Hi guys @Gingerdog I'm the new owner of this beauty! As Steve (aka 1098) explained, the bike was a solid bike, plus we had had the opportunity to speak with the previous owner at length and corroborate its history. The bike was good and looked stunning. We paid good money for her (£8,500) which was about right for 6k on the clock. It was the state she was in when delivered that shocked us, together with an incorrectly stamped log book to make it worse. But what really shook us was the lack of customer care. Not listening to what we wanted. We didn't want to return her just because she had some badly fitted cam-belts or dirty fluids, which could be easily rectified. We found out about the voltage regulator after further investigation when the battery kept failing. We just wanted a genuine person at the other end keen to work to solve the problems; someone keen to put their hands up and say soz, mistakes happen, someone happy to take collective responsibility for getting her to the expected level from a main ducati dealer; not a garage sale. To date, I haven't received my corrected log book (3 months later) or an acknowledgement of my letter when I sent the log book back. Not even a penny towards the cost of my stamp. It's like they don't care at all. We certainly didn't plan to use the forum to wash our dirty linen out or seek resolution; Steve just wanted to post up about his experience. End of. We're using Ducati Italy complaints department for that! :smile: Here's a picture of the infamous girl!
That's the problem, you bought a modern water cooled bike, now if it had been a classic air cooled ducati (like wot they should be) you wouldn't have had any problems. Paah modern pish
@d8mok I mean the red service history book which was historically stamped for the last three years with different chassis numbers and engine numbers. The attached receipts were for another registration which wasn't even a registered bike! Pip pip! << sigh >>
Unless they serviced the bike over the previous years, im not sure they can replace the booklet and simply add their own stamp as how do they know its been done? How do you know the bike has been serviced if you have no documents to prove it?
The first few stamps were under warranty properly stamped by Ducati UK, then it was stamped by a ducati dealer who have since gone into receivership. The last three were DMC. They said they could stamp it as a representative of the other stamps. All I care about it is getting the booklet back, stamped. They are also replacing the invoices and statements with correct details, such as correct registration details which would help!! That, together with the long chat I had with the previous owner who is a serious long-time lover of all things ducati, reassured me on the service history. It would just be difficult to sell her right now, if I wanted to! Which I don't as she is a lovely bike, gives me a smile when I ride her to work and has seen in a trip across to Northern France and Kent with no problem.
Hi ELToro yes soft compound tyres had a bit of life left in them but only for track days you would not want them on the road ! They were changed for Pirelli diablo roso corsa as soon as we got her roadworthy
Looks gorgeous, I can see why you wanted to keep her, shame the dealer let you down. At least you can get out and enjoy now. At least there are some other great dealers out there. Enjoy
Interesting read :Jawdrop: glad your up and running now apart from the service book which sounds like you can whistle for that. Ive seen post's deleted on another forum i go on and it seemed to leave a sour taste on there after that but two side's and all that so were is the other side then. Wish my wife would do her bike test and go touring
Hi Roadtrip Yes thanks for your comments. It seems that DMC use the ostrich defence when faced with some home truths !! Not too worried about getting a new service book, it's the principle. Not only is my girlfriend a biker and a Ducati fanatic, she's also a lawyer and having seen her work I wouldn't want to be on the wrong side of her not getting a new service book as stated in their email !! lol. I think you should get your wife through the bike test as it's great going out together on the bikes and she never gets bored talking about them !!
Then why bring it into the public domain? Sounds like they've done all they should have legally to rectify the situation. There is something you're not telling us.
Because It should be in the public domain that's what this area of the forum is for reviews on dealers . on the subject of DMC having done all they should legally yes they may have offered to fix the bike or give us back our money but sending a 1098s out of the showroom as immaculate when in fact having no lights, faulty indicators, flat battery, black fluids, poorly fitted new cam belts, tail tidy hanging on one bolt, various bolts fixings and plates missing, burnt out termis with dent in one side .... isn't good form and then saying oh well send it back we will look at it or give your money back I think is a very good reason to flag up on this forum this dealers approach to selling second hand bikes to the general public that put faith in buying from an accredited Ducati dealership with expected standards . so no nothing to hide on my side of this story.
As I've said before I'm very happy with the service I've received from DMC and will continue to send my bikes there. There are a few things here that make me raise an eyebrow though. First thing being the level of onslaught aimed at DMC. It seems this forum is not the only place the OP's have been airing their discontent, they seem to have sprung up in numerous places not least on the Ducati Manchester Facebook page (of which DMC is part of). As the owner of my own business of which has been the subject of industry forum controversy in the past it appears that this is more than an unhappy customer informing the rest of us of their experiences. To solely go and actively post what are in places inflammatory and derogatory comments amounts to a vendetta. The OP's have not contributed to this forum whatsoever other than to attempt to bring down DMC. I wouldn't say DMC not replying was sticking their heads in the sand. Like when we were at the centre of the controversy to come on to a forum and start slugging out your differences for the kangaroo court is unprofessional. Secondly I can't understand why a lawyer who is obviously very intelligent and understands the legal system would want to bring their problems into the public domain, surely this is not the most sensible thing to do when legal threats are been made, but on the flip side of it owing to how wide spread the OP's have made their opinions know and by some of the comments I can't help thinking that DMC could have a case. Eventually this thread will get buried under the pile and I would imagine the OP's will disappear as quickly as they appeared.
