DO NOT BRING YOUR SCOOTER HERE FOR MAINTENANCE!!…read more
Especially if you are a woman or a newbie in terms of knowing what's what.
I purchased my '03 Yamaha Zuma from First Kick back in 2006 and had a good initial impression as they guided me through the purchase.
Fast forward to maintenance 2008. I recently brought it in for annual servicing knowing that I'd need at least the back tire and brake pads replaced. I OK'd the estimate for these two pieces of work plus yearly maintenance, approving work totaling no more than $350.
I should have known something was up when I asked for the carbon for the work estimate, and the guy in the shop (Louis M.) said, "This is for us." I thought that strange, knowing that it was my legal right to have a carbon copy of the estimate, but walked without it, trusting them.
A few days later, I get a call from another guy in the shop (Chris B.) saying they had "put the Zuma up on the lift and discovered dry rot in the front tire" as well as the need for a new front rotor. When I asked him how much parts + labor for those two jobs would be, he said (after "researching" part cost), "$400." When I questioned him about what seemed to be the exorbitant cost considering how easy it is to work on scoots, he replied, "That's what it costs." Yet again trusting them, I said, "Well, the work needs to be done, and if it needs to be done, then OK."
Later that evening, I talked to a motorcycle friend of mine who basically said, "No way in hell should two tires, a front rotor, new brake pads and yearly maintenance (which is basically spark plug replacement plus changing out the oil) cost $800."
I showed up at First Kick the very next morning and talked to Tony. I had spent a sleepless night lamenting my own sucka-ness in not being a better, more educated consumer. Most of all, I was angry that, in First Kick's mind, they felt they could d-ck me around just cause I have boobs.
I insisted on going through the estimate for each piece of work line-by-line so I could understand better how they came up with $800. Sure enough, each piece of work was "padded" with some extra charge, totaling about $40 per job. When asked about the PHONY CHARGES, Tony replied that the parts guys put in a generic part at the beginning of the work order and clear it out with more accurate pricing after the job is done.
After the line item scrutiny, my bill magically dropped from $800 to $622. I still believe they gouged me in terms of hourly labor cost, charging way more time than it takes to unscrew a front rotor bolt, for instance. (The final bill says a full hour to replace the front disc). And considering my scoot only cost a bit less than $2000 to purchase, $800 for routine repairs is outrageous.
All in all, though, lesson learned. They have lost my business as a customer, and I recently steered away a friend from taking her scoot there for repairs.
One positive thing to share about them-- Tony is a champ. I was sleep-deprived, outraged, and felt very much so taken advantage of when I spoke to him the day after. He took the time out of his busy day to explain in depth what goes on for each repair and was gracious enough to understand my frustration. Also, he wiped away the extra, unexplained $175 from my bill and (at least in my estimation) seemed to want to make amends. For that, he wins an Upstanding Man Trophy in my book.
