Jonny agreed to service my bike for $100 which included the adjusting of the carburetors and the 600 mile break-in service (which included an oil change) required by Honda. Jonny explained to me when we agreed to the price that adjusting the carburetors would make it run much better than the factory setting. When I brought the bike in I found out it only had one carburetor and you need more than one to make this adjustment.
We had agreed that he would adjust the carburetors for $50 then I asked him if he could do the 600 mile break-in service. We agreed on doing both for $100 total. I asked then if I needed to bring anything with when I had it serviced. He said no.
When I brought in the bike he asked me for the manual which I didn't have and couldn't go back and get cause I rode 75 miles to get there. He then went to look for a sheet that lists everything you need to check for the 600 mile service and he didn't have it either. He claimed he was Honda certified and had worked in a dealership for over 10 years working on bikes.
What he did to the bike was adjust the cables, breaks, checked fluids, air pressure in the tires and tightened bolts that might have been loosened in the first 600 miles. This all took about 30 minutes to do then I asked him if he could check the transmission shifting and he took it out on the road for about 5 minutes and said there isn't anything wrong.
I'd like to mention that during this whole time he was very friendly and considerate and allowed me to watch him work on the bike so I know what he was doing to it.
When he was finished he charged me $100 for this service which is where my complaint comes in. We agreed to the carburetor adjustment and because I had already changed the oil and filter 200 miles prior, it was not needed. Yet he charged me the same price which I felt was unfair at the time but I paid it anyway.
I wrote him the following email to address the issue:
Hi Jon, Troy here.
I was thinking about what you charged, $100 for 40 minutes worth of work for the 600 mile checkup thing. Considering there was no oil change or adjustment of the carbs and no parts involved, I feel a bit over-charged.
The dealership here where I bought the bike charges $69/hour. I wasn't really aware of how little was needed to be done so I'm wondering if you could offset the charge and refund part of it to coincide with a reasonable rate? Let me know what you decide. Thanks for your attention Jon.
Troy
He wrote back offering a free oil change. I agreed then later thought why should I have to drive 150 miles for an oil change then proceeded to write this email to him...
After thinking about this for some time Jon, I do believe my original concern is very warranted. You had offered originally to adjust things to the engine (carbs) for $50. And later to do the 600 mile service for $100 total. The 600 mile service includes an oil change as well which wasn't needed. I had thought you was going to do that anyway. All in all, I payed the same price for some things not serviced, (carbs and oil) for whatever reason. I do believe that's not very fair, nor good business practice. Seeing that no parts were involved, a stardard rate of $69 per hour (for a dealership) would have added up to $46 for the 40 minutes of service rendered. Lets just make it an even $50. Considering you had no list of things for the 600 miles service, I'm not even certain everything was done that was needed. I really don't thinks I should have to ride 150 miles for an oil change, plus I'd prefer to do it myself. Would you please send a refund for $50. I and another mechanic friend believe this is fair. Thanks.
Troy
I never received a response to this email. After about 10 days I filed a complaint with the better business bureau which only after that he responded by calling and arguing with me that it doesn't matter how long a job takes you still pay the price. He also mentioned a mutual friend of ours (I won't mention her name as she has nothing to do with this complaint and no need to get her involved) that he was friends with her as some kind of credibility to his actions. This had absolutely nothing to do with my complaint which was services not rendered period. Jonny agreed to settle it this way. He asked me to call the BBB and tell them it's settled before he would refund the money and only after would he sent the $50 refund. I found this extremely dishonest which is exactly why I'm making this complaint in the first place. Not trusting him I told him I'm not going to lie to the BBB. The only way I'm going to deal with this is after I get my refund I'll let the BBB know it's settled. He hung up very upset.
A day or two later I got a message in a chat room from one of his friends giving me this response to my complaint to the BBB and I quote, "troy some johnny rocket guy you sucked at sucking him offand you are not getting your 50 dollars, I was suppose to tell you that". I have no idea who this was but found that very unprofessional and extremely rude. He could have emailed or wrote or even called me.
After that he sent me two more emails:
My inquiry to the BBB stated this, i'm allowed to charge what i want as long as the services rendered are completed, your signing of the check and not mentioning anything at that time render the contract between us complete. Barb Winer stated this over the phone to me. Your service for the 600 mile check was finished as honda states it in their service manual. I hope my saving you $200 over the dealer fee was nice enough but from now on, take your business there, and deal with their high prices. My offer of a free oil change was completely fair, since you book it this far, you'll get nothing. So what if the BBB taints my oh so precious record, the other 300-400 customers seem completely satisfied by my work, i'm sorry my saving you $200 didnt satisfy you in the first place. Have a nice day.
He never mentioned services not rendered... The carburetor adjustment and oil change.
Email #2:
apparently someone has an email very close to yours with only a single underscore instead of two, that's where my emails have been going, here's a copy of what i originally sent yesterday ok after being contacted by phone today the better business bureau, she informed me that they have no jurisdiction over how much a shop charges as long as the work was performed compently and completely, so your complaint is bogus, i have filed my side of the story and they agree with me. I'm sorry but i'm withdrawing any previous offer and you will now get nothing from me because i figure now that you wasted 3 hours of my time you owe me $50... From now on, take your bike to the dealership and deal with their high prices and complain to them. I'm not dealing with this anymore and any emails you send me will be deleted unread. Sorry ya had to take it to this level, and i'm sorry i saved ya 200 dollars
Again he never addressed the services not rendered.
After the complain with the BBB was processed and after telling them that it was not satisfactory they post this message on their website, "Although the customer disputed the company's response, based on BBB experience the company properly addressed all the issues of the complaint."
Only recently I've discovered that at the 600 mile mark getting inside the engine and checking things like the valve clearance and replacing the final gear oil and that was never done either. Apparently this is why the 600 mile break-in service costs $200 to $250 because it's way more involved than what he did. I never knew what the service included except an oil change, which I never got and was charged for, and tightening of the bolts according to the dealership with a torque wrench which he never used either. Jonny says he's Honda certified. I can't see that he is at all. No list and no knowledge of what needs to be done and just guesses at it and sends you off. He said I should go to a dealership next time. They would have done a complete job and would have charged appropriately. He feels he saved me $200 but in all retrospect, he charged over twice as much for what little he did. $150 per hour figured out for amateur work. All Honda motorcycles that I've seen have a manufacturer sticker, right on the gas tank so you can't miss it, letting the consumer know the 600 mile service needs to be done and Jonny should have had the list if he was certified or at least knew what exactly the 600 mile service consisted of.instead he was asking me for the manual which didn't have the specifications for the valve clearance and anything else that it included. That's just plain incompetence and laziness.
I ran into him in the chat room again last night and confronted him again about it.instead of being adult about it he insults, and ridicules me.
Joŷ: me... I saved him 200 dollars over a dealership and he whines about it
Joŷ: thinks i owe him fifty buck
Joŷ: s*
Joŷ: told em i'd do a free oil change
Joŷ: but nooooooo
Joŷ: yea
Joŷ: i figured he couldnt afford the trip to mankato to ask for it face to face
Joŷ: so he b'tched on better business bureau.com
This is the kind of service Jonny offers. I think everyone should know.
0 comments