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So what's in a "Full Service"?

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  • 14-11-2008 11:21am
    #1
    J-blk
    Registered Users Posts: 3,906 ✭✭✭


    Ok, so for starters, even though I've been riding for the last 12 years, my mechanical/maintenance skills suck (always had friends who were good with this sort of thing to help in the past...) so my apologies if this is a stupid question but what's considered a "Full Service" here?

    The other day my battery completely died and I dropped the bike in to a mechanic to sort it out and also do a full service on it to get it ready for the winter ahead (I commute every day on it). Now excluding the cost of the battery, the receipt includes a break down for (I think):

    - Air filter
    - Oil filter
    - Oil
    - Spark plugs
    - Labour

    and another entry for "Full Service", which was €160 on its' own. So what exactly would that cover? The only other thing he did was change the battery, so I can't see the "labour" charge covering the battery replacement and "full service" being another labour charge for the service itself?

    I'm very happy with the work he did and the bike is running beautifully, but I'm just trying to understand what this charge is? How much does a typical full service cost people (the bike is a Suzuki DL 650 V-Strom)?


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    #2
    CourierCollie
    Registered Users Posts: 663 ✭✭✭CourierCollie


    Sounds strange to me having a separate entry for 'full service'. I can only suggest you ask the mechanic what they meant by it. It's not a stupid question at all. Its possible their computer has a full service set at 2 hours, and they add on any extra time taken as labour, but :confused:.


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    #3
    Chatterbeast
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14 ✭Chatterbeast


    My suggestion is to ask your mechanic for a verbal breakdown as to how he charged for what. If he replaced the battery, that's 80euro straight away. A normal service would be what you said but depending on how methodical and concientious your mechanic is...he may have done more without consulting you.

    I recently got my bike serviced (01 ZX6R) and it cost me over 500euro. The reason being he needed to balance the carbs and replace the C&S on top of the normal servicing. But he done NONE of this without ringing me and making sure it was ok to go ahead and do it.

    Is he your regular mechanic or was tis the first time you dealt with him? I'd have a word if it was me, just to put my mind at ease.


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    #4
    J-blk
    Registered Users Posts: 3,906 ✭✭✭J-blk


    Thanks for the replies. No, it's not my regular mechanic though he did work on the bike before when I got knocked over and I was again happy with his work - this is the first time I did a full service with them though, as the place I used to take it to closed down, I then tried another one around town that I was not happy with at all work-wise and then ended up with this guy. I was just wondering what "full service" may be considered if it's a standard thing, but it seems from the replies here that filters/oil/spark plug replacements and I assume general checks of brakes/tires/chain, etc cover it so I'm not sure still what the charge is - guess I'll have to ask directly.


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    #5
    Limerick Bandit
    Registered Users Posts: 403 ✭✭Limerick Bandit


    If the 160 cover's the following as you said, then thats about rite
    its a 1 hour job, better to learn how to do it yourself

    - Air filter 20
    - Oil filter 10
    - Oil 40
    - Spark plugs 40
    - Labour 50

    Sounds about what i would expect but i do the job myself


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    #6
    J-blk
    Registered Users Posts: 3,906 ✭✭✭J-blk


    Limerick Bandit wrote: »
    better to learn how to do it yourself

    I'd love to but I wouldn't know where to start - I'm pretty useless with the maintenance side of things unfortunately. Can't go messing with the bike either when I don't know exactly what I'm doing, as it is my only way of commuting to work.

    BTW, for those that do their own maintenance, what's the story with the service history? Does not having an "official" service history from various garages affect the bike's value adversely?


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    #7
    Fabio
    Registered Users Posts: 2,245 ✭✭✭Fabio


    Don't mean to hijack this thread but has anyone an idea of how much a service on a small 125 bike would generally be?

    Like J I wouldn't be too mechanically competent (I could be if I had the time and the tools but alas...) but want to take care of my first bike...


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    #8
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Fabio wrote: »
    Don't mean to hijack this thread but has anyone an idea of how much a service on a small 125 bike would generally be?

    Like J I wouldn't be too mechanically competent (I could be if I had the time and the tools but alas...) but want to take care of my first bike...

    Wouldn't cost too much, ring up a few garages and ask. They will be more than happy to give you an estimate. I've always found Lee motorcycles to be reasonably priced and they have always done good work on any of my bikes.


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    #9
    J-blk
    Registered Users Posts: 3,906 ✭✭✭J-blk


    I'm starting to think this guy is a thieving b*****d. The €165 charge is separate to everything else (all the parts like air/oil filter, oil, spark plugs are charged on separate lines, as is another hour's labour as "labour") - I asked him what this was and he said this is the labour charge for the service itself, because of all the stripping required to replace the air filter, which sounds like BS. I found my receipt from another place and (granted this was a year ago) the total cost (excluding the battery which didn't need replacement then) was €198 but this time, excluding the cost of the battery, it was €360:eek:! I'm stupid for paying it in the first place but there's not much I can do now - other than to never step foot in there again. You would think that with the fairly small amount of bikers in Ireland, places like this would be trying to retain customers, not go out of their way to lose them...


