Bonneville America Forums Forums Off Topic Discussion Forums Lounge At my wits end

Many of you know the saga of my bike and the troubles I've encountered trying to get it fixed. If not you can read about it Here

And Here

So today I get the call that my bikes ready but I don't have the money to pick it up yet. To save some reading here's the jist. Twice the shop had to order more parts than were on the original estimate and at no point in time did anyone think to call the insurance company to let them know that they have to pony up more cash. The total of the extra parts was in the area of an extra $1200. After getting the call that my bike was ready and knowing full well that I didn't have the money to go pick it up I got the idea that because they have delivered nothing but pi$$ poor service that I might be able to talk them into letting me pay them the amount of the original estimate, letting me have my bike back, and paying them the rest of the money when it gets here. I understand from a business stand point why they wouldn't want to do that but I thought that because it was their fault that I don't have the money in my possession they might be able to make an exception. So I called the shop and spoke with Rick, the mechanic that worked on my bike, and I explained my position and asked if I could get my bike. He told me that the reason no one had called the adjuster was because he was in charge of my bike and he had gotten hurt, missed work for a couple of week and there was some miscomunication. I told him that I was sorry that he got hurt but Armand's powersports as a business dropped the ball and the circumstances of which said ball was dropped were not my concern and asked once again if I could have my bike back. He told me that he was not authorized to release my bike without full payment and that the only people who could authorize that would be A.J. (Armand Jr.) the owner of the shop or his Dad, Armand Sr. but neither of them were in the shop right then so I asked if I could leave a message for one of them to call and hung up. I just got off the phone with A.J. and I'm sure by now you can guess that the conersation wasn't all that good.

The conversation went like this...
It all started out plesent, I explained my situation to him ans asked if I could have my bike back. He said he couldn't release the bike with out full payment. I once again explained that it was their fault I didn't have full payment right now and asked if he could make an exception. He once again declined and went on to apoligized but said that there is nothing he could do about the fact that it had taken Triumph for ever to ship the parts. I told him that I was concerned about the parts shipping, I told him that had they got the order right the first time that there would have been a lot less wait for the parts, but the short commings on repair work were not the point. I went on to explain once again that had someone called the insurance adjuster when they knew they needed more money we would not be having this conversation and I would be riding my bike right now. He then explained that it was not the shops policy to submit suplimental payment requests until the job is finished. I asked why that was and his response was that it would slow things down and he didn't want to have to submit 3, 4, 5 different requests. Because I have been very active in this whole process, I know eactly what that request consists of, it's a fax to the adjuster with a list of parts, that's it, it's not a long drawn out form they have to carefully fill out, it's one peice of paper that they can print up and stick in the fax machine. So knowing what I know I ask him how he thought it would slow things down. He said it was because his mechanics would have to spend their time faxing in stead of working on bikes. I told him that if his mechanics couldn't have found the three minutes it takes to send a fax in the last two months than his shop had serious time management issues. He than said that he didn't want the insurance company to have to keep sending out the 3, 4, 5 different checks every time he submitted a request. I almost lost it at this point. I asked him how it was any of his concern how many checks the insurance had to send out. I told him that I pay my insurance company to do a job and that by not submitting requests to them he was not allowing them to do the job I pay them to do. He once again said that it was not his policy to submit suplimental claims until the completion of the repair and went on to tell me that his only job was to repair bikes to 100% and that he had done his job. I than reminded him that he was in the service industry and that the service he provided was way subpar. He told me that if I wanted to I could pay the cost of the suplimental claim out of my pocket and when the check came I could keep it (like I didn't know that it could be done that way.) I told him that I didn't have the money to cover the extra cost. He then said, "you can't just put the little extra amount on a credit card?" His words exactly, I went on to explain that A) my financial situation was none of his Fing concern B) I didn't inherit a motorcycle dealership from my father and that I have to work two jobs to pay all my bills and C) No! I do not have $1200 at my disposal at the time being and that I don't concider $1200 to be a little amount by any means. His response was "Oh." He then went on to say that the conversation was getting us no where and that he wasn't going to change the way he did business and that in 40 years of business I was the only person to not be satisfied by their policy of not submitting suplimental claims until completion of work.

I'm so mad right now I can't even explain it. I guess I'll have to wait until insurance comes through with the check. But in the mean time I'd really like to ask a favor. I was wondering if my friends here could contact A.J. at Armands Powersports either via phone (781)294-1645 or via e-mail info@armandspowersports.com and let him know how unacceptable that policy is.
All I can hope at this point is everyone here has learned from my expierences with them and that by contacting A.J. perhaps we can change their policy so the next one that runs into a situation like this with them they won't have to feel the same pain that I've felt.

Thanks.

