Maybe I'm missing something here but......

[gkamer]

I've read more than one post here were people talk about a dealer not wanting to provide service on a Sypder unless you purchased it from them. So the way I read that is the dealer would rather send your business to a competitor. That makes no sense to me unless there is some sort of secret squirrel stuff involving servicing a Spyder that I'm not aware of. I remember one Christmas I brought a gift for my wife. Gift wrapping is not my forte, so I went into a small boutique that offered gift wrapping. But because I did not buy the gift there, they refused to wrap it for me. I offered to pay them $5.00 bucks but they still refused. Rather than pocket 5 bucks for a couple of minutes work using material they already had, they sent me packing. I went back to work, used a brown grocery bag and wrapped it myself. Used colored markers to draw balloons and flowers on it (I'm good at drawing balloons and flowers) and a reindeer, which looked nothing like. Don't remember what happened to the gift but my wife still has the wrapping paper I made.

[cuznjohn]

i used to know a service writer that worked at a Chevy dealership. he told me that they would service cars that were not bought at their dealer, but customers always came first in the service dept.

[Bob Denman]

Yup! They'll work on it; just don't expect to be put at the front of the line...

[Pennyrick]

I think it all depends what your business model is.

If you have the dealership set up as one business where you want to sell products and service is incidental to the sale, the policy may make sense.

If your dealership is set up where sales, service, warranties, parts, etc. are set up as separate profit centers each contributing to the whole, then it makes no difference where the business comes from.

With Spyders though, it can be different.

I was talking to the owner of a dealership one day and he mentioned that they screen where a new customer's purchase and prior service work was performed because they had been 'stuck' on some warranty work in the past because the machine had not been properly serviced. As a result they had two price schedules for service contracts.... one if the machine was sold and serviced by their dealership and a higher priced one if someone other than their technicians worked on it.

[03hdjill]

We are now having all service work completed at a dealership further away from our home. When looking to buy, I passed on the closest dealer. The dealer that I bought from has a great mechanic, but the service department leaves a lot to be desired. We decided to travel even further to a dealer who is smaller ( still platinum ), but much more customer oriented. I will purchase my next Spyder from them.

[PrairieSpyder]

I had warranty work done at a dealership Tuesday. The problem was diagnosed at the dealer in Texas last month while I was there. They couldn't do the work because of lack of parts.

So I contacted the dealer closest to me and their first question was did I buy it from them? I told them I didn't but I know what parts are required and told them. They asked for part numbers, which I didn't know, and said that when I had the part numbers to call them back! So I called the tech in Texas and he opened a BRP case with the needed info.

Then the KC dealer called me back and scheduled the work. It wasn't anything they specifically said, but they seemed really put out that they had to respond to a BRP case and do work on a machine they didn't sell.

Like gkamer says, it really doesn't make sense to have that attitude; I'm really not inclined to buy from the closest dealer in the future since they've been so difficult to do business with on service.

[robmorg]

Patti,

I agree that the "attitude" makes no sense. If and when you buy your next Spyder at another dealer, I'd stop by that dealer closest to you and have a friendly chat with the owner, telling him why you didn't bother to buy from him. "I really would like to be doing business with you, but i just thought you'd like to know why I didn't. I Hope there's no hard feelings." Who knows, it may make a difference.

Happy Thanksgiving.

[900Dave]

I bought my Spyder from a BRP dealer 30 minutes east of my home. I bought my Snowmobiles from a BRP dealer 30 miles west of my home. The dealer I bought the snowmobiles from practically begged me to bring my Spyder to him to have it serviced! So I did. It was only for a state inspection but he got me there and that is so I bring him more business. But that is the name of the game. Treat your customers right and they will keep coming back.

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

I think it may make a difference if we're dealing with a Spyder bought new from another dealer, or bought used. I have had no problem at all with both local dealers when it comes to warranty work on my Spyder. I bought it used from guy in Wisconsin with only 615 miles on the clock. The owner of the dealership in Boise understood why I bought it since it was a great deal that made more economic sense for me than what he could offer me on a new machine. Birds of Prey in Caldwell hasn't been a problem either. I just have to schedule it in but I haven't gotten any sense of being put behind regular customers, just behind everyone else who was already on the schedule.

