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Message started by Gary_in_NJ on 08/25/17 at 08:16:19

Title: Easy Maintenance - that you pay to have done
Post by Gary_in_NJ on 08/25/17 at 08:16:19

I do all of my own maintenance - car, bike, plane, tractor - doesn't matter. If I don't know how to do something I will figure it out. But there is one simple task that I have completely given up on - using tire irons for ANY reason. Last week I got a simple flat on my Cafe Racer. I removed the rear tire and brought it to a local shop. I find myself at the counter explaining to the guy that I can do it...but don't because I only have about a 60% success rate of not pinching the tube or marring the rim. It's not "like" I'm embarrassed to pay for this service - I am embarrassed.

What's your guilty displeasure?

Title: Re: Easy Maintenance - that you pay to have done
Post by Steve H on 08/25/17 at 09:20:01

That's the one service I have been known to pay for also.
I have changed tires and no problems with pinching or anything. It's just such a hassle and you generally get rather dirty.

It's so much easier to have someone put it on the tire machine and pop it off and put the new one on.

Title: Re: Easy Maintenance - that you pay to have done
Post by ohiomoto on 08/25/17 at 09:31:18

I don't pay for anything on my motorcycle, mower, blower, weedeater or the family fleet of bicycles. I rotate all of our tires, swap out, winter wheels, do the brakes and most other repairs that wouldn't be covered under warranty. I've even lowered a couple of cars with springs or coilovers. I'll do all that, but I refuse to change the oil on our cars. For $20, I'll happily let someone else do it.

Though this may change soon. The free service on my wife's Volvo is up. I don't think I'm going to pay the dealer service fees and it takes full synthetic oil. May end up doing that one myself. Better yet, maybe I'll have her do it. :)

Title: Re: Easy Maintenance - that you pay to have done
Post by Eegore on 08/25/17 at 09:38:07

I agree on oil changes, its so cheap to get done I'd rather do something interesting than set aside time to do the work and then take the oil off to be disposed.

Title: Re: Easy Maintenance - that you pay to have done
Post by xaman on 08/25/17 at 09:48:35

I do my own tires just because I don't have a cheap option. The local shops won't reuse the tube, so that adds tube cost plus a bottle of Ride-on puncture sealant plus the shop fee. I can save generally $60 doing it myself, as long as I don't pinch the tube ;D. (Note, I use the same tube for about 3 tires, which is generally about 1-1.5 years and 12-15k miles).

But my buddy has a shop close to him that'll do a tire swap for $25. At that price point I'd gladly pay someone to do it. Wish I had that shop in my town.

Car/truck oil changes are a no brainer to me, I let the shop do it. I'd only save $10 and have to deal with disposal and the Texas heat and mosquitos. The only hassle letting them do it is a little wait...

Fork Seals is always the one that gets to me. It's a pain in the butt, but I end up doing them because the labor cost at the shop is insane. I'd pay $100 to avoid it, but the shop always wants double that or more...

Title: Re: Easy Maintenance - that you pay to have done
Post by zipidachimp on 08/25/17 at 12:30:04

Personal tire saga: took bike in last week for new tires, tubes and rim tapes, went back 3 days later, get new tires, 1 new tube,"they sent me the wrong tube, my mech says your old tube is OK, put it back!"
A 10 year old tube in a new tire??? Throw a hissy, manager says he shoulda called, agrees to re-do it. Now when I pick it up tomorrow, can I believe it has a new tube? Screwed and never got kissed! >:( >:(

Title: Re: Easy Maintenance - that you pay to have done
Post by SALB on 08/25/17 at 13:12:17

55465F464B4E4C4746425F2F0 wrote:

Now when I pick it up tomorrow, can I believe it has a new tube? Screwed and never got kissed! >:( >:(

I usually ask to inspect all old/removed parts.

Title: Re: Easy Maintenance - that you pay to have done
Post by IslandRoad on 08/25/17 at 14:13:38

Mechanics around here usually present the used parts back to you when you pick up the vehicle. I used to wonder if they had a cache of used parts out the back just for that purpose :).

Having now worked in a small-engine shop for a little while, I'm not so sceptical anymore. It's hard enough storing the parts we actually do need!

Title: Re: Easy Maintenance - that you pay to have done
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 08/25/17 at 21:14:40

I've been known to mark things. I've marked the oil filter when I was gonna get it changed. A silver marker on the valve stem would do.

Title: Re: Easy Maintenance - that you pay to have done
Post by zipidachimp on 08/26/17 at 20:54:40

Strike 3 for this shop: flat battery when I picked it up! Also, the belt was tight as a banjo string. >:(

Title: Re: Easy Maintenance - that you pay to have done
Post by old.indian on 08/28/17 at 17:11:08

I'm lucky. :) Little independent shop at the bottom of the hill. They will match internet prices if possable, use your parts if not. $60 an hour labor rate and guananteed. Also, a nice hang out to avoid the "honeydo" list.... ::)

Title: Re: Easy Maintenance - that you pay to have done
Post by zipidachimp on 08/28/17 at 21:52:17

At least I got fresh tires! date code 2217. old code was 4207 8-)

Title: Re: Easy Maintenance - that you pay to have done
Post by Dave on 08/29/17 at 05:02:54

190A130A0702000B0A0E13630 wrote:

At least I got fresh tires! date code 2217. old code was 4207 8-)

I can't help but believe that 10 year old tires didn't ride very well....or have good traction in the wet.

Title: Re: Easy Maintenance - that you pay to have done
Post by MMRanch on 08/29/17 at 19:11:45

so what are the key words that makes me a spammer ?

Title: Re: Easy Maintenance - that you pay to have done
Post by zipidachimp on 08/30/17 at 03:21:59

Dave: the tires only had 5600kms on them and looked brand new. If I wasn't so cheap, I would have changed them last year when I bought the bike. As it happened I put 1000kms on before I wised up! 8-)