Yes, you have said that you have had good service and that you're happy with them. Lucky you! Shame we didn't get the same. On your point about me posting up "in numerous places" - I can confirm I have only posted on their FB page under the section inviting you to leave feedback and was careful to state that my dealings were with DMC Preston and not Manchester. The only other place has been here under 'Dealership Review' .... and pretty much most of those posts have been in response to other members' questions or comments. Isn't this what a forum is for? Conversations and sharing of experiences. The clue is in the title of this section. If this was "a vendetta", there are many, many places on the web to post up my experiences, so a bit of an over-statement, wouldn't you say? I also own a business and have been for years, employing many men in the high end of the building industry. I know only too well, you are only as good as your last job. My experience of dealing with customers is to DEAL with their problems and issues, even going the extra mile to ensure a happy and satisfied customer. As for this site becoming "a kangaroo court", I do not believe this is so. DMC have the opportunity to both contact us direct or respond on the site but they choose not to, instead asking the administrators on several occasions to take down this thread. Why have we not heard from them? So not to extend this thread overly, I only intended to post again on this issue once I had some better news or any further developments and sharing my experience. The only reason this thread continues to grow is others' feedback and questions/answers. We're not about to disappear off the forum and indeed, I believe Legs has already had some discussion on her experiences of bleeding clutches. And by the way, you can only sue for defamation if what you're saying is untrue.
So if you weren't happy and they offered to take it back and give you your money back why didn't you give them it back?? I don't understand?? You seem to have a grudge which goes beyond this issue. And if you're other half is a hot shot lawyer why aren't you suing??
Okay. Let's put this another way.... Steve: "Hi Russ. I'm interested in your 1098S. What its condition?" Russ: "Steve, you have to see it, it's immaculate." Steve: "Great. Please tell me what if any scratches or damage there are on the bike" Russ: "Steve, it's immaculate. Not only that, I'm looking at a big red box full of service history and receipts. This bike has been looked after by us and our sister company for the last three years so we know the bike" Steve: "That's great Russ. As we live so far away and I believe that as you are a main Ducati dealer, I take your word for it." Russ: "We will service the bike and fit new cam-belts before we send it to you." (Bike is delivered) Steve: "Hello Russ. Bike won't start and there is a big 1 inch dent in the exhaust end" Russ: "Try charging it up. If not, I'll send down a new battery and get a quote on the dent. We'll meet that" Steve: " Hello Russ. Got the bike to run but no lights and malfunctioning indicators. We'll get it to our mechanic as you live so far away and hopefully it'll be a quick fix." Steve: "Hello Russ. Bike's been checked over. Seems to be missing lots of nuts, bolts and plates. Cam-belts are sitting in a filthy state - not sure if they've even been changed as one of them is loose. The termis are burnt out, the brake and clutch fluids are black. Bike's not in too good a condition having been through your 'service'?" Russ: "Oh well, if the bike's not what you want, I'll give you your money back" Steve: "But I want this bike". Russ: "We'll get it picked up and look at it" Steve: "Mmmm not sure about that Russ. We like to go fast on our bike and having seen your workmanship on such a fine machine, won't be feeling too safe after it" Russ: "Oh well, I'm not prepared to discuss or pay anyone else to look at it. If its not what you want, I'll give you your money back" Steve: "But I like this bike. You're not listening to me" Steve: "Hello Russ. Me again. Just spent £700 putting her right. Noticed the big red box didn't contain much. The service book for your last three services refers to another bike. The supporting invoices refer to two separate bikes altogether. The dent will cost £60" Russ: "Send them back and we'll replace them" Steve: "Just chasing up about the service book as we haven't heard from you. Also found the problem with the battery discharging. It was the Voltage Regulator and it cost us £170". Russ: "Well I'm not meeting that as your mechanic didn't spot it on his first look. " Steve: (Great, now he relies on our mechanic's opinion).."Cheers Russ" So, El Toro, as you can, the bike itself is a good bike. It's the customer care and disregard for sending out such a machine in this state in the first place after going through their work shop. I am still waiting for the service book, payment for the dent on this "immaculate" bike and invoices nearly four months after purchase. Suing is the end option when it is clear the presumption of professional customer care is not there. How can I have a grudge beyond this issue when my only dealings with them are as above and sharing my experience on this thread? Keep adding to it and it will stay refreshed!
I still don't understand why, if you were so disappointed and disillusioned, you just didn't send it back and get your money back. You have not explained that. And why spend £700 on something that was so obviously wrong?
If you've never given them opportunity to inspect the bike and rectify the issues you won't get anywhere. Who's to say these issues exist? Your mechanic could be your best pal . Legally they have done exactly what the law requires. Sort any issues within 3 attempts or refund in full. But I'm sure you already know that.
Hi El Toro I am disappointed and disillusioned with DMC (not the bike) because, as an accredited Ducati dealership in the UK, they should not be sending out superbikes or indeed, any bike, in the condition it was in. Especially as it was sold as "an immaculate example and it would have full service history, accompanied by their service and cam-belts". Neither of those selling points were met. In my honest opinion, Ducati dealerships lead the way in the sales and presentation of these bikes. This one didn't. I had been looking for a 1098s for two months in this spec. I wasn't about to return it as it wasn't substantially flawed. It hadn't been dropped, there was no structural damage and it was a sound engine. So why would I send it back when all it needed was some TLC and a proper service? d8mok, hi. After seeing her post-service, I had no intention of letting them loose on her again. They had already 'inspected' the bike and pre-delivery inspection along with the service. So, you tell me why I would ever trust them? As we have previously stated, the issue is not the money, it's their level of care and you can't hide behind a dealership status, turn out a bike like this and not expect some feedback! I have email correspondence directly with them and photographs, too. Why on earth would I make all this up?! That's just silly! I have a life! I just want my service book and invoices that relate to this bike, not someone else's bike?! As Steve stated previously, we've shared our experience and clearly cannot add anything more to this subject and only wish to post up when we have better news. Pip pip!
