Ducati Monster Forum

In light of what i have heard here:


http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=9725.0


I think we should make our voices heard and use our personal expeiances to help Ducait understand what their dealers are doing.

PLEASE READ THIS ARTICLE:


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Keeping them Honest- 1098 Maintenance Costs Exposed what you don’t know will cost you
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At Bikeland and 1098Desmo.com we’re always looking out for your best interests. When we heard that Ducati North America (DNA) had improved their manufacturing tolerances we were excited… excited to hear the their bikes previously renowned to require a lot of service now needed up to 50% less service. With lower MSRPs and 50% less maintenance, DNA is hoping to convert Sportbike riders who frequent the Big Four and get them riding Red.

How does this translate to the real world? In December 2006, Ducati sent a bulletin to its dealer network outlining the new, lower service costs for their motorcycles â€" costs which go hand in hand with DNA’s marketing campaign highlighting lower maintenance as a major selling feature of their products.

Click here to download this article in printer friendly PDF format complete with photos

The introduction of the bulletin reads:

“Dear Service Manager,

This is to inform you that Ducati Motor Holding has changed the service maintenance program starting with the MY 2007 production motorcycles. All 2007 Maintenance Schedules will be posted online at www.ducatiusa.com in the Dealer Only area under MRP/Service.

There appears to be some confusion regarding the service intervals on all MY 2007 models. Ducati Motor Holding has extended by 25% the maintenance service intervals giving us an opportunity to change the customer perception that our product is “high maintenance”. In order to achieve such goal it is very important that all Ducati dealers will cooperate by applying to all 2007 customers the lower maintenance cost recommended by the factory.

Ducati North America is expecting some variability in what the dealers are charging for scheduled maintenance based on individual labor rates, but in order to change the customers perception of high maintenance it is very important that all dealers will follow the factory guide lines that is reflecting a substantial reduction in parts and labor cost from the MY 2006 services.”

Ducati’s marketing material contains this bold statement:

“50% less maintenance cost on every 2007 Ducati

We are proud to announce that all 2007 Ducati models require less frequent service, fewer parts and less labour during each service and, as a result, greatly reduced scheduled maintenance costs â€" by as much as 50%. Reducing the cost of service when you visit your Ducati Dealer for maintenance is one way to measure the new quality of Ducati. It also contributes immensely to making the Ducati ownership experience as satisfying as the Ducati riding experience. Research and development is the number one investment at the Ducati factory. This investment in performance and quality includes our factory processes, machinery and the people who build each Ducati. By ‘engineering-in’ quality through design, materials and testing, every Ducati owner will enjoy significant and quantifiable improvements in every Ducati motorcycle. To a rider, the best measure of quality is the riding experience. You can feel a new smoothness to the legendary Ducati L-Twin, a more progressive nature to the powerful brakes and more confident road holding in every turn. Reliability and quality â€" one ride is all the proof you will need.

50% less â€" 100% Ducati.
Standard equipment in every 2007 model.”


Fast forward to April of 2007. The 1098’s have hit the roads and pretty soon it will be service time. We just took delivery of our long term 1098 test unit but it’s raining out so we had an afternoon to kill. We cleared off our desks and sat down with pen in hand to find out just how much a first service would cost Joe Average.

DNA specifies one hour for the first service on their new flagship bike… gone is the expensive and time-consuming belt adjustment. According to the maintenance bulletin, for its first stop in the shop Ducati says the 1098 requires an oil & filter change, a chain adjustment and a check of the brake and clutch fluid. The dealer is to road test the bike. Total parts required â€" oil, filter and the crush washer for the drain plug, and one hour’s labor for a maximum 1st service cost of $144.38 set by Ducati (with a small margin allowed for varying labor rates).

Armed with this information in hand, Bikeland cold called 13 dealers at random across the US and Canada to see what Joe Average was really being charged and this is what we found…

We started with north of the border and called two Ducati dealers in Canada â€" Richmond Motorsports and John Valk. Both shops quoted us higher than expected service charges. Richmond told us that it would take two hours for the service and told us that they would complete a fastener check and some additional adjustments. The total charge - $250.

They told us that they felt that there was more service required for the Ducati than what DNA recommended. When we pointed out that DNA only called for a one hour service, they had no problem with going by the book although they insisted they would not adjust the chain (included in the one hour service set out by Ducati).

John Valk gave us a different story. According to this dealer the service would take three and a half hours and set you back a minimum $400. When we pointed out that the service was only supposed to take one hour, they told us that their mechanic took a lot longer than one hour to do the work required and we would be on the hook for the bill.

Then we headed south of the border, starting with Skagit Powersports, nine times in the Dealer News Top 100. The service department of Skagit Powersports told us that it would be $245 labor plus parts charges. When we asked if they were aware that DNA only required a simple oil change, they became extremely upset and told us that they weren’t “ripping people off”, then they hung up on us.

When we called Skagit back to inform them that they had been part of a price checking test, their attitude suddenly changed. Later in the day they emailed us and told us that after our call, they checked the rates and determined that we were correct, and it really did take one hour. They went on to defend themselves by claiming that their service agent didn’t have access to the book when he gave the quote. It sure seemed like he knew what he was talking about when he was yelling at us telling us we were wrong!

