Ducati Monster Forum

Today, AMS Dallas handed me a bill for $1,900 for a 12K service and replacing both sprockets and the chain on my 2006 ST3. Seemed a little high to me.   >:(  What do you think?

Pura vida!
George

Mine usually run a grand; new tires would add to that. 

Dunno... Is the ST a 4 valve?

Their price on a new chain and both sprockets (+labor) is expensive for sure. If it makes you feel any better I have gotten an even bigger bill from them. :P No? I didn't think so. Sorry, just trying to help. ;D

i don't know man....sounds pretty ridiculous to me.

Ouch, that does seem like a lot, but I don't know the specifics of the 12k service on the ST3.  I would imagine, belts, valve check/reshim, and fluid flushes.  The 3 could just be more labor intensive than other bikes.  I think I'll be taking mine in without fairings and fresh oil in the sump, hopefully that'll save me some $$.

That's good thinking. [thumbsup] That will save you enough for 2 gallons of gas at today's prices. :P

pics without fairings would be mucho cool !  ;D

I'm discovering my wife has a fetish for naked SBKs.  :o

Doesn't sound like a bad thing!     ;) [thumbsup]

(http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t230/gamcox/9873512v1_350x350_Front.jpg)

and PS's   ;)

+1 [thumbsup]

Mission accomplished.

Thread-jack successful.

Naked SBK?

(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2014/2299498096_1436fc4e8a.jpg?v=0)

(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2201/2298697963_02a7eb4480.jpg?v=0)

 [thumbsup]

Thanks, Bryant.  I think I'm gonna get lucky tonight!   [laugh]

Wow, pictures for Jim's head board [thumbsup]

it doesn't seem any higher than another shop could potentially charge.  The 3 valve adjustment isn't that much more difficult than the 2 valve adjustment and I'm pretty sure if they used OEM sprockets and chain, those were probably pretty expensive....

what was the itemized list of stuff?

Hmm, man I think I'll sell my bike to some unsuspecting person when it hits 12k LOL.  The service will be worth a third of my bike's value at that point.

I'll give you 10 bucks  ;)

Just ran across this so I thought I'd just say, "nakid"   [cheeky]

(http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z234/n2f/P1030123.jpg)

Happy Monday  [roll]

I got a bill for about $1500 for a 12K service on my '99 996. 

Really nekkid...


(http://homepage.mac.com/metcalfe/.Pictures/2008-03%201098S/Naked1.jpg)

  Those naked pics are so AWESOME!!! Thanks for sharing!!  [thumbsup]

Not my favorite naked pics but I guess they will do for now.

Back on topic .......$2300 does seem a bit high. I am sure AMS would explain why the bill is so high if you asked.

I feel a bit silly complaining about my $240.00 fuel filter bill from them now  [roll].

Was it $1900 or $2300 ?

$1900. 

Including $20 (each) sparkplugs. 

Including f/r sprockets and chain. 

That's the entire bill, parts, labor and tax.   >:(

Something's wrong.  I don't mean their math.  I mean their moral compass don't point North.  Know wut I mean, Vern?

The guy there (Dallas) tried to explain it to me by reading me the parts list.  I had to explain that I actually DID get far enough in school to be able to read the piece of paper myself.  Without moving my lips. 

20 bucks a plug is actually correct if they're using the OEM champion plugs, which i assume they are... still sucks that you had to pay so much of course


my own nakid pic:

(http://lh5.ggpht.com/hierohyf/SGcQzmCveBI/AAAAAAAADL0/UCdiSrPriCg/s800/IMG_3937.JPG)

do I win?  ;D

I know that's a s#@tload of money for a service but I would like to think at least it was done correctly. If that is any solace. I have nothing personally against either the Plano or Ft.Worth Ducati dealers but I have heard troubling stories about both when it comes to service. I've certainly heard pregnant dogy remarks about AMS too but I certainly think they are the lesser of three evils. And by evil I mean expensive. And I believe the comments about AMS has been about money and service time, not major screw ups. Since Stuart left AMS that has certainly hurt service turn around time. Having one of the best Ducati techs in the country that has been with you for years and years leave your dealership has got to hurt and effect your service department. And the $100/hour labor rate isn't real user friendly either. If it makes you feel any better I would be extremely happy to trade your ST3 bill for my 916SPS bills... yes that would be plural, not just one big bill. And no. I'm not rich either. :P It's not like we didn't know any better when we bought Ducatis. A Ferrari isn't a Toyota Corrolla and neither are the service bills. That's why I love my much maligned Japanese Superbikes. Gas em up, ride the s#@t out of them, wear out the tires, replace tires, refill gas tank and go! Only time they go to the dealer is once a year for new inspection stickers. [thumbsup] [moto] [bacon]

your bike looks like a friggin deer....  and it's looking at me.  frankly, a little creepy.

and i have little doubt that $1900 gets you a good service...but, it's a service.  it's not like they're going over the bike to set it up for uber track performance.  all i know is when my SS needs the normal service stuff, i'm going to be looking at either jim sabin, or randy, or richD (if i can come up with enough beer and bacon).  i can only imagine what the bills for routine service will be on a bike with 33k+ miles.  even if it was *just* $1k, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to spend 1/4 the value of the bike on a valve and belt service.  i may as well just sell it and look for the next set of wheels, imo.  i love my bike, but not enough to make me bad at math.

