I need some MAJOR advice

[themarsvolta]

Hey All,

I posted this past spring about my GS500 engine locking up.  Since then my bike has been sitting at a unprofessional shop for FOUR months collecting dust while the excuses why it's not done have been piling up. 

My senerio...The valve seat cracked locking my exhaust valve up, locking the engine.  There was piston to valve contact.  The shop that its at sent the head off to have a new seat put in and put a new intake and exhaust valve in which I went ahead and bought the valves.  This happend 3 months ago. 

I get a call a month ago from the shop, telling me they had to put a new piston and rings in and contract out the setting of the valves to a local Suzuki dealer.  I get a call last week telling me that they don't have the capability to set the valves and the local Suzuki dealer doesn't want to do it and that I need to come pick my bike up and pay the balance I owe because they can't fix it.

They want to charge me the following:

$100 for the machine shop work
$138 for a top end gasket kit
$20 in oil
and $250 for 5 hours of "labor"

Needless to say, I have been EXTREMELY dissatisfied with my service.  Obviously my bike has not been a priority to this shop.  They had it for FOUR months and everytime I've called (and I've called a lot) they told me it would be done the following week.  I heard yesterday the shop is going out of business...I can't imagine why.

What am I obligated to pay them for?  I am VERY dissastified with my service.

Thank you for your advice,

Donald Smith

[bikejunkie223]

You took it to them to repair, and all they have done is take it apart and want to charge you for it. No way I would pay for anything like that. Did you sign anything? They can't just decide it needs a new piston/rings and put it in without your okay. I'd love to just decide customers need new timing belts, and put one in and stiff them with the bill. try to work something out, and be fair, but you don't have to pay for anything you didn't agree to, especially if they didn't fix the problem.

[themarsvolta]

They didn't put a new piston on it yet.  They just said I needed one. 

They have my bike though...and won't give it back unless I pay them.  Legally, what can I do?  Has anyone encounted bad service like this before?

[bikejunkie223]

What, if anything, did you sign? What did you agree to in writing? This is what matters and they are trying to bully you. They can't charge you for repairs they did not do. The dollar amount is small enough it would likely be a no-lawyer small claims court deal. Personally I would rather pay an attorney to completely hose a loser buisness like that more than just forking over cash for nothing. Make your point- what did they repair? That was what the agreement was. They fix your bike, and you pay them for it. They haven't so you shouldn't, and a call to the Better Buisness Bureau and possibly the State's Attorney's office might be helpful if they continue to be stubborn. You might tell them that this will be your next step if they aren't going to make it right. If they fix the bike, you will gladly pay. If all they have done is take it apart and give it back in peices you aren't going to pay, and they can suck it. Our dealership in that situation would eat it to keep the customer happy. Possibly there would be some minimal labor cost for diagnosis, but we would have that fact in writing before we ever tore the car down.

[bikejunkie223]

Hey All,

They want to charge me the following:

$100 for the machine shop work
$138 for a top end gasket kit
$20 in oil
and $250 for 5 hours of "labor"

$100 for machine shop work? they didn't machine anything, they took it somewhere that said they didn't want anything to do with it.
$138 for a gasket kit? The bike isn't back together is it? Have they used those parts?
$20 in oil? Again, if the bike is still apart, no oil has likely been put in it.
$250 in labor? they have only done half the job and then quit. If you wanted a broken taken apart bike that doesn't run, and has the top end in a box, you could have done that yourself. They should have known if they could do the job in the first place and it isn't your fault they made promises they couldn't keep.

[tripleb]

get a police officer to go down with you to the shop to get your bike and make your argument then.  they can act as judges sometimes and get stuff to happen if they deem it appropriate.  Should the shop think you are enough in the wrong they can bill you and take legal action from there.  I doubt they won't let you have the bike though if you go there with a cop, just make sure you have the title with you.

[bikejunkie223]

also, seating the valves is easy- I do it all the time when 88-91 civics come in with a burnt valve. All it takes is an electric drill and some valve lapping compound. Is valve seat in the head okay? That is the only machine shop work they could have had done is replacing the seat, and lapping the valve to the seat is part of a valve job. I also agree, taking a cop if they continue to be dicks is a great idea.

[themarsvolta]

Yeah....I agree that it's not a lot of money...It's the PRINCIPLE!!!  These guys have strung me along ALL summer...I missed the whole riding season and my bike still isn't fixed.

I haven't signed anything. 

The machine shop did do the work...They put a new seat in and aligned my new valves...I saw it completed...I don't mind paying for that or the parts, but the "labor" part really is pissing me off because they haven't done much of anything and they have been rude.

For a compromise on my shotty service, I offered them what they paid their mechanic and for parts and they told me to bad, I was paying the $50 an hour still.  I thought I was being VERY fair with that offer.

[lopee]

Screw that shop over. Take a cop down w/ title / registration and ask to see it and have them point out exactly they have done. The shop sent out the head for service so they didnt do anything to it technicly. Check the paperwork estimate/ bill for any things that arent CLEARLY stated on the paperwork, If you didnt get a written estimate, sorry. There may also be a way that you can hold them liable for them outsourcing the headwork without your knowledge. You could have taken it to those people yourself if you had known is was going to be sent out to them anyway.

Ill ask my father as well, He is an attorney(real-estate)but he may have some good advice. Ill keep you posted if he has any good ideas.

Best Luck, and always get a written estimate and make sure all the work to be done can and is done In-House. 

[ohgood]

Hey All,

They want to charge me the following:

$100 for the machine shop work
$138 for a top end gasket kit
$20 in oil
and $250 for 5 hours of "labor"

$100 for machine shop work? they didn't machine anything, they took it somewhere that said they didn't want anything to do with it.
$138 for a gasket kit? The bike isn't back together is it? Have they used those parts?
$20 in oil? Again, if the bike is still apart, no oil has likely been put in it.
$250 in labor? they have only done half the job and then quit. If you wanted a broken taken apart bike that doesn't run, and has the top end in a box, you could have done that yourself. They should have known if they could do the job in the first place and it isn't your fault they made promises they couldn't keep.

agreed.

Screw that shop over. Take a cop down w/ title / registration and ask to see it and have them point out exactly they have done. The shop sent out the head for service so they didnt do anything to it technicly. Check the paperwork estimate/ bill for any things that arent CLEARLY stated on the paperwork, If you didnt get a written estimate, sorry. There may also be a way that you can hold them liable for them outsourcing the headwork without your knowledge. You could have taken it to those people yourself if you had known is was going to be sent out to them anyway.

Ill ask my father as well, He is an attorney(real-estate)but he may have some good advice. Ill keep you posted if he has any good ideas.

Best Luck, and always get a written estimate and make sure all the work to be done can and is done In-House. 

that one too. good calls.

[commuterdude]

If they are going out of business they probably are trying to play hardball w/ you to clear up what they owe others.  They will probably try to put a mechanics lien on your bike, storage fees etc and try to get in a  position to sell your bike.  I would pay an attorney to go down there w/ you on his lunch break.   They will then shaZam! their pants.