It happened to be a part of his trip. Maybe a big part (in his eyes) but a part nonetheless. I'm sure he had other things planned too. Sounded to me as though he wanted Ducati to pay for his whole trip in compensation.
Pair of VIP tickets to say sorry to a valued customer with several of your bikes seems fair to me plus he gets the bonus of factory tour which is why he stumped up his hard earned cash for in the first place. I thought the whole point of the OP going there was for factory visit unless I have read this incorrectly. Maybe I should invite people to the gym for a seminar from EU or even better worldwide and then cancel via email after they have booked flights and hotels at a cost of £500.I can always tell em never mind you can always have a day out in Wolverhampton instead. Im not sure how good ducati are at updates on website etc but would be a good idea maybe at start of year to announce any times and dates these visits will not be available bar earthquakes and the like.Might save all this disappointment and bad feeling at cash wasted from valued customers. Glad Ducati UK sorted it in the end.
Thanks for positive comments guys. Yeh the only purpose of this trip is to see the factory. So I'm glad that's still possible.
I'm quite happy to pay my own way thanks. You seem to struggle with the concept of me booking this trip solely to visit the factory. Then for them to cancel it after it's been booked for 6 months was a poor effort. I'm happy now as we still get our tour. Plus the prior weekend we see the racing at brands hatch. I've got to pay for a extra 2 nights in a hotel to do this which I'm happy to do. So please don't try to imply I'm a scrounger.
Have to say that I think a visit to the factory should be free for any owner of a Ducati. Show 'em your reg doc or whatever it is that proves you own one and you should be welcomed with open arms. It's a marketing ploy on their part in any case, and it's not as if Ducatis come cheap. Not like buying a Mars bar and getting around their factory for free.
What would have to present to Pzifer to see around the viagra factory?? The management there are probably all a bunch of big stiff pricks stuck up cunts too.
I'm really glad you got it sorted and I'm sure Tim had a big part to play in that, so Tim if you're reading this, thank you
+1 Matt Thats the beauty of a public forum...its gets things like this out in the open.. Im all for naming and shaming, and also offering praise and credit where its due. I dont know Tim, but i say fair play to him for helping to restore a customers faith in the company.
I believe antonye is referring to the fact that technically it is the museum admission that you have to pay for (unless you are a DOC member or D16 owner) and the associated factory tour is free. However, I don't think you can do a factory tour without visiting the museum as well so the point may be moot.
Technically, no. As long as you are registered at ducati.com it should be free - this is how they do the check. The rules may have changed recently though. This year every club had to associate all their members onto the ducati.com system to "register" them, but each member got a DOC2013 pack with t-shirt, bag, pin badge, cloth patch and DOC membership card. The previous two kits have been smaller items - a DOC wrist band and a DOC rubber key ring. Some of the clubs are free (SDC/UKMOC) but you should still get a pack. I'm not sure what Mary was doing about sending/collecting packs (as they are a free club) but Rob was asking for UKMOC members to either collect or pay postage to receive theirs. The other paid clubs (DOCGB/DSC) sent the packs out to members as part of the membership fee. But I digress... Even at €10 (I think? Never paid in ~8 visits!) it's worth going as it's where your bike was born. Every single one of them!* *excluding the dodgy Spanish ones and the new ones being made in Taiwan and Brazil...
