and accepting his BS answers, I was assertive and expected real answers. 

How do I know this?  HE bragged this to me and to my Husband today.  He shared with me that he told everyone in the shop that my bike was to be looked at last and only when nothing else to do.   

And, my dealer, doesn't carry air filters or most suzuki stock items - told me today that it is way too expensive to keep those things on the shelf. 

[Nikolas]

Dealers around here don't carry anything either.  Filter, o-ring, jets, nothing.


It's easier for me to get parts for my 1975 Vespa Rally 200, a model that's been out of production nearly 30 years!

[BaltimoreGS]

I've had good luck with NAPA motorcycle filters though I did get a deformed gasket once.  The main thing for me is convenience, they deliver to the car dealership I work at.  The nearest Suzuki dealer to me is on the opposite side of Baltimore.  As for Suzuki OEM parts, I've grown partial to www.cheapcycleparts.com

[Toogoofy317]

Wow this is a super old thread! But, my Suzuki dealer seems to always have what I need. They are always super nice alot of the service guys are part of the CMA so maybe they have higher values. I also, ride with them quite a bit when I bought my bike used they didn't try to sell me a big gixxer. They listened to what I needed recommended my 'ole faithful boy and am pretty loyal to them. On the rare occasion I go to the Motorcycle clinic and they are also cool as well. I try to split my business between the two becuase I like both. They try to keep their people coming back. They are Kissimmee Power Sports def recommend them!

Mary