Have you ever run into this clown? You ask him for a part and he thinks he knows the inventory so well he doesn't even look it up on the fiche or in the service manual, and says "We can't get that part." You say I know its available and he says "I don't even need to look at the fiche, because I know it isn't."

So you give him "the look" mumble and walk out.

At the next store you ask for the part and the guy behind the counter says, "Really? let's check it out. He gets out the catalog, not in there, gets out the fiche, not in there and proceeds to call Polaris on the phone. The folks at Polaris say sure, " It's in the shop manual on page such and such, how many do you want?"

A good dealer sure makes a difference.

I absolutely hate it when I ask a question of somebody in a parts department or service dept. And they say, "Well...you will just have to bring it in to the shop and we will take a look at it."

 

Thor

B.S. Bubba must have relatives in the Toledo area that work at our local dealers. The first one's name is D.A. (Dumb ss)Bubba. The problem with D.A. is that he is not only too stupid to understand what part I am trying to obtain, he is too lazy to look it up or ask anyone else. I called one day and I had the part book in my hand and I told him exactly what the part number was and the part name, and he still didn't understand. The other dealer in my area has D.B. (ditzy blonde)working for them. I was trying to get a spark plug for my Magnum and she kept saying "the computer says its here, but I can't find it". After about 15 minutes of this game, I asked for the parts manager. She replied, "well he is my boyfriend and he is up north riding with the owner". I haven't been back for parts since then. Very Fustrating!!

 

I don't mind the ditzy chicks behind the counter, as long as they're decent eye candy.

I recently went to the nearest Yamaha dealer to get a shock adjuster for the Kodiak. The guy came out of the back with it, when asked if it is the right one, he guaranteed me it was. They didn't have a Kodiak on the floor for me to make sure, so I took his word for it. As soon as I got home, I tried it. Not even close. I drove back, same guy wanted to charge me a re-stocking fee because the package was opened. I asked him if he was gonna be embarrassed explaining to the emergency room just how he ended up with a shock adjuster up his #%$. He didn't say a word as he gave me a full refund.

 

I like online microfiche! Even if the new kid behind the counter doesn't know which way to unscrew a spark plug, if you give him the part # he can usually find/get the part. If you get the wrong part, it is quite possibly your fault. I can live with that a lot easier than if somebody else held me up.
I don't know if they have the fich for these animals accesible. But there is an outfit that has Ski-doo, Sea-doo, OMC, and Yamaha online. Obviously they are hoping that you will place the order with them. They also have list price and their price. Although last I checked they were the same. They were a bit under list originally. Most of us would be greatly benefited by online fiche. I would rather look it up and order it and a day or so later have a little brown truck stop it off at my door. 10/1 odds the dealer has to order it anyhow. Then you have to drive BACK to get it again. Trouble is you lose some of the "good" dealer know how, what works/what don't, and so on. But so far I don't have a dealer that I can say that about. Kinda like the dill rod behinde the counter. May as well order it yourself. But come on guys, you know you can't get good help anymore! I don't think any of those people are into motor sports, and certainly not passionate about it. It's 8 & skate for most involved. But hey, they may not pay enough to get that kind of help. If they don't pay good, the guy behind the counter can't offord the toy in the first place. Unless it's some kid that can make the payments from this job. But then by the time he gets familier with the job, layout, supply chain, etc. he probably pushed when he shoulda pulled and had to get married and can't afford to work there anymore as he needs to make money and NOT necesarily love the job. It's a viscouse (sp?) cycle!
Just how I see it. You may have your own experiences though.
On a similar note though, Maybe I did find the mirracle dealer. The new one in St. Johns Mich. looks good. We stopped in and got a tour of the place, and at least the service dept. looks like they have been there done that. Great prices on machines! However I haven't bought anything there yet, they will see me again. I don't know how their parts prices are. There is one in Jackson that SUCKS on parts pricing. Generally 1/2 again higher than list on lots of stuff. But I think the guy behind the counter might know what he's doing more than some others. Just depends on which one helps you. But the thing is it takes $. A dealer needs to make $ like the rest of us. Those parts on the shelf and even Dill Rod aren't free or even cheap. It's still that bloody cycle again!

 

Yeah I know this guy,his brothers,sisters and the rest of his kin!! Im a diesel line mecanic and deal with this major incompentence on a daily basis . Theres nothing like taking a simple 1 hour job like changing u-joints and turning it into three hours or 2 days because the parts you ordered yesterday dont fit!! Man I JUST LOVE making mutiple trips!!!!!!!!!!

 

We have a guy at our implement dealer who asked 'gas or diesel engine' when we wanted spark plugs to fit an IH 656 tractor. I could understand if he was fresh out of high school or something, but jeez, he is about 50.
I actually don't mind the NK (new kid) or even the DB (Ditzy Blonde) as long as they are trying their best. I once had the NK spend 20 minutes looking up a part, and going so far as to take me with him in back, to look at a partly-disassembled machine the mechanic was working on to be sure he gave me the exact part I needed, as he wasn't experienced enough to be sure himself. Also, the DB parts people I know will usually show me the book & let me point to what I need. Niether of these are nearly as bad as DA guy or BS guy. Worst of all is IKBTYguy (I know better than you). He is the one that tries to sell you what you don't need because 'that is the part that breaks more often'.

 

"Plugs is Plugs" gas, diesel, don't make me no nevermind.

How about the guy that isn't sure of which electrical part will fit your application and is standing in front of the sign that says.
"Absolutely no returns on electrical parts, 15% restocking fee on all others"

He doesn't even know what to sell you but doesn't want to take it back if he makes a mistake.

What do you do when the fan motor he sells you doesn't fit the mounting bracket? (I asked for the owner, and he took it back.)

Or the ol' "We don't get much call for those." as he tries to sell from an empty shelf. "Our customers are different."

 

Yipeeee.

My new rear spring came in today so, it's down to the dealership to pick it up after work today.
The purchase of the 125-185# Magnum swing arm spring is what started this thread in the first place.

I was looking for a spring which would deliver less "rebound" than the standard spring for whooped out trails and moguls.

 

Or how about the guy at PSI who sells you what you need over the phone,but when it arrives,its nothing like what you ordered? ''JERKS''
Bill

 

How about trying this-
Call up a parts dept, anonymously spend about 20 minutes having them look up lots of parts and then just say "OK". Click!
Oh, thats the other side of what we're talking about here. Sorry, just having a little fun.

Polzook