Got this important piece of info from another forum. Thought I'd share it and spare some other ppl the expense of the words from the stealership, "Your new bike must have its first service completed by us or it voids your warranty"... Then you're suckered for $150 for a damn oil change. I'm looking more into this. On with the post.. Enjoy

[quote]
"RACNRAY"
OK...I have had it with the **** the dealers have been spewing out to the owners of new skoots,and it is time that i try to set the record straight.

Now,just to let u'all know,i was a service manager(and a damn good and fair one i'd like to think) at Palmetto Kawasaki back in 1978 or so(so long ago i don't remember the time frame). I was also sent to Kawasaki Technical school,and one of the courses i took was Service Department Orientation.

I have tried hard thru the years to learn of the in and outs of this biz i'm in,and that has helped me to (i hope) save peeps from having the sub-par and rip-off style of service work that has become so prevalent in the dealership( or as i have learned from someone..."stealerships" ) done on their skoots.

Ok,what am i gettin to...
I hear all the time that dealers are telling their customers the following,and i'm sure there are others i have not heard yet(god forbid there's any more!!)

1...The first service has to be done by them.
2...All servicing has to be done by them.
3...Aftermarket parts will void ur warrantee.
4...Your warrantee will be voided if THEY do not install ur parts,whatever they may be.
5...Synthetic oil will void ur warrantee.
6...The use of non-oem parts will void ur warrantee, in other word you must use their parts to service ur skoot.

That is all a bunch of ****.Back in 1973 the feds passed the Magnusson-Moss Warrantee Act,which put limits and restrictions on warrantees and such. Now Warrantees were NEVER put into place to protect us.Don't be fooled into thinking that...warrantees are there to basically say that their product has the potential to provide trouble free service for x amount of time,but if there is a problem during that time,here is what we'll do about it.Without limits,the consumers can expect lifespans of products to be 100 years,or whatever we feel,and thru litigation force manufactures to repair/replace stuff forever.

Now,back to the skoot stuff...
The ACT prohibits the manufactures from forcing us to have our stuff serviced by an authorized entity or representative or to buy and use their maintenance items(oil,filters,spark plugs,etc) unless that stuff is provided for FREE!! Now we all know that they aren't and have or will never do that.
This means that we can buy aftermarket filters,plugs ,etc to use in our skoots,but the burden of that choice now falls into our laps,and entrusting that the manufacturer of the aftermarket stuff does in fact meet oem specs.If they do not,then the maker of ur skoot does not have to honor warrantee-related repairs if in fact it can be( and it must be proven under the wording of the ACT) shown that the ABC brand oil filter caused ur wibblin pins to fail.

The most important aspect as far as servicing of ur skoot goes,the manufacturer cannot stop us from doing our own servicing,or having it serviced at an independent shop.The most important aspect is that the servicing is done to the makers specs(or better as we do here at CRT),and that it is done at the frequency prescribed.

I CANNOT tell you how **** POOR most of the examples of dealership servicing i have seen,and not only the poor quality,but the out and outright ommissions of very important maintenance items such as required valve clearance inspection,carb and throttle body sincronization..i can go on!

There is a mechanic at a local dealership( i don't know who but i know where) that EVERY SINGLE skoot we have gotten into the shop,the chains have been OVERTIGHTENED so much that it is scary. We also had a lady bring in her skoot after having been r

 

If the above is indeed correct to the "T" about the first servicing, I smell a class action suit in the future............ I was told by TWO dealerships that Honda would "void the warranty" on my bike if they did not service it.

 

Yes, I've heard the same thing (about additionl services)- from two dealers... Both also said it is mandatory that initial service is to be done by them.