Jim from Skagit Powersports told Bikeland that it was difficult for them to be aware of the actual maintenance costs since they “carry nine different brands of motorcycles, quads, and water craft. So there is no way to remember them all”.

Maybe Jim should take a walk into his showroom and look at all those Ducati brochures they have clearly stating 50% less service is required on the 2007 product.

Heading into Oregon, we found our first two honest Ducati dealers… random calls to Salem Ducati and Bend Euro Moto were impressive. Both dealers flat out told us that the first service was only one hour â€" that the only parts required were oil, filter and the washer, and proudly promoted the fact that Ducati’s now required far less service than before!

The call to Dunbar Euro-Sports in Massachusetts netted two quotes. The first quote was three to four hours… after being left on hold, they returned with their final answer of two hours. The two-hour quote included a fastener check and would cost $250. When we informed them that we knew about DNA’s recommended one-hour service for this bike, the folk at Dunbar begrudgingly offered to do exactly what Ducati recommended they do.

Great Bay Motorcycles in New Hampshire told us that the 1098 required a belt tension check (not required by DNA) and it would cost us $80 per hour for three and a half hours of their time - plus materials.

Next on the list was Gengras Ducati in Connecticut where we find our third honest dealer. Gengras told us it would only take one hour for the service, pointed out that Ducati’s now needed less service and were happy to inform us that the bike only required the oil change and anything else wrong with the bike (ie: loose steering bearings etc) would be covered under warranty.

New Jersey’s Jack Trebour Motorcycles was close, but no cigar. They quoted us an hour and a half, telling us that the bike needed the clutch and the brakes to be bled.

In Florida, Florida Sports Cycle & Marine hit us up with the now apparently standard hour and a half charge - one hour for Ducati, add a half for the “vig”.

We found another honest dealer in Tucson, Arizona - Renaissance Motorcycles. Bill diligently informs us that Ducati’s now require less maintenance, and that the first service is only one hour! Bill from Renaissance tells us he quotes “by the book”… and he actually does! Imagine that!

Now we head over to California, and we find Modesto Ducati with a quote of one and a half hours for the first service, part of which includes clearing the “service” display from your dashboard… probably an extra half hour’s worth of work in that, wouldn’t you agree?

That’s a bargain compared to Monterey Peninsula Sports.

Located only a short drive from Ducati North America’s headquarters, Jeff from this dealership knows a lot more than the OEM does. He informs us that the 1098 needs a three and a half hour service. When the one hour recommended service is pointed out to him, Jeff tells us that the people he’s talked to at Ducati service say “you should check the belts” and that waiting to check them until the recommended 7500 miles is “too long” and that the 1098’s he’s checked have had loose belts already.

When we again tell him that DNA recommends one hour, he told us “Ducati says one hour but the reality is it takes longer” â€" at least two hours for the minimum service he points out.

Is this an issue of honesty, price gouging or simply a lack of education on the part of Ducati dealers? We’re not sure â€" but from a consumer’s standpoint it doesn’t really matter. It comes down to this: when you’re marketed a vehicle that requires less maintenance as a selling feature and you're told so repeatedly in marketing campaigns, what on Earth would prompt the OEM’s dealer network to work to the contrary of this?

From a consumer's standpoint you can only draw one of two conclusions:

1 - The OEM isn’t being straight forward and a Ducati really does need more service than they claim (ie: the dealer knows better than the OEM)

2 - The Dealers want more of your money and they don’t care if Ducati's require less service… they’re going to charge you whatever they want… too bad for you.

Of the 13 dealers we contacted, only 4 of them charge what Ducati recommends you pay for servicing your 1098 and only 2 of them offered you a choice of how much service you wanted.

The four dealers that we surveyed who bill by the book are Bend Euro Moto, Salem Ducati, Gengras Ducati and Renaissance Motorcycles.

The two dealers we contacted who allow you to have either the recommended service, or pay for additional adjustments they felt necessary are Richmond Motorports and Dunbar Euro Sports, however (and this is a big however) they only offered this after they were asked.

If you don’t know, you’re on the hook for more.

Here’s the deal as Bikeland sees it. When there’s a disconnect as big as this between an OEM and their dealer network, there is a problem. Ducati has worked hard to build beautiful motorcycles, and they’ve hit the nail on the head with the 1098. It’s sold out everywhere you go… Charging more than what is set out by the OEM is only going to cost the dealers business in the long run.

Bikeland contacted Ducati North America for comment. DNA states that they have worked very hard to get the message out that their bikes now require far less maintenance than before. (We agree… just look at their marketing material). Ducati tells us that if they find out about dealers price gouging on service or charging rates that don’t match their scale, the dealers “will hear about it”.

We want everyone to know that the information published in this article was done so with the full support and knowledge of DNA. They’re on the consumer’s side and want you to have all the information.


Click here to download this article in printer friendly PDF format complete with photos

Looking forward to servicing your 1098? Here are the DNA mandated shop charges inclusive of labour, but not including taxes

600 mile service - $144.38
7500 mile service - $ 256.88
15000 mile service - $ 362.20
After 7500 mile Valve service (“Service A”) - $ 294.80
After 15000 mile Valve service (“Service B”) - $366.30


Caveat emptor!