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    #10
    Fabio
    Registered Users Posts: 2,245 ✭✭✭Fabio


    J-blk wrote: »
    I'm starting to think this guy is a thieving b*****d. The €165 charge is separate to everything else (all the parts like air/oil filter, oil, spark plugs are charged on separate lines, as is another hour's labour as "labour") - I asked him what this was and he said this is the labour charge for the service itself, because of all the stripping required to replace the air filter, which sounds like BS. I found my receipt from another place and (granted this was a year ago) the total cost (excluding the battery which didn't need replacement then) was €198 but this time, excluding the cost of the battery, it was €360:eek:! I'm stupid for paying it in the first place but there's not much I can do now - other than to never step foot in there again. You would think that with the fairly small amount of bikers in Ireland, places like this would be trying to retain customers, not go out of their way to lose them...

    A €165 separate charge?! F***!!!


    Oh and thanks to the poster who replied about my hijacking asking how much a general service costs.


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    #11
    jambofc
    Registered Users Posts: 1,523 ✭✭✭jambofc


    J-blk wrote: »
    I'm starting to think this guy is a thieving b*****d. The €165 charge is separate to everything else (all the parts like air/oil filter, oil, spark plugs are charged on separate lines, as is another hour's labour as "labour") - I asked him what this was and he said this is the labour charge for the service itself, because of all the stripping required to replace the air filter, which sounds like BS. I found my receipt from another place and (granted this was a year ago) the total cost (excluding the battery which didn't need replacement then) was €198 but this time, excluding the cost of the battery, it was €360:eek:! I'm stupid for paying it in the first place but there's not much I can do now - other than to never step foot in there again. You would think that with the fairly small amount of bikers in Ireland, places like this would be trying to retain customers, not go out of their way to lose them...

    what bike was the work done on?


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    #12
    J-blk
    Registered Users Posts: 3,906 ✭✭✭J-blk


    jambofc wrote: »
    what bike was the work done on?

    Suzuki DL V-Strom 650, '05 model...


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    #13
    Ronan3345
    Closed Accounts Posts: 43 ✭Ronan3345


    Name & Shame :mad:


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    #14
    Chatterbeast
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14 ✭Chatterbeast


    J-blk wrote: »
    I'm starting to think this guy is a thieving b*****d. The €165 charge is separate to everything else (all the parts like air/oil filter, oil, spark plugs are charged on separate lines, as is another hour's labour as "labour") - I asked him what this was and he said this is the labour charge for the service itself, because of all the stripping required to replace the air filter, which sounds like BS. I found my receipt from another place and (granted this was a year ago) the total cost (excluding the battery which didn't need replacement then) was €198 but this time, excluding the cost of the battery, it was €360:eek:! I'm stupid for paying it in the first place but there's not much I can do now - other than to never step foot in there again. You would think that with the fairly small amount of bikers in Ireland, places like this would be trying to retain customers, not go out of their way to lose them...


    Simple man....never darken his doors again. I paid a little more than that recently...BUT, I also got a new DID x-ring chain, new sprockets and carbs balanced, as well as a full service!! You were definitely ripped off I'm afraid. There's plenty of other guys out there who'll look after you. Just have a look around.


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    #15
    Red Hornet
    Registered Users Posts: 57 ✭✭Red Hornet


    Jeasas h name and shame.


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    #16
    jambofc
    Registered Users Posts: 1,523 ✭✭✭jambofc


    J-blk wrote: »
    Suzuki DL V-Strom 650, '05 model...

    you were ripped off me man,go back with receipt and ask him what the f##k


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    #17
    J-blk
    Registered Users Posts: 3,906 ✭✭✭J-blk


    Chatterbeast wrote: »
    never darken his doors again.

    Yep, most definitely not going to that f****r again... Any suggestions people here have for mechanics based in the general city center area would be appreciated.

    Beyond that, isn't "naming & shaming" against the rules here or something?


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    #18
    jambofc
    Registered Users Posts: 1,523 ✭✭✭jambofc


    ken in love lane just off mount st,sound man in the game a long time
    or anto in trim if you want a good spin best of the lot and cheapest of the lot


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    #19
    Luckycharm
    Registered Users Posts: 1,538 ✭✭✭Luckycharm


    Fabio wrote: »
    Don't mean to hijack this thread but has anyone an idea of how much a service on a small 125 bike would generally be?

    Like J I wouldn't be too mechanically competent (I could be if I had the time and the tools but alas...) but want to take care of my first bike...

    I got my 125c moped serviced needed new front brake pads cost me €93 in delaneys in Harolds Cross bridge.


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