Being a motorcycle business owner my self, I can see the shops point of view. However being a human, I can see your point of view.. If this were going on in my shop I would ensure that the customer is happy, he is the #1 reason were in business.. I would make some kind of arragment to have you back on your bike, and money in my pocket at the same time.. Be it a payment plan, or a barter of some kind.. Sounds ot me like they have been burned a few times, but being as they were the ones who dropped the ball, you should be on your bike.. The birden should be on them not you, after all they have admited to not securing payment on servies renderd.

Point Mr Armand in the direction of this thread... I doubt anyone who's read your problems will be using Armands anytime soon.

He||, and I thought my local dealer was bad... at least they let me take my bike away after the crash last year, and told me I could pay the storage costs when the money had arrived to me...

Is there any sign as to how long the money is gonna take to get from the insurance company???

The credit card comments... everyone thinks that as I own a Triumph I have a bottomless pit of money to throw at them. I don't. I work overtime to pay for the extras (and I have an old one that is now demanding attention - hence why I've worked overtime yesterday and today.) That includes replacement helmets, the brake pads I paid an exorbitant price for yesterday, £9 for a show on Sunday, so on, so on, so on. Stuff I wouldn't do/get if I didn't have a bike.

The company is waiting for payment. Not from you. You are nothing to do with the payment side of things. It stinks.
I just hope it gets sorted as soon as. I can remember what it was like for me not having an America to ride...at least I had a loaner....

Tim, ask the idiot that wrecked your bike to lend you the 1200
until the check comes in.

I wish I could but he doesn't have it either. He supports a wife and two kids on less than I make so as much as it is his fault and I'd like to hold him more accountable, I'm not going to put my bike ahead of the food that feeds his family.

And if 1200 is going ot put that shop out of business, it is not a good shop to have your bike in.

We need to spread this story and let that horrible stealership know they are not appreciated.

Bottom Line: He doesn't submit supplements to the carrier until the work is done so he can hold the bike hostage making them pay the ripoff to remain in good faith. That prevents the adjuster from re-inspecting and making sure its all on the up and up. He is a lying thief is all he is.

Make a better business complaint against him just for the fun of it.

Did you authorize the additional work? If not file a complaint with the consumer fraud unit of your state too.

Where was his authorization to work and charge that much more?

BBB complaint has been filed

No one authorized the additional work, as a matter of fact, no one knew about the additional work until the parts were on order and to make matters worse, the only reason I found out about it was because I called them to see what was going on. Had I not called them it would have been today, after completion of the work, when everyone would have found out about the extra things.

I had a similar issue with a car. Long story short....My adjuster went to the shop and gave them a quote. They started working on the car then based on the quote realized that the adjuster was not paying the hourly rate that their shop charged. It amounted to about 300 bucks difference. The dealer called me and said the car is ready and I could pick it up if I paid the extra and got it back from the insurance company. I went to the shop and talked to the manager. Finally I asked.....WHO authorized the extra money for labot? me? NO....my insurance company? NO. I then said I will pay my deductible amount and take the car or just call my lawyer and explain that you have basically stolen my car. After raising my voice a bit (with customers all over the lot looking at cars) he finally gave me my car and dealt the insurance company directly.

In other words.....may help to vistit in person. Dont cuss, be firm and a little loud.

Good luck

PS I emailed that dealer and indicated that I would never do business with him and would do anything I possible could to inform people that they would be better off buying a huffy bicycle from Wally world than to ever by any mode of transportation from his business.

Tim,

May I suggest you get your bike back first, before "spreading" the word or having people contact them.

I did have that thought but decided to go ahead with spreading the word anyway and here's why.

I don't feel like there's much else they can do to me. They can't charge me more money, they can't undo the repair work to my bike, they can't hold my bike longer than it takes to me to get the extra money. Really the only thing they can do that they haven't done already is get mad at me. I'm already not on good tearms with them so I have no issues with letting them know exactly how I feel or asking other people who feel the same way as I do to contact them.

Tim, sounds like maybe a phone call to a lawyer at this point might be in order. It might not go anywhere, but a simple letter from a Lawyer might go a long way. OOH, and when you do finally go in to pick up your bike, try to time it when the place is really busy and make lots of comments about their service to potential customers in the showroom. Make a show about it, the people who make the biggest stink (in front of other customers) usually get taken care of!

Based on my 20+ years in auto repair, I just don't understand what's going on here. 1) The insurance co should have been advised of the extra $1200 BEFORE the work was started so they could approve it and 2) immediately cut a check. Every adjuster I met post internet era has a laptop with them to cut checks on the spot if need be. 3) You're not responsible for the $1200, the ins co is. So, 4) Your bike shouldn't be held hostage 'cause Armand's screwed up. 5) In CT, DMV will investigate un=authorized repair charges major quick. It's a real no no.
SteveB