Source: Bikeland.org & 1098Desmo.com
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It would be helpful if each one of you folks that own a 2007 or newer Ducati, to list where you took your bike in for your 600 mile and tell us how it went...

miles: 620
shop: ProSicilia Ducati of Bumfukk, CA
time bike was in shop: 3days
how much did i pay: $155
what did they do: oil/filter change, checked chain tension

...this will help all of us. Please tell us what your experiance has been.

I will personally make sure that everyone who should know in Ducati WILL KNOW!

...maybe this thread could be a sticky?

Ignorant of these developments, I delivered my '07 695 Monster to Eximport Cycles, 7250 SW Freeway, Houston, TX 77074  for its 600 mile service.  I picked it up later the same day and paid $163.23, consisting of 1 hour labor at $78,  100% synthetic oil, cartridge and gasket for $78.74, less a $3.00 parts discount and plus $6.49 of state sales tax.

Tommy T.

I live in LA, and expect to be screwed...

they quoted $220, about hour and a half labor and parts (oil, filter, etc.) When i dropped it off they said something about 1.8 hours...

came to pick it up, they wanted $260.  Apparently  [roll] it did take 1.8 hrs, and somehow the parts cost an extra 10$ too. (though there weren't any extra parts needed).

I said no. 

They let me go for the $220 and an explanation that a quote is just an estimate. 

Apparently an hour rounds up to 1.8 too.  I'm going to be a little more clear next time about what they're doing, and how they're not allowed to screw me when i'm already letting them pad their estimate.

well... I just got an email back from DNA and it's less than impressive- you be the judge

here's my email sent to them yesterday..

"I have a 2008 695 and took it to Hattar motor in San Rafael, CA.  They charged me 275$ for the 600 mi service and only did an oil change.  I checked my chain and they did not even adjust it as was loose and I had to fix it myself when I got home.

Also, the service manager Mike, told me I was wrong to start the bike with the Choke/Fast Idle lever pulled out at all.  He told me that my bike could burst into flames if I did this.  Regardless I am starting my bike this way because otherwise it won’t start- I have the DP termi kit installed too.  I am a bit perplexed as to how standard equipment on my brand new bike could potentially start my bike on fire- this is alarming and if true I want a refund from DNA for producing this machine.

Please clarify the above and I can provide my serial/engine/VID numbers upon request."

Here is the response I got back about 5 minutes ago...

"Thank you for contacting Ducati North America.

I’m sorry to learn that Hattar has not met with your expectations.  If you experiencing a concern with your Monster, please return it to your dealership for diagnosis.

Ducati does not have the legal authority to mandate the labor rates or billable hours on scheduled maintenance.  The required items for the maintenance intervals are detailed in your owner’s manual. Additional items may be recommended by your dealer if you ride more aggressively, such as at track days.  In addition to that, some dealers choose to perform a more thorough inspection than what our recommended service entails.  This is definitely at the discretion of the dealer and customer prior to service.  It never hurts to have things double checked.

There is not a risk of your bike catching fire if you follow the procedures as indicated in your owner’s manual. You will find the instructions for starting your bike in the attached document. 

If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact us or any Authorized Ducati Dealership.  To find an Authorized Ducati Dealership, please visit www.ducatiusa.com and click on "Dealer Locator"."

Not exceedingly satisfied with this response  [roll]

a quoted price...has to be in writing

never assume a verbal price is set. always get and sign, a copy of the quote, prior to leaving a bike or car at any repair facility.

if a shop steps one cent over the quoted price....... they have to inform you (nobody but you) and you have to give them your ok, before they proceed or they (the shop) has to eat the additional cost.

fwiw.... if the shop calls you up, and lets say, your wife approves the additional repairs, and she's not the person who signed the quote..... the shop eats those parts and repairs too.

... oh, and they sent me the instructions for a 696- which as I understand it, now has a different start procedure than my 695... either way I think it's all ridiculous

I was charged $317.67 including tax.

What the invoice says is

change oil and filter
Sync throttle
clean and adjust chain
retourque engine mounts
check tires and set pressure
check suspension
test ride

I was charged 3 hours labor and $49.48 for oil, filter, screen, and gasket.

Quote from: trouble on August 22, 2008, 11:18:12 AM
I was charged $317.67 including tax.

What the invoice says is

change oil and filter
Sync throttle
clean and adjust chain
retourque engine mounts
check tires and set pressure
check suspension
test ride

I was charged 3 hours labor and $49.48 for oil, filter, screen, and gasket.

did they tell you all that up front?

Quote from: Lucazuma on August 22, 2008, 10:34:41 AM
<snip>
In light of what i have heard here:


http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=9725.0


I think we should make our voices heard and use our personal expeiances to help Ducait understand what their dealers are doing.
<snip>

How about an under $100 option in the poll for those that roll their own?  We do all of our own service.

Quote from: bobspapa on August 22, 2008, 11:20:18 AM
did they tell you all that up front?

don't remember or care ;D

I did not buy a Duc cause it was cheap to operate.


That being said, since moving from Los Angeles to San Diego I've been getting service done at Moto Forza here and the prices are solid service is faster and better. Really it's like stepping back in time and they are interested in taking care of the customer and his/her needs.

Quote from: trouble on August 22, 2008, 11:27:22 AM
don't remember or care ;D

I did not buy a Duc cause it was cheap to operate.