I like Jacob's line about selling his Monster right before the 12K since the service cost would be about a 1/3 of it's value. That thinking may not be too far out of line. I'm sure that has something to do with Ducati reducing service expenses on the new line up. That expense may well keep people from purchasing a Ducati over a Japanses bike. Been out of the BMW loop for a while so this may be a good Donald or Scott question but what's the cost for major Bemmer services? I know Scott had Randy do the 25K (?) service on his. Does the Plano shop charge $100/hour too? They carry BMW, Ducati, Triumph and MV Agusta so it can't be too far off AMS' rate.

it's really simple. anything you can do yourself do it. brakes, chain, sprocket, belts, plugs, all fluid changes, etc. that is how you save money. i have never done mine but believe me when i tell you i will definitely be making the effort. i will just simply offer to pay someone to supervise the first time to make sure i do it right then the second time i will be off and running. the only thing i will have ams do is the valves. i do everything on my cars except internal engine and it will be the same on my bike. i see your point concerning japenese bikes i don't remember having to take my katana in and i dogged that poor thing. it's no different than taking your car to a dealer. when you come in these techs do alot of looking trying to find any recommended services or probs. why? because that's how they make their living. i can't imagine it's any different at the motorcycle dealer. my 7500 service cost me $400. i expect the 15 to be more but not too much with me doing most everything myself. i figure i will do my stuff then take it to them and they can do theirs and MAYBE a look over just to double check my work.

I personally would not let Plano touch any of my bikes, ever again, for any reason.
P.S.- It's been my experience that they keep bikes at least 2 to 3 weeks, sometimes longer, so AMS is not out of line there.

I would personally rather pay someone competent to do the job right the 1st time, & sleep well at night ;)
Like any other high performance machine, we purchase Ducati's knowing that they are not disposable, & require maintenance to keep them in top running condition [thumbsup]

IMHO-

I've had AMS work on 3 Ducatis now, & I have NEVER known them to look around trying to make up stuff to do.
If anything, they have been overly generous, looking the bikes over, tweaking things, & being patient while I ask all kinds of inane questions, and really undercharging me for the time they have spent.
One huge is reason they look the bikes over thoroughly is safety. They have a responsibility and possibly legal liability to their customers, & I greatly appreciate their thoroughness [thumbsup]

The more sh*t you have the more you spend in prev main., repairs, ins., etc.......the nicer the sh*t the more all that stuff costs....that's life!  ;)

Mo money mo problems  [laugh]

Mo stuff mo problems!

Well said. [thumbsup]

Count 'em folks... 2 words  ;D

 [roll] I'm going to have Randy do my 12K & new tires on the GS - I ordered all the parts and will take them over to him - I'm also adding crashbars to get ready for some extended tours ( maybe Big Bend ).

As y'all know I'm cheap thrifty but since your life kinda totally depends on having the bike run as flawlessly as possible that would seem to be the big deal.  I've dropped some $$$ for service with a dealer north of LBJ that will remain nameless & still believe that they " phoned it in " and kept it 4 ever doing it ! I'm willing to pay the big money for great prompt service.  Slow, careless, & expensive - and an attitude that says " we are doing you a HUGE favor just to glance at your tractor " pisses me off !

Little stuff makes a big difference in how a bike rides - when this dealer did my last tires I begged them to tune my spokes since the GS stood around waiting for me for 9 years - they didn't !  I had the worlds biggest German vibrator until I tuned the front spokes myself - some were dead & some were so tight they were about to pop!

Not to go all Fastwin on you here but if you get what you pay for in a timely fashion it's worth it !  I think this is why many serious motorcylists get into wrenching their own bikes - it's a trust thing more than a $ thing ! If you go really fast or head to the boonies ( or ride the freakin' tollroad ) bad stuff could happen if your bike eats lunch on you !!

my 2 cents !!

You can count?!?  I was wondering, because I've been reading the two word thread and the five word thread......seems like you struggle with it sometimes.......I'm just sayin......  [laugh] :-*

No its true... I have issue when it comes to numbers. You should see my bank account  [bang]

i don't think they do bad work at all or go all crazy looking for stuff that is wrong. i am sure they do look and prob tell the customer what they find. "just so you know your brakes are gonna need attn in about 1000 miles" that is called "upsaling" the customer. do you need it right then "no". do you need it in the future "yes". it planted the seed so that in about 1000 miles you come back to have those brakes done. why? because they told you and you trust them because they were the first to notice. it shows they do care. but it also helps them in customer pay labor which pays a hell of alot more than warranty.
 reallistically i think their parts pricing is where they get you. when i called on some tires for black beauty the cheapest he had was $150 for the rear. the exact same tire at motorcycleproshop.com was $119. so then i call motosport. they price match and free shipping over a $100. same thing on my chain and sprocket. cycleworks is alot cheaper. all i am saying is if you have the patience to wait or some mechanical ability you can save yourself alot of money and it makes "HIGH PERFORMANCE MACHINES" a little less pricey in ownership. plus you get the joy of doing it yourself which is worth its weight in gold. it's the same way that you guys like to use randy. he's less expensive as the dealer yet just as competent.
IMHO- AMS does outstanding work and i also expect some $$$ to be spent on my part but i know i can save me some money also which helps in the kid dept or beer dept for some.

