Do you just assume the work done by your dealer is correct ? reason I ask is my 999S came with a full history by some alleged reputable Ducati dealers, last service was 500 miles ago and supposedly included belts. I decided to drop it into my local trusted service centre for a service, he found frayed belts, blocked air filters, original fuel filter and plugs. There is no way it had a full service 500 miles ago and in its 9 years and 10k miles it looks unlikely the plugs and filters have never been out, in its numerous visits over the years some recalls have never been done, it had coil sticks under warranty allegedly but they weren't the more modern ones at it would have had for the time the warranty claim was in, also had other warranty work that was questionable. my Ducati's have always been reliable and I have often believed a lot of Ducati's woes comes from poor maintenance, I have no reason to believe different with this latest one. I'm lucky to have a good service centre on my doorstep, not sure I'd owns ducati with out them just my observations but seems to me Ducati have some work to do with their dealers
Dealers can indeed make or break a brand. After sales care is very important IMO. Who is your trusted service centre?
I use Cornerspeed, you get to see all the parts taken off and everything is explained, you could watch too but there is no dancing, I may suggest to to him
I trust my dealer completely. I think you have to, otherwise if you're funny with them, that's what you're going to get back. However, if they rolled me over I would put them through hell, and made sure everyone knew what they had done. With the bike in question, was the work done by a dealer, who is no longer a dealer for the reasons you stated i.e. not doing work to a required standard? matt
yup one is gone, 2 of them are still here, won't be naming names tho, not the first time I've bought a Duc with questionable servicing tho hence my question do you know the work is done right ?
would be interested to know who the alleged reputable dealer was Couchy.. could be in cryptic form and we'll work it out.
no idea can't afford their charge out rates do most things myself and if I can't sort it out I use SPR who I have never had any problems with
If the two nameless dealers have stamped the service book then they deserve to be named and shamed for poor service as much as Cornerspeed deserve to be named for good service. Surely that's a major reason we all talk on here? After all, if other users can balance it out with good reports on the two dealers it may just be a one off instance. However, if other users also say they've had bad service at the same places they are the sort of dealer we don't want. Who wants to pay for work that hasn't been done? Also, it damages the brand and puts new people off buying into Ducati. It also wobbles our faith in the brand through no fault of Ducati.
Yep totally, never had an issue which was instantly resolved and everything said done always done. Helps to know the mechanics I think, as shortcutting someone you know is different to a faceless customer
So it's ok to not give the full service the customer pays for if the dealer doesn't know them? I would spitting nails if I had paid for a service and it later turned out that something wasn't done - even something simple like a fuel filter or a recall. You never know what knock-on effect that would have on longevity, or if would affect a warranty claim in the future if you did have problems. If the dealer can't be bothered to do the work the customer has paid for, or the dealer themselves has claimed for under warranty work, then that's fraud. It's also a pretty shitty thing to do to your customers.
i once put a pen mark on a spark plug when my bike went in for a service and it was still there when it came out ! needless to say massive arguement over the bill and he finally took price of the plugs off ,,,,,,i never went back or did any of my mates ,,long since went bust hamiltons in Streatham
I have been known to mark filters and plugs etc prior to service, have caught a few out over the years.
I have first hand experience of 2 authorised dealers that i would not use again, which, as a customer is all i can really do, vote with my feet. Via my son and his 749 i have direct experience of a very well respected dealer that has almost certainly never correctly serviced the bike. They certainly did fit a front tyre the wrong way around as well. The bike has since been correctly serviced and revived by Coventry.
My locals are Cobb and Jagger, DOTY 2012, 'nuff said. From sales when I first walked into the place, to the parts/service desk/techies, they've all been great. I run a business myself and I know that treating customers like idiots or mucking them about gets you nowhere. I also know that successful businesses are driven by profit so I accept that they're going to try and make a profit from me, and why not? I make plenty. So, as long as I'm not getting my "leg lifted" ......fine. The standard of the bikes/PDI/work done is 1st class. Recall, warranty and customer service, excellent. They would'nt get my money if it was'nt. I've also had 5 new Harleys from Eddy Wright H-D and 2 new GS12's/2 2nd hand from Allan Jeffries BMW and had no problems dealing with either.
I'm afraid I don't trust anyone, I've had too many shonky services (car and bike) in the past. My brother has recently started using MD Racing in Walton on Thames and is very happy with them, but as my bike is older I tend to do the work myself and leave the bits I can't do to any mechanic that's recommended to me. I used to think that a small shop with a bit of history would be a better bet cos they'd soon go bust if they weren't on top of their game, but there are two independants near me that have both tried to rip me off in the past, one on several occasions (Portmans Kawasaki in Guildford - I'm happy to name and shame), and they've both been going for years.
I don't use my local authorised dealer due to an issue when they fitted a rear tyre to my old ZX12R. The last straw came when I drove over to order some parts, the computers were down so they took my number to call me when the computers were working, they never phoned back. I now order parts from Moto-Rapido, great service, and have mechanical stuff I don't have the time or tools for by Alec at Ducati Pro-Team in Strood. Independants survive on reputation and work of mouth, and Alec is first class.
My Local Ducati dealer i've only dealt with on the Suzuki side(Ducati & Suzuki Dealer) when i bought a new Suzuki Sv last year from them, needless to say as soon as i handed over my cash and i walked out the door they didn't want to know or even acknowledge me after. Had a handful more encounters with them regarding buying/ordering Ducati parts and they are 4 out of 5 times utterly useless. I won't specifically name them but they are very local to me, in Bognor Regis and i'm not alone in this experience either. Suprisingly the best independant motorcycle shop i know and use when the need arises is Alan Brown Motorcycles, Durban Road, Bognor Regis. Fantastic, friendly, honest and trustworthy. Always happy to offer advice on problems. And they've been around for 20 years i think now.
I used to work with a guy who was formerly a mechanic at Motorcycle City. He had a brown Bandit 1200 and scratched the tank, so when an identical customer bike came in he swapped the tanks. This is what you're paying for at some dealers. Like I say, I'd rather go to someone who comes via personal recommendation.
That's reassuring to know as I have just bought a Multistrada from Ducati Leeds and will be picking it up next week, shame I'm at the other end of the country so will need to use another dealer for service. I plan on using Motorapido and from what I hear they have a good rep?? To the OP, if your not willing to name and shame the dealers then you aren't really helping things evolve as others could be ripped off by the same people, if I know I have been ripped off by a dealer then I would have no problems in naming and shaming on here or elsewhere, surely that's part of what forums like this are for?