That being said, since moving from Los Angeles to San Diego I've been getting service done at Moto Forza here and the prices are solid service is faster and better. Really it's like stepping back in time and they are interested in taking care of the customer and his/her needs.

the point not really about how much.... it's about the shops sticking to quotes.

if you agree to pay a high price.... thats fine, but when a shop alters parts and labor cost, in the middle of the repairs, or magically finds new things to fix... thats not right, nor is it legal.

Quote from: zedsaid on August 22, 2008, 11:04:24 AM
I live in LA, and expect to be screwed...

WRONG!!! THIS IS BULLSHIT!! that is why people continue to get screwed! if get screwed and you dont say anything about it youll ALWAYS get screwed... :'(

where did you get your bike serviced?

Quote from: trouble on August 22, 2008, 11:18:12 AM
I was charged $317.67 including tax.

What the invoice says is

change oil and filter
Sync throttle
clean and adjust chain
retourque engine mounts
check tires and set pressure
check suspension
test ride

I was charged 3 hours labor and $49.48 for oil, filter, screen, and gasket.

where?

Quote from: crashmoto on August 22, 2008, 11:11:55 AM
well... I just got an email back from DNA and it's less than impressive- you be the judge

who was the email addressed to? and who answed?

please copy and paste the letter that DNA sent to all dealers, and ask the person that answered you to identify him/her self.

thanks

and..... in cases where a bike has to be torn down to diagnose a problem.... the shops quote has to include the labor time it take to reassemble the bike or car, back into the state it was when you left it with them.

they can't tear a bike or car down, say, oops, looks like it's going to cost you even more to fix it, then when you say nope, and they hand you the bike or car back in boxes. they have to put it back together.

mine cost me about $75 for a the oil, filter and seal ring... the tools to do the service cost less then 1hr labor, even if you get them off a snap on truck.

took me 15 minuets, also I have enough oil left, and bought a spare filter to change just the filter at 3k, then top the oil back up.
I check my chain more often then 600, I clean, adjust and lube it with Wurth HHS 2000 every 300 or so.

while doing a valve adjust may not be for every one, anyone can change there own oil. I would probably laugh my ass off at the thought of a $180 on a motorcycle. god damn, thats more then I charge for a oil change on a V8 Audi.

Quote from: Lucazuma on August 22, 2008, 11:39:23 AM
who was the email addressed to? and who answed?

please copy and paste the letter that DNA sent to all dealers, and ask the person that answered you to identify him/her self.

thanks

I addressed it to the customer service email link posted in this thread... the reply was from customer service

Best regards,
Customer Service


Ducati North America
10443 Bandley Drive
Cupertino, CA 95014
www.ducatiusa.com
Tel: (408) 253-0499 x4411
Fax: (408)253-4099

whom should I have sent this too?

er I mean this thread http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=9725.0

and the post link was from you Lucazuma

just spoke with a rep from the cal bureau of automotive repair


http://www.bar.ca.gov/80_BARResources/07_AutoRepair/Auto_Rep_Guide.pdf


all of this applies to shops that service bikes as well.

granted not all shops follow the rules.

ask the shop owner if they play by the rules..... if not..... ya get what you pay for.

Quote from: trouble on August 22, 2008, 11:18:12 AM
I was charged $317.67 including tax.

What the invoice says is

change oil and filter
Sync throttle
clean and adjust chain
retourque engine mounts
check tires and set pressure
check suspension
test ride

I was charged 3 hours labor and $49.48 for oil, filter, screen, and gasket.

Yeap! That's about what I paid for my oil filter, Oil, and a can of chain lube $45.00......the 600 mile service is so easy a caveman can do it!!!!!

Quote from: Lucazuma on August 22, 2008, 11:35:36 AM
WRONG!!! THIS IS BULLSHIT!! that is why people continue to get screwed! if get screwed and you dont say anything about it youll ALWAYS get screwed... :'(

thus i said something about it, and they went with the quoted price, which i did have in writing (and made them pull up the service as it's supposed to be done according to them, to verify that the quote was what they were supposed to quote in the first place)  Them trying to pad their time even more is one thing, and i wasn't really that surprised by the attempt (other than the fact that it was already a padded labor estimate)  but the fact that they tried to overcharge me for parts, which they'd already broken down the cost on... that was ballsy.

Del Amo

I think what we should sticky is a 'how to' for customers.

Almost every problem I've read about could have been avoided.   I'm not saying the dealers are right, but I don't see anything wrong with DNA's response above.

People find it difficult to stand up for themselves up front instead of at the end.  Then they get all pissed off which lends the dealer to just not care anyway.

When dropping the bike off, get a written estimate.  Have it stated that anything over xx amount needs verbal permission from you and anything over yy amount needs written permission.  Have the parts used priced in the document and the labor rate stated as well.

If your dealer doesn't like to do that, find a different one.  politely.  Then it makes sense to let people know that a certain dealer won't break down cost and give written estimates up front.

If everyone is on the same page, we don't have this problem when you pick the bike up and say 'oh shit'

Oh...and throw the mechanic who works on your bike a twenty for lunch.   It's amazing how much money those twenties save over time.

Quote from: crashmoto on August 22, 2008, 11:52:44 AM
I addressed it to the customer service email link posted in this thread... the reply was from customer service


whom should I have sent this too?

...you did the right thing. I thought you had a personal email you sent it to.

