Recommendation for a local dealer/thorough cleaning

[robochick84]

I have had my P133 for three years now, and I could not begin to guess the mileage on the machine. I recently returned from an international trip with my Seg, and I want to reward him with a thorough cleaning/tune-up if such a service exists. I now live in the Greater Newark, DE area, and the only dealer - relationship I have had was in New Hampshire. I am interested in finding a local dealer (DE, Annapolis, etc, etc). Feel free to recommend your dealer, or a thorough tune-up service you may have had.

Much thanks,

Ashley

[hellphish]

There's nothing to tune, therefore no tune up is available. General maintenance is outlined in your manual, but from memory the only things it is going to tell you is to check your air pressure often and to wipe down the machine with a damp cloth.

[Desert_Seg]

Ashley,

When we have folks who ask us about annual tune-ups I tell them the same thing every time:

1. Remove the control shaft, cover open CSB end with Saran Wrap held on by a rubber band.

2. Remove floor mats

3. Remove one tire and lay a towel on ground next to opposite tire. Lean Segway up on remaining tire.

4. Using low-pressure water (standard garden hose without a sprayer nozzle)
a) spray Segway and gently scrub under fender, batteries, and on platform
b) wash tire that is off the Segway
c) dry under fender, re-mount tire and turn Segway over
d) remove other tire
e) gently scrub under fender and wash remaining tire
f) dry under fender and re-mount tire
g) dry entire Segway but leave on end
h) using a silicone spray (Armor All, etc) wipe down the "up" tire
i) put a new (dry) towel down and flip Segway
j) wipe down second tire
k) right Segway and remount CS, ensuring there is no water in CSB
l) wipe down CS with a damp cloth, using a non-abrasive cleaner if necessary
m) wipe down platform base and remount floor mats.
n) give unit a final wipe down
o) check tire pressure, fill if necessary

NOTE: DO NOTE USE THE SILICONE SPRAY ON THE FLOOR MATS

5. Voila, your unit is all clean and nobody charged you a penny.

Steven

[Desert_Seg]

Oh, btw, if you want your Segway cleaned, I know that you can easily trust Dick / Will at Segway of Annapolis.

Steven

[polo_pro]

desert_seg, do your polo ponies get the same treatment? Eeyore's been looking REALLY grungy lately...I've been thinking of getting him detailed! 8^) 8^) 8^)

ps - Grunge is very different then munge.

[wwhopper]

Oh, btw, if you want your Segway cleaned, I know that you can easily trust Dick / Will at Segway of Annapolis. Steven

Ashley

Just what Steven said about cleaning, it really only takes a little time and elbow grease.

I highly recommend those cleaning towlettes that come in the plastic tubs (like baby wipes) the ones I like are Costcos - they have a three pack and one is for tough jobs, that works great.

Take the pad off the base, and clean and inspect the rider detect buttons, make sure the plug port is tight. Take the control shaft off and inspect the wires and connections. I always like to take the wheels of and clean inside the fenders. And wash the wheels and get an gunk off of the tires.

If there are any parts you need, let us know at Segway of Annapolis 877.Segway.4 and we can FedEx them up to you. Or if you want to take a drive down, we are easy to get to from Delaware. Either come down 95 to Baltimore and then down 97 to Annapolis. Or shoot down 301 and cross the bay bridge and come over to Annapolis.

[gbrandwood]

I'm not lazy (or ought!) but how much would a dealer charge for such a cleaning service? Lots of people take their car to get cleaned/valeted, even though most people could do it themselves. I know cleaning and tuning are two separate things, but how much????

[robochick84]

I conduct cleanings of the tire, fenders, shaft, etc, on a fairly normal basis. I was just getting more worried about "Are the tires holding up?" "Is the battery connected properly, and fully working?". I was making an assumption of more internal parts that needed to be checked on. I hope to do everything I can to keep my P running for as many years as I can - the small form is great amongst crowds and for traveling.

I may get in touch with Annapolis to see if they have any suggestions.

