Dealer charges shipping for their parts?

cWj · Apr 5, 2018

Last week I took my 09 Bandit to a dealer to have the rectifier recall service performed.

While there's I had them perform a valve service.

Upon attempting the recall service, the found a broken connector which I agreed to have them replace. It ended up being at the dealer for 6 days.

I just took a hard look at the receipt and realized I was charged $10 shipping for the parts to do the valve adjustment. This seems odd to me. 'm not used to having to pay shipping for a delaer to get OEM parts for a service they are performing.

Has anybody else noticed this charge from their dealer?

humanrace · Apr 5, 2018

One of our local dealers charges for shipping. To justify it, they have everything shipped 2nd day.

BlueBandit · Apr 6, 2018

Just a guess, but it might be because bike service departments are not as constantly busy as their automotive counterparts and therefore do not order parts on a daily basis. So in the end they might have only ordered your parts that day and thus had no choice but to pass the shipping costs onto you...again, just a guess.

brcol · Apr 6, 2018

Do they also charge a % for misc shop fees? They may be covering their costs in creative ways to keep their actual labor rates low.

TWTim · Apr 6, 2018

cWj said:
I was charged $10 shipping for the parts to do the valve adjustment. This seems odd to me.

It is a bit odd. The more common procedure is to just add the shipping to the cost of the part on the repair order. That way there's less chance of running into headaches from the customer perception side. It also simplifies the bookkeeping to a degree.

tricepilot · Apr 6, 2018

cWj said:
I just took a hard look at the receipt and realized I was charged $10 shipping for the parts to do the valve adjustment.

It wasn't for the shipping

E.Marquez · Apr 6, 2018

The dealers I work with order parts one of two ways
They do a stock order, once a week, if your part can be added to that at no additional cost, there is no shipping cost to you. So if they are ordering a dozen spark plugs, 25 drain plug washers and 9 other smallish parts, and you order a hood for your Razor, your paying for the hood shipping.

If you do not want to wait for the stock order and or you want it shipped by faster service then the stock order is shipped, you will pay shipping.

Shipping on a service part,,,,,thats something I have not seen....
I suppose if its wed and the stock order went in Tuesday, and you wanted the bike by Friday that week, a special parts order for your service part might induce a shipping charge...but I think most shops just add it in to the part cost and you never see the charge on a separate line

jdsmetx · Apr 7, 2018

tricepilot said:
It wasn't for the shipping

LOL! I wish there was a like button for this one!!!
Me, I would get charged $100 for being the grouchy guy :lol2:

at least that's what my wife would say!

achesley · Apr 11, 2018

I pasted my my closest dealer last Fall and decided to order a couple instrument bulbs. Cost with shipping about about 20 bucks for two bulbs. Said they would call when they come in. This being about 30 miles away.
When I got home I ordered the same bulbs online and they were in my mail box 4 days later and a cost of 10 dollars.
The dealer called 2 weeks later and said my parts come in. Never did tell him I had the parts already and wanted them for spares anyway.
Then you wonder why dealers are having sell lawn mowers and 4 wheelers to make it. Plus many closing.

cWj · Apr 12, 2018

This dealer is getting rid of Suzuki in favor of Royal Enfield; said they couldn't get the people who wanted Suzuki appproved...in the ft. Polk area.

cWj · Apr 12, 2018

tricepilot said:
It wasn't for the shipping

Perhaps their assumption that I would be would explain the spilled coolant, the haphazard rtv on the plastics and the missing fairing screw.

Meriden · Apr 12, 2018

E.Marquez said:
The dealers I work with order parts one of two ways
They do a stock order, once a week, if your part can be added to that at no additional cost, there is no shipping cost to you. So if they are ordering a dozen spark plugs, 25 drain plug washers and 9 other smallish parts, and you order a hood for your Razor, your paying for the hood shipping.

If you do not want to wait for the stock order and or you want it shipped by faster service then the stock order is shipped, you will pay shipping.

Shipping on a service part,,,,,thats something I have not seen....
I suppose if its wed and the stock order went in Tuesday, and you wanted the bike by Friday that week, a special parts order for your service part might induce a shipping charge...but I think most shops just add it in to the part cost and you never see the charge on a separate line

This has been my experience. Back when I was constantly buying parts, I knew Lone Star's schedule: Order on Tuesday, receive on Friday or order Thursday and receive Tuesday, or something like that, always no shipping charge. They were always happy to take an order and fed-ex it if necessary and I'd pay the shipping. Same rules applied to service. If you wanted it fast they would order the parts and charge shipping. If you would wait for normal for their standard parts order, no charge.

brcol · Apr 12, 2018

achesley said:
I pasted my my closest dealer last Fall and decided to order a couple instrument bulbs. Cost with shipping about about 20 bucks for two bulbs. Said they would call when they come in. This being about 30 miles away.
When I got home I ordered the same bulbs online and they were in my mail box 4 days later and a cost of 10 dollars.
The dealer called 2 weeks later and said my parts come in. Never did tell him I had the parts already and wanted them for spares anyway.
Then you wonder why dealers are having sell lawn mowers and 4 wheelers to make it. Plus many closing.

I too am guilty of ordering some things online. That parts guy had time involved in looking up your parts, ordering your parts, receiving your parts, then calling you to let you know they came in. I could see where there was easily $10 worth of time involved in that.

achesley · Apr 13, 2018

brcol said:
I too am guilty of ordering some things online. That parts guy had time involved in looking up your parts, ordering your parts, receiving your parts, then calling you to let you know they came in. I could see where there was easily $10 worth of time involved in that.

The money was not the concern. Time period was. A few years back I wanted a spare cover gasket so stopped by a dealer and ordered it, 5 weeks later, it came in. Online, i had the gasket in 5 days. I worked for a year at a Kawasaki,Yamaha dealership. Most of the time the parts department would only order weekly and at times every 2 weeks due to shipping expenses.