 >:(  Oh yeah - I forgot part of my rant!  When dealers service departments leave your bike OUTSIDE IN THE WEATHER & SUN FOR WEEKS ( & refuse the cover you offer them - because they "don't want to be responsible" HELLO - they're responsible for the bike  ??? ) - THAT IS JUST WRONG, WRONG, WRONG !  [bang]

Ok - all better now - deep breaths !!  ;D

Hey, watch this...Again, well said! Three words. Pretty good huh?

Now I'm gonna blow it...

I knew going in that the 916SPS bills would be biggie sized. Not pregnant doging at AMS at all. I put myself in that situation buying a bike that had way too much motor for the street. I didn't realize how much a pain in the butt it would be because of the excessive motor and POS slipper clutch. I would have never done that engine work on a street bike. Ever. I was lured into buying it based on the incredible low miles, the condition and my blind desire to have an early SPS. I thought the engine would be easier and cheaper to tame. I was wrong. Mega bills later it's still not where I wish it was but I am finished, done, caputt with it. It is what it is and always will be. But in my opinion AMS did an excellent job trying to neuter it back into a street bike and the stock SPS cams were hard to find and very expensive. No whining. Just deal with it. [thumbsup] [moto]

FWIW ... you have one of the sweetest bikes I have ever seen. That goes for ***'s too. Im sorry but there is not much out there today that compares to that bike, it is an absolutely stunning specimen that I know any of us would be proud to own maint. bills be damned.

+1  [clap]

+2 (I'm speaking for mtc also)


My kids get this from me a lot...

 [laugh] [thumbsup]

Thanks for the bike compliments. ;D

I give Colin the same line too but I think it just does a fly by on him. The concept of not whining and having to actually deal with something is just too foreign to him. Feel like I'm talking to a fence post when I say it. Not the way I was raised and being a step parent I am hobbled in what I can say or do. :P

My kids don't like it either, and if they continue to whine over something stupid I just tell them they can do it somewhere else...it's their choice to whine and they get to deal with the consequences, as for the rest of us - we're gonna go on and have a good day.  Life's just a bunch of choices and consequences, good ones and not so good ones, (and some other sh*t thrown in there that you can't do anything about!) right?

Zen Bon

Kaptain charmin?

different thread

Kids whining while I'm gone = Bonnie "wining"  [wine] while I'm home  - Zen Bon

So, what's the maintenance cost on Bonnie?!? [laugh]

I think you all already know, and yes, I am worth it.  :-*

the last service cost a hell of lot more than $1900.00, but I rather enjoy pulling her into the garage and doing the lube job myself.

 :o hmmm......no comment.

:o

oh NO!! you DIDNT!!  :o

 [laugh]   [laugh]   [laugh]   [laugh]

 [popcorn]

 [popcorn]  Reason # 47 why I am not on a boring beemer forum !!!!

LOL!!!   [laugh] [laugh] [clap]

Me neither. [laugh] [bacon]

What parts and lubricants were involved?  Lyndy's next lube job is coming up soon.

[laugh] [laugh] [laugh] [beer] I just can't let myself go there

back... away... from the keyboard!

+a million and then some

as sam the eagle from the muppet show would say...

"hopeless....just absolutely hopeless..."  [bang] [moto] [thumbsup] [evil] [roll] [popcorn] [laugh] [clap]

 [popcorn]

 [bacon]

crap.... I missed the first 46... :P

I'll trade you my ford bill for your duc bill!
2500 and I still need brakes and a windshield :P

Diesel?

Alan's last "30,000 mile routine service" on a Cummins was about that...




Did I mention his Triumph just rolled 35,000 miles?  All commute  [bang]

Yes.  :P

Is that 'sposed to be funny? Should we laugh now??

tommy next time you need work done come see me i got the hook up on fords. trust me!!! all legite just cheper than normal. i might be able to pull some strings for alan with that cummins also. we do have dodge, chrysler, jeep, nissan, toyota and dare i say scion stores. i even have accounts with some other makes if you just want the parts and do it yourself.

you talking parts, service or both?  That's awesome either way.  Yeah, I had 2 front axle seals replaced and they raped me for 1400.00.  The tires were like 1050.00 but I figured that was pretty good.  I just think the axles seals were a rip!