V & J Honda of Bridgwater Somerset - Disgrace

[aha-shake]

Let me begin by explaining that I'm in the process of rebuilding my Cat D write off Varadero 125.

Basically, the damage was all at the front end, and it needed new forks (bent) and new fairings.

So, I of course trotted off down to the local Honda garage, which happens to be V & J superbikes in Bridgwater. I've had extensive experience with the V & J group before, with their Yamaha store thanks to my ludicrously useless TZR 50. Although seriously under staffed, (with no actual parts manager, a fact that made the lone employee of the time quit) they were quite adequate in buying parts from.

However, with V & J Honda of Bridgwater, the same cannot be said.

Basically after a week of waiting after ordering the parts I needed (an extremely lengthy process in itself) I returned to them on the pickup day to find that not only had they not managed to even order all the parts I had asked for (1 seal not two etc) they had ordered the entirely wrong parts of the forks.

Instead of the STANCHIONS I had wanted, they had bought in the Fork bottoms, or legs. They put this mistake down to me not saying I wanted stanchions, which I had all along. So, they re-ordered the stanchions, which coincidentally were 30 pounds less so I had to be refunded.

In a phone conversation 2 days later to order yet another part I was told by the chap on the phone that because of MY mistake, they were stuck with £300 quids worth of parts they didnt need. What mistake I ask? Well, they have now decided that I did order stanchions all along, and thats what the fork bottoms/legs are called. This is completely wrong and I told them so.

Well, a week plus later, today, I returned to collect the new parts, and lo and behold not quite all of them had arrived, with a mirror still on back order.

The guy at the parts counter handed over my STANCHIONS, and when I asked whether he could tell me the volume of fork oil I would need in each fork he replied "No, I cant.".

Knowing this was completely rediculous I asked why not, to which he replied "Why should I?"...

Perhaps because you are a Honda dealership with a service department I asked. He then said he would check "out back".

I took this moment to note on how poor the service had been entirely, and instantly the bloke became extremely riled and aggressive, and started shouting about leaving him with a £300 parts bill!

No way I was going to have that, left with my parts, told him I would not be returning and would be writing to the manager.

"I am the manager." He says.

"No, I meant the manager of V & J in its entirety."

To which he replied "I am the manager of V & J entirely."

Well, im yet to find out if this is true, but I simply cannot believe the APPALLING customer service of that place, and will be writing to Honda to complain.

I would advise all of you to steer well clear of the joint.

shake

[aha-shake]

Should point out that was written by my Dad, who was a mechanic for 20 years as well as riding amateur trials for 10.

He knows whats what.

shake

[Rookie]

Went in there looking to buy trousers, didn't bother in the end but the sales woman in the shop was pretty good. No idea what their parts service is like though, so I'll just stay clear if I ever get a Honda.

[st3v3]

my nearest dealer is miles kingsport in hull or malton, anyone had dealings with either of these?
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Roger wrote: Women don't get damp for clingy puppies. Get some better happy pills, hit the gym & buy a medallion the size of a dinner plate. Job done

[Zen Dog]

While i totally agree that this is bad customer service, i would just mention 2 points.

The first is that i thought fork bottoms and stanchions were the same thing . Perhaps thats forgivable as i dont work in a bike dealership though.

The second is a bit more serious. Its something that i have argued about with a friend (who works in a bike dealership) quite a lot. He says that it is not the responsibility of the dealership to help you fix your bike yourself.

He claims its not their job to tell you how much oil to put in it, or find out the right part numbers, especially for things like bolts, which can be a major hassle. If you want to fix your bike yourself, thats fine, but really, ordering the right thing is your responsibility. However, they do often end up having to find out the part numbers for the customer, and they get it in the neck if the wrong thing is ordered.

My friend says that the most annoying thing though, is when people come in and say "my bikes broke". They describe the symptoms and want to be given solutions. Sometimes the staff at the dealership try to help, suggesting, for example, a change of sparkplugs. The customer buys the sparkplugs and leaves. Then, 2 days later, the customer comes back, says "nope, that didnt work", and wants to return the sparkplugs and try something else.

I'm not saying that you have done any of these things, or that what the dealership has done is ok, only that this sort of confusion is not uncommon, and is trying for the staff as well as customers.

While i can see his point on a lot of this, my arguement is that there is no way that people can find the exact part numbers that they need. Part of the problem you had was because you couldnt find out the part number for the stanchions. Honda dealerships have access to a database of technical drawings of all the bikes, and the part numbers. But its not open to the general public. So the dealerships and customers are stuck in this situation.

I think they should either, put all the parts numbers in the haynes manual, or allow access to the database by the general public. That way, the only mistake the dealership could make would be in writing down the part number wrong (or, as in your case, not ordering them at all!). Until then, we're all stuck, and this kind of thing will keep happening.

Zen Dog
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Current - '94 VFR750FR, '00 VFR800FI Previous - '10 Street Triple R, '92 MZ ETZ301, '05 TTR250, NSR125R, KMX125, "Honda" Win (chinese copy of an old Honda design with a C90 engine)
My bike trip around S.E. Asia 2010/2011

[st3v3]

top^ , have to agree.
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Roger wrote: Women don't get damp for clingy puppies. Get some better happy pills, hit the gym & buy a medallion the size of a dinner plate. Job done

[EuropeanNC30R...]

[aha-shake]

[veeeffarr]

See if you can download microfiche for your bike.

[aha-shake]

No need, just asked a decent dealer.

shake

[andrew]

With that attitude i would have told them to keep the parts.

[Blau Zedong]

[Villers]

How on earth could a honda dealer be 'stuck' with parts from his supplier. If theyre wrong, they go back - surely they are on the approval of the customer?

I like the 'I am the manager' bit
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RS125 > CBR6 > SV650S > ZX636R > GSX1300RZ Hayabusa > 06 RSVR Mille ≥ Sv1000s somehow
'You came on your own, thats how you'll leave'

[Yeti]

Alright ben, Long time no speak. Hows the leg? Every time i go to V & J in bridgwater its closed!!!!! i always use bransons in yeovil parts arrive quickly and a nice friendly service. Id advise you try them in the future. Give me a shout when your back on the road and we'll go for a blat. If you can keep up!!!!

Take it easy mate.
Rob
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Lifes a Beach!

[aha-shake]

Rob son, got home literally 5 minutes ago from hospital, I can walk, and ride again!

shake

[Yeti]

Is the bike fixed then? we'll have to meet up in the new year and go for a ride. Have you booked your test yet?
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Lifes a Beach!

[Pete.]

They wouldn't usually be stuck with the parts but they would probably have to pay a re-stocking fee.

Since the varadero has conventional forks, the dealer should have questioned it if he thought you were ordering the fork bottoms but not the stanchions, since it's the stanchions that would bend in a frontal, not the fork bottoms (not likely anyway). He could have done that, or he could have shown you on the fiche, or he could have marched you to the nearest bike in the shop and asked "do you want this bit or that bit". He didn't do that because he sounds like a lazy ignorant wannabe-bully and if he's stuck with a bill then I say jolly bloody good thing too.
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a.k.a 'Geri'

132.9mph off and walked away. Gear is good, gear is good, gear is very very good

[aha-shake]

[Yeti]

sounds good. will drop you a pm. You didnt tell me bout the test. so congrats on that and speak soon.

Take it easy
Yeti
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Lifes a Beach!