Just bought a Prairie 650 2 1/2 weeks ago for 7200.00 (taxes and registration included). I took it in for its 10 hr. service and find that the minimum charge will be $180.00. An thats if it don't need any parts. What's up with that? Spend 7200 bucks and now they are telling me they want 180.00 for oil chng & filter, tightening any loose nuts and adjustments. It sure sounds like a rip off to me. I had all good to say about Kawasaki until now. This sucks! Looks like will be doing any other preventative maintenance myself. What do you think?

 

Find New dealer or do it yourself and keep records

 

That is just a greedy dealer.Kawasaki doesn't have control over what the dealer charges for service's or such. And to answer your question, I would say yes you are getting ripped off! The dealer I bought my Polaris at offered a free "check" to include an oil change,check and/or tighten bolts and grease it. I bought the machine 2 hours away from where I store it so I didn't take him up on his offer. Maybe the hidden charges would have came then? I guess it all boils down to if you can or can't do the maintenance your self. In which case $180 is probably a small price to pay???

 

That is the same with my local dealer. That is just the way it is. I am going to do my own service and keep the reciepts. I myself thing that they ought to give the first service for free labor, with the customer buying only the materials.

My two cents.

Longarm

 

I paid $110.00 for my 400's initial tune up, and I didn't feel as if I got ripped off. They get paid ~$40.00 an hour no matter what they do. The initial service should include valve train adjustment in which you have twice the amount of valves to check as normal.
Be mad if you want, but I have yet to hear of any makes dealer doing this for "free", you can bet that if you get anything "free" thet you paid for it somewhere else in the transaction.

 

It sounds to me like you dealing with a motorcycle shop looking to make the same profits as a car dealer.

 

Guys, about 100 to 130 is good around here so don't panic. Have traveled a lot and in the northeast is high dollar so deal with it. If it was me up there I would either do it my self [as i do now] or would find a dealer I felt better about. Personally I think everyone should have to do this themselves to help them learn more about the machine and it's capabilities. By the way Kaw has nothing to do with what dealers charge.

 

You know I understand that if a machine that you are buying is in top demand the likelihood of getting a "deal" is minimal. That being said, you would think the greedy dealers that you bought the machine would cut you some slack. It could not have entered their mind it looks like. It is this greedy mindset that is very irritating to me. Your right. I guess my feelings about Kawasaki should not change. But Ill tell ya, it would sure be uplifting to know that Kawasaki whom I have put my faith and money in would have enough influence on these greedy people to influence their decision to charge these outrageous prices. And yes the dealers by doing this have reduced the amount of dependence on them for preventive maintenance and repair work and will increase my knowledge as to the makeup and limits of my machine. So I guess in the long run I will be ok and the greedy @#"/ will be the losers. Thanks

 

Ouch!!!!I paid $120 Cdn up here.Thats plenty, but it was for everything and I'm confident my dealer did a good job.

 

Personally, I think the changing out of all fluids after only 10 hours is
not necessary. The front diffential is same topology as a truck differential
and there isn't even a drain plug on the front Chevy diff. The rear differential is a heavy equipment type wet brake design that uses tractor hydraulic fluid, which is intended for extreme use. Pop the caps and
see that the fluid is there and not contaminated and leave the diff fluids alone for a year. Adjusting the 8 valve tappets is pain that can be deffered
for a year also..aircleaner same. The crankcase oil should be done more often than annually, but it doesn't have to be done at the Kaw dealer if your looking for someone else to do it. There just isn't that much maintenance to the Prairies like there is that other brand that has 20 or 30 grease zerks