Am I normal {sigh} ?

[ridin gaijin]

Though new to Triumph and the Tiger, to date I've been pretty positive about the machine and a booster of my dealer. These days it's getting hard.



Back on June 5 I had the Tiger at the track for the first time and experienced severe overheating. (I could go into details but I would say the problem was maybe 90% my own fault.) The bike remained in Albuquerque unril the dealer could get it. They spent a week looking at it. I asked whether there was any harm in doing the 6k mile service early (4.5k) to get the top off and have a good look at the oil; the dealer said that was a fine idea. $290. Everything ok.



'Cept on the ride back home to Santa Fe, everything was not ok--the bike overheated badly again. So the dealer came up to get it June 15.



As of July 1 I had not heard anything on it. So I called and asked in somewhat strong terms for an update. Nothing had been done, I was told--it's the busy season.



July 5 I got a call saying they were checking the head and would keep me informed.



As of today, still waiting.



So, is this normal? I am frankly getting a little steamed. We're moving beyond a month on a repair the dealer didn't complete and the only way I can get any news is by calling them and making a bit of an a-hole of myself. This doesn't make me feel all that comfortable and it's not the way I'm interested in doing business. Do you guys find my expectations unreasonable? Should I just lighten up?

[Kill Switch]

I would be more than a little steamed.  This is not acceptable.  There is something else going on with them that they are not telling you.

[greg]

The dealer sounds like a w*nker. I had an overheating problem on mine from new, it was air trapped in the system, needed bleeding out, this might have happened to yours on the second occasion if it had been drained.

[abell]

No excuse for it, bad customer service is bad customer service. What does decent communication with the customer cost?



Unfortunately there are still far too many Triumph shops that think this is the way a business should be run. The only way to give them the thumbs-down is to go elsewhere. Sadly in a lot of parts of a rather huge USA this isn't possible.

[MyDadHasATiger]

I read how you over heated the bike and you should be glad that the dealer will cover it under warranty. I now this sounds mean but I was a service manager at a Kawasaki dealer and if you came in and told me what you did you would be paying for the repairs.

[ridin gaijin]

I read how you over heated the bike and you should be glad that the dealer will cover it under warranty. I now this sounds mean but I was a service manager at a Kawasaki dealer and if you came in and told me what you did you would be paying for the repairs.

Well, thanks...but this isn't being covered under warranty. That I know of.  Where did you read that it was? And even if it were, the question was, is this amount of time acceptable in the industry? Cos it sure didn't use to be.



I haven't even received an ESTIMATE, so the question of payment hasn't arisen!

[barjan]

It's not only (some) Triumph dealers that don't do custumer service, it's sadly normal in a lot of shops, also outside motoring.



I would be 'steamed' as you call it, the problem is, what are your options. You can try to make an arrangement. Fix it before <date> or the bill goes down every day. Practice in construction to make a deadline. But if they say "no" you can  collect your bike and then what? (do you have options?)

[TigerPilot]

I read how you over heated the bike and you should be glad that the dealer will cover it under warranty. I now this sounds mean but I was a service manager at a Kawasaki dealer and if you came in and told me what you did you would be paying for the repairs.

OHHH thanks!!



I know this sounds mean but...



Here is where you give a dealer a bad name. And is because people like you we already pay up the ass for unnessesary repair bills when we take our bikes in... You get the money either way, REGARDLESS of from our pockets OR the Manufacturers pocket if the repair is done thru warrantee why should you bone the little guy???



Futher more, if you refused do it under warranty, I'd drive my ass down the street to another dealer who would; probably a dealer with a much better caliber manager... And then tell everyone and their mother about your suck ass service/attitude. Then laugh histerically when I see the "Going out of business" baners on your shop!!!



I guess this explains why you "WAS" a service manager.

[TigerPilot]

Though new to Triumph and the Tiger, to date I've been pretty positive about the machine and a booster of my dealer. These days it's getting hard.



Back on June 5 I had the Tiger at the track for the first time and experienced severe overheating. (I could go into details but I would say the problem was maybe 90% my own fault.) The bike remained in Albuquerque unril the dealer could get it. They spent a week looking at it. I asked whether there was any harm in doing the 6k mile service early (4.5k) to get the top off and have a good look at the oil; the dealer said that was a fine idea. $290. Everything ok.



'Cept on the ride back home to Santa Fe, everything was not ok--the bike overheated badly again. So the dealer came up to get it June 15.



As of July 1 I had not heard anything on it. So I called and asked in somewhat strong terms for an update. Nothing had been done, I was told--it's the busy season.



July 5 I got a call saying they were checking the head and would keep me informed.



As of today, still waiting.



So, is this normal? I am frankly getting a little steamed. We're moving beyond a month on a repair the dealer didn't complete and the only way I can get any news is by calling them and making a bit of an a-hole of myself. This doesn't make me feel all that comfortable and it's not the way I'm interested in doing business. Do you guys find my expectations unreasonable? Should I just lighten up?

Honestly??



I take the bike to another dealer and tell them the bike overheated and you have NO idea why. Make them pay for the repairs...(they have deeper pockets)

[holland1]

hmm some people can get really emotional when they feel "the little guy" has to pay always etc bla bla bla bla.... on the other hand they don't mind lying and bringing their problems to another dealer because "he's got bigger pockets than I"......  Interesting character or should I say no character at all?  



Anyway about Gajin; youre frank about the cause of the problems, obviously you have a dealer with either in sufficient knowledge/ staff/means to solve the matter and with no customer communicayions at all.  The only thing you can do is pick up your bike or write to triumph asking for a "relief" dealer. The last action can also result in them calling youre dealer and pushing a little. Anyway... no custom answers to the problem, make the best of it! Goodluck

[TigerPilot]

hmm some people can get really emotional when they feel "the little guy" has to pay always etc bla bla bla bla.... on the other hand they don't mind lying and bringing their problems to another dealer because "he's got bigger pockets than I"......  Interesting character or should I say no character at all?  

you could call it what ever the hell you want truth remains...



Talk about character???



How about the KNOWN issues with the exhaust valves in this very exact same engine (955i) more prone on the Tigers and Srpint ST?? THAT IS a known issue in which Triumph very much knows about it and is NOT fessing up to admit but yet there's  tens of thousands being spend from "little pockets" to fix something Triumph should have "recalled" log ago like BMW, Kawi, Yami ans Suzis would have done long ago...



I bet you couldn't even tell me what the problem I'm talking about is..



(For the everyone else, Triumph had an issue with the exhaust valves wich are made of a "softer" steel aloy which causes them to "warp" after normal riding/use therefore NOT sealing well (if at all) the way they should by design. This is causing TONS of problems. One of this more noticable symtoms it the WELL KNOWN engine surging between 2100 and 3700 rpm in low gear; 1rst, 2nd on your Tigers and Sprint STs. So if you have this problem, bring your check book with you and plan on being out of your bike for a LONG time. Yes you can synch and remap the ECU/FCU all day long and you will still have the problem. The cure is only about $2500 later and new valves hopefully by an aftermarket company that have ACTUALLY made a living ONLY and SOLEY on selling these Triumph aftermarket valves- you tell me if this is a known issue or not!!

[ridin gaijin]

As of today, resolved, I hope...see my posting over here.



Thanks again everyone for kicking in your thoughts & ideas.