What this person has stated in the response to you, i clearly contraddictory with what was indicated by DNA in the (supposed) letter sent out to all dealers in the NA region.

So someone HAS to be wrong.  

If you respond to that email and ask the person to identify himself, we have a starting point...

Sometimes, people make assertions that are not acurate. Someone who works in the custumer service dept. should know what they are talking about, and shoul be thorough in giving you an answer. SHOULD  [roll]

Receving contraddictory information form Ducati IS a seriouse issue and that will be mentioned as well.

...i think we have drifted away from the topic here.

The scope of this thread was to know how much people have paid for their service and compare it with the clear indications given by DNA.

Figure out who is robing you.

Let everyone know who those dishonest dealers are.

Let everyone know who the honest dealers are.

Report to DNA what the "general trand" is and hopefully they will do something about it.

Ducati can/could address the problem by informing all dealers about the complaints and sugesting them to stick to the book. Dont think they can do much more.

WE are the part that can REALLY do something about it.

By letting us know who are the dishonest ones, we can NOT give them our busyness.

so, if we stay on topic maybe we as a comunity can, for once or once agian, try to do something for everyone else (including our selvs)  ;D


cheers


ps: NO SURPRISE ABOUT THE TREATMENT DelAmo GAVE YOU  [roll]

but here is the point: if we had all reported our services experiances with our dealers you would have known not ot bring your bike to Del Amo... ;)

by taking 10 minutes of time with the shop when you drop your bike off you can avoid 'being robbed' and begin and then continue a good relationship with your local dealer- something absolutely paramount to owning a Duc without being frustrated and irritated all the time.   

Simply knowing what people paid is not helpfull without knowing how they approached the transaction...a contractual transaction.  Educating ourselves will be better than complaining to DNA that we need their protection from these horrible dealers.


And when I have a piece vibrate off my bike, I like to be able to stop in and say "Hey, Mike, I lost a bolt...got an extra?"     If I called him a crook because when I brought my bike in the first time I didn't clarify what I wanted done and he did a ton more, what do you think his answer is?

So I prevented that from ever happening...looked at what needed service, talked to the shop about that versus what they thought and why, and had a written agreement we both liked.

I think it's exactly on the topic.

But we can agree to disagree about how to fix the problem. 

Quote from: Lucazuma on August 22, 2008, 11:35:36 AM
where?

Proitalia

~180

checked chain-cleaned and greased
changed oil and sent to oil analysis company
checked and inspected all major components of the bike

What about those of us that spent less than $100 on our 600mi service.

Mine was $50.00 at Williamsville Competition.

Oil, Filter, Crush washer, chain adj, bleed of clutch line (at my request), and go over everything else.

On my M695, that I have since sold.

I paid about 190.00 for the 600 mile service. They also put on the Speedymoto sliders I gave them for free  [thumbsup] on my 07S2R1000.

Quote from: Statler on August 22, 2008, 01:14:24 PM
by taking 10 minutes of time with the shop when you drop your bike off you can avoid 'being robbed' and begin and then continue a good relationship with your local dealer- something absolutely paramount to owning a Duc without being frustrated and irritated all the time.   

Simply knowing what people paid is not helpfull without knowing how they approached the transaction...a contractual transaction.  Educating ourselves will be better than complaining to DNA that we need their protection from these horrible dealers.


And when I have a piece vibrate off my bike, I like to be able to stop in and say "Hey, Mike, I lost a bolt...got an extra?"     If I called him a crook because when I brought my bike in the first time I didn't clarify what I wanted done and he did a ton more, what do you think his answer is?

So I prevented that from ever happening...looked at what needed service, talked to the shop about that versus what they thought and why, and had a written agreement we both liked.

I think it's exactly on the topic.

But we can agree to disagree about how to fix the problem. 

I agree with you that it's about how you approach it, and i wasn't going to harass them about an hour and a half of service at $98/hr. because "it's a little bit more than an oil change" and i wanted them to check why the bike runs warm (they ran it through a heat cycle and noticed nothing).  hour and a half should more than cover that... and as for parts, they didn't use anything other than the normal - oil, filter, chain oil.  so there was not even an explanation as to why that expense went up.

To be fair to them, when i questioned the extra charges they didn't even try to get me to pay them... i was just asking for an explanation and they dropped them. 

Call it good customer service, or getting caught with your hand in the cookie jar.  Could go either way, but knowing how long the service should take, and how long it supposedly did, i know which way i'm leaning.

And as to my choice of dealership... Beverly Hills Ducati is 10 blocks from home which should be very convenient.  But they're pretentious and difficult to deal with.  Del Amo is blocks from my brother's place, so i get to drop the bike off, and spend the day with my niece and nephew.  And they give the impression of actually wanting to do the work.

Quote from: rosstermyer on August 22, 2008, 02:02:15 PM
~180

checked chain-cleaned and greased
changed oil and sent to oil analysis company
checked and inspected all major components of the bike

thanks!

where?

Quote from: Mduc on August 22, 2008, 02:09:04 PM
I paid about 190.00 for the 600 mile service. They also put on the Speedymoto sliders I gave them for free  [thumbsup] on my 07S2R1000.

thanks!

where?

How much did I pay for the 600 mile service??  That was 60,000 miles ago!!

