Service time

[bodie27]

Well the dealer wants nearly $400 for the 18000 km service (or 11200 miles). So pricey. I can change the oil and filter. I can lube the cables. I can check the bolts. I can change the air filter. I can change the brake fluid if I need to. I can check the brake pads. So what else are they doing for their money, I'd really like to know. I'm not a mechanic or spannerman so what else do they do that warrents this cost?

[Clint]

Your owner's manual spells it out in great detail. It probably calls for a valve adjustment, but you can do that, too.

[Aussie Steve]

Bodie is the $400 Au? and does it include parts .......am I naive or what???? I guess you either pay or do it yourself. I don't suppose they pass any savings on to you when replacing parts. The problem is of course, if you are like me, then checking all those bolts for tightness is such a draaaaaag when you could be out riding.

My younger Bro....in the UK.... is a mechanic works for a Nissan garage and boy do they have to stick to set times when doing service or warrenty work. The dealer is told by the manufacturer what times it takes to do the work and if anyone goes over....well I'm sure you can guess. Dealers do lose their franchises over this so I guess in one way the $400 is not too high....providing they do actually do the work....another thing my Bro told me.... ha ha ha ha


Steve

[palanon]

In the U.S. they call it " book time ". It's usually longer than it actually takes. A lot of dealerships and garages use this time for billing no matter what.

[omegajim]

If you feel the need to "lube the cables" use graphite, black powdery messy stuff. All else will attract dust. Although, unless it's particularly humid where you live, lubing the cables shouldn't be necessary.

good luck.

[Aussie Steve]

Trouble is in the UK where all that salt on the roads during winter seizes things up so bad that the book time is not long enough. At least here in Aus we don't have those problems! but like you say they will still charge the same amount.

Hey Omega how do you get the graphite down the outers? I remember using that stuff when fitting some vacuum system in a hospital....long time ago now... but we had little plastic bottles of the stuff and you used to squeeze it to make the stuff "puff" out. Trouble is it didn't go very far...certainly not the length of a cable.

Steve

[omegajim]

If you REALLY must do this (remember I warned you) the best approach is to take the cables off of the bike and spritz in from the top.

Don't like that idea? Next best, tilt the handle bars as best you can and spritz graphite in from the top.

Before doing all this however, I would look for rust where the cables connect to the carbs and at the handles for any signs of rust. If you don't see any and the cables move fairly free (go to the toy store and find out what new cables slide like. Chances are you won't need to lubricate the cables. However, Australia being what it is, high pressure air may be required to blow out the grit.

good luck.

[D_Klein]

Bodie... if you trust yourself with hand tools, do the work yourself!!! You'll save a few bucks and you won't have to worry about how well the job was done. All you need is tools, a repair manual, and a Saturday!

[bodie27]

Me too, its funny when I get them to specify what they are actually gonna do they always try to bluff over it..."all the fluids, brakes, filters, safety checks" but they always look a bit sheepish when I say but surely theres more for $400?? So I ring another Suzuki dealer and its $100 cheaper....hello!!
So I guess I'll be doing it from here on. 2 year Warrenty is id finished so i may as well

[Aussie Steve]

Hey Omega I might just use that air to try and blow that carb screw out from where its hiding....see my post re synthetic versus mineral oil

S

[omegajim]

see my post re synthetic versus mineral oil

I'll do just that.

Be very careful when using compressed air around carbs and loose pieces. This can have disaster written all over it. If some screw is lodged somewhere you can't find, I would just leave it, or let it rattle loose when you're driving. Unless you think it's already in the carb.