Ashley

[Desert_Seg]

I'm not lazy (or ought!) but how much would a dealer charge for such a cleaning service? Lots of people take their car to get cleaned/valeted, even though most people could do it themselves. I know cleaning and tuning are two separate things, but how much????

We won't take a unit in just for a cleaning (we tell them how to do it) but if they leave it for maintenance it gets it automatically.

Steven

[polo_pro]

I conduct cleanings of the tire, fenders, shaft, etc, on a fairly normal basis. I was just getting more worried about "Are the tires holding up?" "Is the battery connected properly, and fully working?". I was making an assumption of more internal parts that needed to be checked on.

I think you'd have a hard time finding a dealer willing to open up a platform or gearbox to check for abnormal wear or anything else. They'd want to see symptoms that clearly point at a problem (like water having seeped into the platform via the CSB/CS for Gen 1), before doing this. More often they'll just send it to Segway INC.

Besides even if a dealer could get into a Gen1 platform, do they have a spare pair of system control boards or a spare balance sensor assembly? You'd be lucky if they had a spare motor to slap swap in.

ps - At least with Gen 2, error codes might some day guide dealers to fixing problems within the platform. But I'm pretty sure any repair of this nature requires a trip back to NH.

[Desert_Seg]

I don't know of any dealer that has spare CUs or BSAs. Only service center's can replace those.

There are a few dealers that have gearboxes and the like but 99.9% of the time if anything is wrong with the base it has to go back to INC.

Steven

[wwhopper]

I don't know of any dealer that has spare CUs or BSAs. Only service center's can replace those.

There are a few dealers that have gearboxes and the like but 99.9% of the time if anything is wrong with the base it has to go back to INC.Steven

Starting late last year, Inc. has been issuing powerbases for replacement of units that need that under warranty.

Maybe not CU's or BSA's - but show me a dealer service department has not worked on those out of warranty, and I will show you a non Segway Enthusiast. And I know there are plenty of SCers that have done it.


I think you'd have a hard time finding a dealer willing to open up a platform or gearbox to check for abnormal wear or anything else. They'd want to see symptoms that clearly point at a problem (like water having seeped into the platform via the CSB/CS for Gen 1), before doing this. More often they'll just send it to Segway INC.

Besides even if a dealer could get into a Gen1 platform, do they have a spare pair of system control boards or a spare balance sensor assembly? You'd be lucky if they had a spare motor to slap swap in.

ps - At least with Gen 2, error codes might some day guide dealers to fixing problems within the platform. But I'm pretty sure any repair of this nature requires a trip back to NH.

Gear box changes are something we have been doing for a long time. Just started Gen Two gear box changes due to the bent flanges that cause the wheel wobble, did 6 last month, and have more planned for this month.

One of the benefits of doing a dealer doing a "Segway Tech Check & Cleaning" is to identify where there might be moisture entry points into the seg.

I would bet by the end of the year more dealers will be doing more in depth repair work.

[polo_pro]

I would bet by the end of the year more dealers will be doing more in depth repair work.

I do hope so. Though I think it's sufficient for Segway INC to have a spare platform at each dealer. This is something that should have been done years ago when it became apparent that MOST repairs were taking months (and I want to point out I'm not trying to blame anyone...I'm just stating an observation without caring why this is the case).

At the very least, Segway INC should have identified 5 or 6 dealers around the country as "regional repair centeres" that consistently provided good service and seemed to have both the capital and labor (and the initiative to train those techs) to do repairs. Swapping out components like the CU and BSA on Gen 1 was well within the capabilities of these folks. Heck, I bet you that replacing motors and gears in the gearbox would have been doable too.

ps - When I've been approached by my fellow glider about doing repairs to an out-of-warranty segway WITHOUT sending it back to NH, I've been a bit embarassed to refer then to DIY owners (and one dealer in my area who digs into segways the way it should have been done back in 2004). But that sure starts seeming like the right decision when you know the person's going to be without their segway for the next 4 months otherwise.