Quote from: Statler on August 22, 2008, 01:14:24 PM
by taking 10 minutes of time with the shop when you drop your bike off you can avoid 'being robbed' and begin and then continue a good relationship with your local dealer- something absolutely paramount to owning a Duc without being frustrated and irritated all the time.   

i disagre. I should be able to go to a dealer, tell them i need a servce, leave the bike and trust that without me saying anything, thay will be fair with me. If i go through the 10min talk, its more likely that the dealer will comeout with what the fair priceing should be, but not because he is honest; he will because he thinks you might know what you are talking about and figures out he cant screw you around too much...

that behaviour is even worst.

Simply knowing what people paid is not helpfull without knowing how they approached the transaction...a contractual transaction.  Educating ourselves will be better than complaining to DNA that we need their protection from these horrible dealers.

what i hope to do is to solve the problem and not find a way around it...10min talk and friendly smiles for the only porpose of hoping not to get screwed are not my style, im sorry.

most likely we will collect a bunch of complaints, send them to DNA and little will be done...

again, what really matters is that we as a comunity, share the information about dealers and make a choice being aware of what to expect.

also dont forget that several dealers do read this and other boards so possibly just by letting them know that we are concerned about some of them, will also help...


And when I have a piece vibrate off my bike, I like to be able to stop in and say "Hey, Mike, I lost a bolt...got an extra?"     If I called him a crook because when I brought my bike in the first time I didn't clarify what I wanted done and he did a ton more, what do you think his answer is?

...if you realize that he is a crook (IF infact he is) why would you go back anyways?...the hole point is to define who is being hones and who is not. And then STOP going to the dishonest ones and instead give the WELL DESERVED busyness to the honest ones.

So I prevented that from ever happening...looked at what needed service, talked to the shop about that versus what they thought and why, and had a written agreement we both liked.

I think it's exactly on the topic.

the reason for this thread is to try to solve the problem not t find a way around it...we most definitly should have a "how to avoid getting screwed by your dealer" thread...but this is not the intent of this one.

many people think that finding a way around a problem is like solving it. I dont think so. Mostly because the way someone finds his way around a problem is not a modus operandi that others feel confortable in following...

some folks just dont feel confortable discussing about something they absolutley dont know anything about (why should i know about what the proper service is? did ducati give us a booklet with the guidelines?) with someone that (IN GELERAL) has been known to be out there to screw you?...

i think its in the interest of us custumers but even more int he interest of the HONEST dealers, to try to build some awareness around this matter...im sure that the MANY honest dealers/mechanics out there are as pissed as i am at the dishonest ones that contribute to build mistrust and frustration around the cathegory.

But we can agree to disagree about how to fix the problem. 

we defenitly can  ;D

Side thought:

A lot of the local forums have stickied threads about local dealers and who people recommend as good guys.

Those that don't should think about doing it.

It gets opinions of the majority of people in an area in a convenient place.

Nothing better than getting local food/drink/duc shop info from those who have been in an area for a while.

...yes, thats a good idea.  [thumbsup]

Quote from: zedsaid on August 22, 2008, 02:15:31 PM
And as to my choice of dealership... Beverly Hills Ducati is 10 blocks from home which should be very convenient.  But they're pretentious and difficult to deal with.  Del Amo is blocks from my brother's place, so i get to drop the bike off, and spend the day with my niece and nephew.  And they give the impression of actually wanting to do the work.

Just an FYI, I think just about all of us SoCal DMF'ers have had some kind of dealings with Del Amo and probably about 1% have been positive.  You're more than welcome to take your bike wherever you, but if you want good CS and a competent mechanic, look elsewhere.  *FTR, I had to threaten to sue them and have DNA step in to get my bike back from them for warranty repairs (they had my bike for 8 of the first 10 months I owned it).

I had my 1098 R in for it's 1st service and for an oil change, (4 quarts of Mobil Synthetic Oil) , Spin-on Oil Filter, Crush Gasket, 2 hours of Labor ( have to take off the right side Fairing and put it back on ) and Shop Supplies  -Total $274.67

Labor@ $95 an hour = $190

Crush Gasket $.18

Oil Filter $14.00

Oil $59.80

Shop Supplies $10.69

Some would say this was a rip price. I might tend to agree to a certain extent.

There is only one Ducati Dealer within a 100 miles so I'm stuck for the most part.

Where I would take exception would be in the cost of the oil. I know they have to make a profit but they probably buy the oil for $5.00 a quart since I would imagine I could buy it for no more than $10.00 a quart.

I don't know how long it takes to take off a Fairing on an " R " and put it back on. Then there is an 8 mile Road Test.

The way I look at it . It shoudn't be back in unless I have a Warranty isssue until about another 6300 miles from now.

I wii have the brakes and coolant flushed when it's time , and new tires when needed etc.   Dolph           I should have voted $251-$300

Just to throw in another opinion here.
I spent the last 10 years working at one of the top Ducati dealerships in the country, we were number one for service four of those years. Did we break out the flat rate book when it came time for services? No.
The service rate was set by what the owner at that time, felt was a fair price to pay for the amount of work that he believed the bike would need. Was there a Difference with what Ducati wanted done? Often. If the shop had done everything "by the book" some things that were necessary would have been left out and a few things that we felt were not needed would have been done. I cannot say he was wrong as this what built the shops reputation of quality service at a fair price.

