stealership hard @ work ripping us off

[tripleb]

I called up my local stealership to get some prices on some Avon Roadriders.  They quoted me prices slightly cheaper than Bikebandit which surprised me, but then I asked if they would install them for free and the guy laughed at me...literally.  He said it was $30 for the front and $50 for the rear.  So much for getting a good price on the tires.  How in the hell do they expect someone to pay that much to put 2 tires on a bike when wal-mart will do it for 4 tires on a car for free?

so anyone know anywhere in central FL that will install tires for cheap/free?

PS: this annoys me as much as the people on ebay that put a really low price on an item and than want 500% markup on the shipping to make up the difference

[XealotX]

I hate my local dealership with the burning hatred of a thousand suns. I would rather have my gums tattooed while being castrated with a plastic butter knife than speak with one of their incompetent sales people. Their parts department is crap and their bathrooms are always out of toilet paper. THEY CONFUSED MY 2002 GS5 WITH A GSXR 600...

Having said that...the price doesn't seem all that unreasonable to me.

Sometimes craigslist has posts for motorcycle mechanics that might be able to do it cheaper. I would exercise caution with any work done out of some strangers garage but you might get a deal that way.

[jp]

Considering that the going shop rate is $60-80 an hour, those aren't unreasonable prices if you're taking the bike to them. Ask what the price is if you pull the wheels yourself and bring them in. I had been paying $20/tire doing it this way, but when the price went up over $25, I started doing it myself again. I'm thinking about springing for the portable tire changer and motorcycle tire adaptor at Harbor Freight for about $110. It would pay for itself in just a couple of years.

[AccidentalF]

I'm afraid I have to agree.  I've worked in two different bike shops, the first of which mounted and balanced for "free" if you bought the tires from them.  You paid the difference in the cost of the tires.  I'm now a technician in a shop that charges labor for mounting and test ride like most others I know of.  If the tire price quoted was lower than the internet, i'd be sure to pay someone to mount, balance, test ride, and then assume the liability for the work.  And $80 for both wheels isn't bad for these parts, less than what my shop charges.  Profit margin on tires isn't enormous, and if you pay a tech to do the work, its gone.  You could always mount and balance them yourself, but that's another kettle of fish...

I understand that there are some really lousy dealerships who couldn't give two flying farts about their customers and price gouge at every possible opportunity, and I heartily give them the finger.  I like it when the competition gives me work.   But I've seen things from both sides of the counter, and there really is no free lunch.

[tripleb]

I'm not saying I don't want to pay a fair price for the tires.  In fact I expected paying more than internet prices for them at the stealership.  I would have no problem paying up to $20 per tire more at the stealer than on the internet, but I would expect them to be installed for free.  at least installed for free with the wheels already off of the bike.

when the shop charges $90/hour for labor and wants to charge me $80 to mount 2 tires I'm going to feel taken advantage of.  there's no way in hell it takes anywhere near that long when I can remove a tire in less than 5 minutes.

[fred]

It is worth it for tires, especially the rear. It is a pain to do and getting a pro to do it right for you shouldn't be cheap. When I went to my local dealership to get new tires (the only service I ever get from them) the mechanic came out after he was done and went over the rest of the bike with me and spent a good 20 minutes pointing out things he didn't think looked right. He even gave me his best guess of what was wrong and how to fix it. I went home and got to work and it turns out he was right about all the stuff he pointed out. It was well worth the cost, which wasn't even that bad. Yes, it costs more than getting car tires mounted and balanced, but you've only got two tires so the shop makes less profit on you and since you're on a bike, it is a whole lot more of a problem if they get anything wrong.

[joshr08]

were i get mine done at its 25 if you get the tire from them and 30 if you dont.

[sledge]

So you want the tyres at the cheapest price and fitted for nothing......guess thats fair enough, you can only ask.........but I wouldnt cry and whinge about if they said no. They are in it to make a profit, not give you everything you want or serve your every need without question 

[Bluesmudge]

If you can get a tire off in less than 5 minutes maybe you should just change them yourself, it sounds like you really know what you are doing.

[tripleb]

I can't get a tire off in 5, but I can get a wheel off in 5 minutes - I misspoke there.

I think the price is exorbitantly high.  Does anyone here think that $80 for mounting 2 tires is a fair price considering the time it takes to do it?  or are we are brainwashed because we have all been ripped off for so long?  like I said earlier, I've got no problem paying more for tires at a dealership, but I expect a fair price to mount them too, if not for free.  like joshr said, he gets his done for $25 or $30 which seems much more reasonable to me.  I know they have to make a profit and I have no problem at all with that, but there's a point when you go from making a reasonable profit to being an a@@hole.

[joshr08]

i paid 70 front and rear tires on the wifes vtr

[Dann]

I just took the wheels and tires in and had them switch them and balance them.. ran around 40 bucks. I put them back myself, but apparently missing a part in the handbook (see http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=45796.0).. still I'd just have them switch the tires on the wheels then put the wheels back on yourself.

[sledge]

So take them to the same place Josh does and stop fuggin moaning.

[seamax]

Sounds fair to me. Like most auto work the time is pro rated.

[seamax]

Sounds fair to me. Like most auto work the time is pro rated. I usually take the wheels off myself and bring them in. I save about $40-50.

[sledge]

......and factor in the cost of the fitting/balancing equipment which has to paid for.

At the end of the day the choice is yours, no one is forcing you to pay the dealer rates. If your not happy vote with your feet and find someone who will fit them at a price you are happy with

[joshr08]

oh and i forgot 70 was just mount and balance i still had to put them back on the bike myself.  average tire machine is around 5k or more from what ive seen for prices.  thats alot of tires on and off to pay for just the machine not including the person running the machine.

[tripleb]

granted there is a lot of expenses to go into being able to offer a tire mounting service, how are businesses able to do it for cars so cheaply?  especially if the wheels are off the bike to begin with?  with the way they rip off new buyers with high markups on the bikes and merchandise, you would think they could at least offer low enough prices on maintenance services so that they would still make plenty of money and the customer would feel like they got some value somewhere - but I guess that's wishful thinking.

[The Buddha]

Yea ... that's why the buddha business is going great. In fact even when the buddha is getting rid of people without GS500's there is enough clowns that also own GS500 but pull a bait and switch ... yea I need to do a gluclglucglab on my GS500 ... I say OK bring it over. Some other worthless POS R6 yamaha shows up, and they swear up and down I said bring it on ...
One clown has a polished YZF 600 ... right, steel frame ... polished. I sprayed carb cleaner, next day it rusted there ...
Cool.
Buddha.

[The Buddha]

Oh BTW I love it when losers buy a used bike from a dealer because they want it to be reliable ... those are the most F*(ked up most over paid POS'es I have ever seen. Worse yet, they are so stupid they dont know when you tell them sheite is busted.
Yea prettied up POS'es.
Cool.
Buddha.