WheelSport Ottawa - Don't waste your time...

So, I took my 2010 V-Strom in to Wheelsport in Ottawa because my speedo suddenly stopped working. They couldn't find the fault, but said that the speedo works when the rear brake and/or clutch lever are applied. Huh. Wierd electrical glitch.No problem, when I bought my bike I bought the Suzuki extended warranty from them, right?

Wrong. Apparently, installing a fuse block under the seat is "messing with the electrical system" and therefore they are going to recommend to Suzuki Canada that the extended warranty not be honoured.

Am I off-base, here? The fact that I installed a fuse-block and head-light relay from Eastern Beaver...does that really mean that the electrical system has been "altered"?

You have been Wheeled... same shop... same MO... Same results...

You could put it back to stock and make them fix it? I would ask that question.

Right off the battery?

If so, they're ssholes. Standard for them, they always are.

Ok, so where would you go the Ottawa area, to get something done to you Suzuki? I have tried RMB without succes, please advise.

You could try Moto-Gatineau...I have nver dealt with their service dept. but the parts guy is super hyper/helpful. As far as Wheelsports service, I have never heard anything good....

IMHO- in my humble opinion....

electrical, in the shops hourly rate, under warrenty is a loosing business. If the tec can't find the issue fast, it turns out to hide and go seek.... that costs money, even if its warrenty.... warrenty pays for the fix, not hide and go seek.

The east end store, imho, is in this business for the fast buck... not to make long commited customers.

So now we should be commited..... mental health and all!!!

Find a dealer that deals with the same after market warrenty company as them..ask them to look at it!! just a thought or 2

This should be a sticky note...................................................................

I bought a second hand 2006 KTM 950A out of the back of some guys garage last fall in Toronto. Obviously well out of warranty, it needed tech bulletin repair in which parts alone were 4-500$... I did not assume I had a warranty claim but I asked and I guess they weren't too busy because Wheelsport did it free of charge. But it was stock and like new. I get great service from the Wheelsport Parts department, too.

I get good service at the parts department. The service guys ripped me off once and I would be hard pressed to use them again. That being said I have had bad experiences at several dealerships in town...the only mechanic I recommend is Revin Kevin in Oxford Station (just outside of Kemptville). Knows his stuff, honest and decent rates

OK, so the GM at Wheelsport worked with me and made this right. I am once more satisfied. The explanation that I was given is plausible and understandable.

So....they get another chance

here is for WS coming back to support the customer base. It is good when a shop makes things right. It is really good when the shop doesnt make the customer fight and talk to the GM to make things right. It is good that when the GM got involved it was fixed.

Now next time the bar will be raised and no GM involvement just good service with a smile is expected!

I think they are legally required to do recalls. When we brought an almost 10 year old Triumph TT600 into OGTC for fuel injection work, they checked the serial number, found it didn't have the recalls done, so did them before they would even look at the work we brought it in for.

Didn't cost us for the recall work as the dealer gets paid by the manufacturer.

+1 for the parts dept. At wheelsport, I personally had trouble with the service dept but the parts counter has always been great.

I'm challenging that statement

I'm listening. Do tell.

Just because a dealer fixes your bike on recall does not necessarily mean they are legally obligated to do so...maybe they wanted to make a bit of extra $$$

You're speculating then. I think hearsay trumps speculation anytime.

OGTC told me it was required.

And they thank you for your business

It's not hearsay, it's the law..."According to the requirements of the Motor Vehicle Safety Act, motor vehicle manufacturers are responsible for notifying vehicle owners when a safety-related defect has been identified in one or more of their vehicle models. This notification must be in the form of a Notice of Safety Defect, which is also referred to as a recall notice and which must contain three pieces of information. The Notice must describe the defect, present an evaluation of the safety risk arising from it, and provide directions on how the defect can be corrected. Usually, the correction consists of a repair that is carried out free of charge by the vehicle manufacturer."
source: http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/roadsafety/tp-tp14665-v201101-1152.htm

Although the dealerships are not the "manufacturer" they are, in fact, the manufacture's representative (aka retail) to the general public. No dealer will provide you with free work, they would never make any profits. But, you can rest assured that any "recall" repairs they perform will be covered by whatever manufacturer they are representing. If there are other problems to deal with, then sure, extra charges would be on a case by case basis. I don't see why you think someone is getting scammed here? If a dealer wanted to charge someone for recall work, work they are already being compensated for (double dipping), it wouldn't just be bad business, they would be breaking the law, putting the manufacturer at risk for breaking the law and risking losing their franchise opportunity. When it is all said and done, they (the dealer, as a representative of the manufacturer) are legally obligated to fix a recall, at their own cost. There is no grey area.

Key words highlighted: Empeepee's fuel inection nor my repair are safety related.