I tend to agree with what you are doing but fear the way you are wording things are making it sound like any shop that charges more is a crook. there very well may be some out there but there are also some that truly believe that an oil change alone is not enough of a first service on a Ducati. I would agree with them. As it has been said  before in this thread I think there should be a conversation that starts the relationship with a dealer. I personally believe that If you are expecting all Ducati shops to price the same AND have the same level of service you will be disappointed. 

I can understand your frustration at not getting a consistant answer from the cross section  of dealers you contacted. I wonder if you would find the same with a honda,BMW or ford? Ducati has a small dealer network compared to most motorcycle brands (japanese,bmw,harley) From my experience It is a very good company that is trying to sell a good product through a dealer network that is quite varied in its reasoning for selling Ducati's. Some dealers love the product, Some love the image it presents.

Oops! too late , time to get off the soap box .

600 mile service on my 2007 M695 cost $115 at a non-dealer shop (Nichols in Milpitas).

$75 labor, $35 parts, $2 disposal, $3 tax

Service included:
- oil / filter change
- check lights, mirrors, safety bolts, tires, brakes, chain, adjust as necessary
- compression test
- test ride

I had it rolled into the cost of the 12k service, which is when I had the 600 mile service done :P

2007 sr4s
600 mile service

1 oil filter - 20.79
1 washer 12x16x1.5 sbe-mr-ss/04 - 0.49
4 qts 00375 gps synbase 20w50 - 35.96
labor - 84.60
shop supplies - 6.77
env.waste fee - 3.00

total 151.61

not bad for an exotic....;)
and roughly equal to my 2006 speed triple...

Quote from: Statler on August 22, 2008, 04:04:30 PM
Side thought:

A lot of the local forums have stickied threads about local dealers and who people recommend as good guys.

Those that don't should think about doing it.

It gets opinions of the majority of people in an area in a convenient place.

Nothing better than getting local food/drink/duc shop info from those who have been in an area for a while.

But you still haven't set up a local board for us...



For my service I paid more for the beer than the parts, and the labor was mine and a few friends who were also wrenching their bikes.

Its just an oil change who can't do that?

oil
beer
Filter
Donuts
check lights, mirrors, safety bolts, tires, brakes, chain, adjust as necessary.

Job Done.

'07 Monster 695
Hahm's Motorsports Newport Beach
Approx $175, but I also had them look at my front brakes while I was at it. They made a buzzing noise I wasn't too clear on.

BTW, I accidentally hit the wrong poll number.

Quote from: ducvet on August 22, 2008, 09:30:07 PM
Just to throw in another opinion here.
I spent the last 10 years working at one of the top Ducati dealerships in the country, we were number one for service four of those years. Did we break out the flat rate book when it came time for services? No.
The service rate was set by what the owner at that time, felt was a fair price to pay for the amount of work that he believed the bike would need. Was there a Difference with what Ducati wanted done? Often. If the shop had done everything "by the book" some things that were necessary would have been left out and a few things that we felt were not needed would have been done. I cannot say he was wrong as this what built the shops reputation of quality service at a fair price.

I tend to agree with what you are doing but fear the way you are wording things are making it sound like any shop that charges more is a crook. there very well may be some out there but there are also some that truly believe that an oil change alone is not enough of a first service on a Ducati. I would agree with them. As it has been said  before in this thread I think there should be a conversation that starts the relationship with a dealer. I personally believe that If you are expecting all Ducati shops to price the same AND have the same level of service you will be disappointed. 

I can understand your frustration at not getting a consistant answer from the cross section  of dealers you contacted. I wonder if you would find the same with a honda,BMW or ford? Ducati has a small dealer network compared to most motorcycle brands (japanese,bmw,harley) From my experience It is a very good company that is trying to sell a good product through a dealer network that is quite varied in its reasoning for selling Ducati's. Some dealers love the product, Some love the image it presents.

Oops! too late , time to get off the soap box .

ducvet,

we can go on and on and on about what you think is necessary or not necessary to a 600mile service and what Ducati thinks about it. I personally know several mechanics who have worked and still do work for Ducati, and Ducati teams all over the world . In GP, World SBK, local SBK championship, Ducati monomarca, AMA etc etc. and have discussed about services, wear on parts, oils and specifically about the first service....

First service is basically an "check service" nothing more.

Even the oil change has only one purpose: check if there are residues in it...and you know it. (and im totally friendly while i write this  :) )

The point here is that if Nichols in Milpitas (for example) can charge 115$ for the service so can anyone else.

and THAT-IS-IT.

NO EXCUSES, nothing you can say or show me will ever, ever, EVER justify the fact that the same job was charged $350 somewhere else.

(we are of corse strictly comapreing same parts, same service)

And if you cant ferform an oil change in less than 1hr, you simply should not be working in a shop, you should be in tech school and practice.

The only reason why some charge less and some charge more is how much the dealer whants to make off of you.
Too many motorcycle dealer have taken advantage of the fact that a motorcycle is a non comon object to own and have and sitll do over charge us owners fo just about anything.

Explain this to me:

i paid $135 for an oil change on a Porsche Boxster (and for who does not know, a boxster has a pretty hard to reach engine=extra labour) and an oil change on a monster costs more or even the same?

or how about this:

dismounting-mounting and balancing a 22" tire on a 265 rim costs $25

dismounting-mounting and balancing a 17" tire on a 5" rim costs $45?