[BikerDoc]

My dealer not only services Spyders not purchased from him but also provides a free loaner during the work even to those who did not purchase from him. Guess where folks usually buy their next Spyder??

[Highwayman2013]

The dealer where I bought my spyder was in Pa. I moved to Las Vegas and the dealer I go to, Pro Shop in Henderson treats me better than the dealer did where I bought the spyder. Some dealers just have different outlooks on service and you must find one that will work with you.

[PrairieSpyder]

My dealer not only services Spyders not purchased from him but also provides a free loaner during the work even to those who did not purchase from him. Guess where folks usually buy their next Spyder??

The dealer in Texas washed my Spyder while they had it it! I asked the KC dealer when I picked it up it they washed it. The guy said, "Who do you think we are? Honda?"

[ARtraveler]

Dealers that refuse to service, or give reduced service to those that did not purchase directly from them have always been one of my favorite rants.

I would look at the situation as being an opportunity to win over another customer and further the service business and possible sales of new in the future.

Those dealers that are openly hostile, should be given free advertising, and we should deal with them accordingly.

I am very fortunate. Live five miles from the best dealer in Alaska. Their service department is mostly on the money--but not perfect. Have been a customer of theirs since 2001. That included four Kawasaki's before the Spyders came along.

They treat me right and are outgoing to any and all that visit them for sales or service.

[flaggerphil]

This is one of the reasons I fired the dealer only 20 minutes from me and use a dealer 60 miles from me. I had NEVER run across such a thing before in all the years I'd been riding, but when I did, I walked away from said dealer.

IMHO, it's just stupid for a dealer to have such a policy.

[Bob Denman]

The dealer in Texas washed my Spyder while they had it it! I asked the KC dealer when I picked it up it they washed it. The guy said, "Who do you think we are? Honda?"

Another Dealer that couldn't wait, to alienate a potential customer...

[Mike Ard]

I think it may make a difference if we're dealing with a Spyder bought new from another dealer, or bought used. I have had no problem at all with both local dealers when it comes to warranty work on my Spyder. I bought it used from guy in Wisconsin with only 615 miles on the clock. The owner of the dealership in Boise understood why I bought it since it was a great deal that made more economic sense for me than what he could offer me on a new machine. Birds of Prey in Caldwell hasn't been a problem either. I just have to schedule it in but I haven't gotten any sense of being put behind regular customers, just behind everyone else who was already on the schedule.

Bought my 2010 RS from the Boise dealer and had it serviced there for five years with no problems. Went back to work a deal on the F3 and they were not interested in dealing with me as I had a trade in. Birds of Prey in Caldwell was all over us wanting our business and have been wonderfull since. They will even send a trailer to Boise, pick up my spyder and return it for free. Have not set foot in the Boise dealer since and have no plans to in the future.

As a side note my 2010 RS sold before I left Birds of Prey to a guy who had a newer RS-S.

[JayBros]

Since it's a capitalist society a business can establish whatever kind of business model they choose. The strongest point of threads such as this is an alert to Spyder owners that at some specific dealerships they might not get the service they expect when they didn't buy their machine there. Thanks for th info.

OTOH, if you happen to run afoul of the Spyder gremlins and you didn't buy it from Matthews Fun Machines, don't worry, based on my experience they'll try to get you back on the road as quickly as possible. Just another side of the coin.

[Fat Baxter]

I had a similar problem, but with a twist. The dealer I bought my Spyder from admitted that if you didn't buy your bike from them, you went to the end of the queue. But even if you bought it from them, you still couldn't go to the head of the line unless you bought a "diamond care" policy from them that guaranteed you'd go the the head of the line any day, even if you didn't arrange an appointment. But they quoted me $1200 for that privilege (I passed). But even though I bought the bike from them, they still won't work in an appointment.

That dealer is 90 miles away. A local Honda/Yamaha dealer just started handling Can Am, they're only 20 miles away,and they work on an appointment basis. Guess who gets my work now?

I guess the original dealer can get away with their crappy management style when you were the only one in the region selling Spyders, but competition has kicked in and I have several other options now.

[one2doo]

I don't understand the thought process behind that. It would lose more than it would gain.