....the labour (phisical) on removing a 22" wheel from a SUV, stting it up on a lift, the machinery needed to do so, the bigger leds to balance..all the way down to how much floor space the SUV occupies and how big your garage has to be in order to host such vehicle....ALL that compared to what a motorcycle REALLY needs...

....yeah. How can you justify that?...you cant.

I would be glad to pay a little more if Bruno Leoni or Davide Manfredi were to wrench on my bike but...the reality is that they are not working on my bike and never will...so

...not saying you or other wrenches out there are not top mechanics, but to perform an oil change you really dont need to go to attend an Oil Change Master program...you sure do for other things (not trying in ANY way to diminish your work or skills) but not for an oil change...

;D

Quote from: Lucazuma on August 23, 2008, 01:46:23 PM

ducvet,

we can go on and on and on about what you think is necessary or not necessary to a 600mile service and what Ducati thinks about it. I personally know several mechanics who have worked and still do work for Ducati, and Ducati teams all over the world . In GP, World SBK, local SBK championship, Ducati monomarca, AMA etc etc. and have discussed about services, wear on parts, oils and specifically about the first service....

First service is basically an "check service" nothing more.

Even the oil change has only one purpose: check if there are residues in it...and you know it. (and im totally friendly while i write this  :) )

The point here is that if Nichols in Milpitas (for example) can charge 115$ for the service so can anyone else.

and THAT-IS-IT.

NO EXCUSES, nothing you can say or show me will ever, ever, EVER justify the fact that the same job was charged $350 somewhere else.

(we are of corse strictly comapreing same parts, same service)

And if you cant ferform an oil change in less than 1hr, you simply should not be working in a shop, you should be in tech school and practice.

The only reason why some charge less and some charge more is how much the dealer whants to make off of you.
Too many motorcycle dealer have taken advantage of the fact that a motorcycle is a non comon object to own and have and sitll do over charge us owners fo just about anything.

Explain this to me:

i paid $135 for an oil change on a Porsche Boxster (and for who does not know, a boxster has a pretty hard to reach engine=extra labour) and an oil change on a monster costs more or even the same?

or how about this:

dismounting-mounting and balancing a 22" tire on a 265 rim costs $25

dismounting-mounting and balancing a 17" tire on a 5" rim costs $45?

....the labour (phisical) on removing a 22" wheel from a SUV, stting it up on a lift, the machinery needed to do so, the bigger leds to balance..all the way down to how much floor space the SUV occupies and how big your garage has to be in order to host such vehicle....ALL that compared to what a motorcycle REALLY needs...

....yeah. How can you justify that?...you cant.

I would be glad to pay a little more if Bruno Leoni or Davide Manfredi were to wrench on my bike but...the reality is that they are not working on my bike and never will...so

...not saying you or other wrenches out there are not top mechanics, but to perform an oil change you really dont need to go to attend an Oil Change Master program...you sure do for other things (not trying in ANY way to diminish your work or skills) but not for an oil change...

;D

You can take your bike to the cheapest tech/shop out there.

I'll take mine to one of the best.

...and Luca...

the man said a 600 should consist of more than just an oil change...

I know he has the experience to justify that statement.

It's the same as Ducatis "new" valve clearance specs.

Did the motor change?...No.

It's marketing kids...

a Duc with closers at 2 thou will beat the half rings to death.

If you're that concerned about costs of ownership invest in the tools and learn to do it yourself.

Quote from: ducpainter on August 23, 2008, 05:09:55 PM
You can take your bike to the cheapest tech/shop out there.

I'll take mine to one of the best.

<snip.........>

me too [thumbsup]

I have to say that yes I do agree that a oil change should not cost that much. Basic parts costs don't vary that much although oil can vary a great deal in cost, this certainly is a wild card in the pricing.

My point was not the cost of an oil change but to explain that not all shops do just an oil change. If thats all you want then thats all you should get and pay for. Many long time Ducati shops do more for a reason, experience.
Although we all would like to believe these bikes are rolled out of the heavens assembled and designed to absolute perfection the reality is a bit different. People make mistakes on all levels from the engineers to the guy putting the bike in the crate (and every one that touches it afterwards).  The dealer is the support crew that is to help prevent and CATCH these problems before they cause a larger issue. If the shop feels the bike should have part x looked at to make sure something is right , they should tell you and if you choose to not have them look it is your call.

My former shop used to do a very extensive PDI (pre delivery inspection) as well as a very in-depth 600-1000 mile service. The reason was to keep the bikes running as trouble free as we could, no shop wants to do repair work in the busy season. It worked very well for us and we had a great following of very happy customers.
Heck if i had my way you would all be having your valves adjusted at  3000 miles and then every 10,000 after that.

The first service (now read oil change) is for break in purposes, thats it.  As you state it is a "check service" but who would not set something right if it failed a check?
No other time in your bikes life do you use such a short interval. There are many things that change during break in and not all of them are connected to engine oil. cables seat in housings, linkages on shifters and throttles find a new home. Chains have come a long way but even they sometimes need readjusting. Sometimes it takes a few hundred miles before that loose bolt behind your camshaft pulley starts to work its way out.

These bikes do have a warranty, few are happy to have to use it. Down time during riding season is never fun and who wants to get stranded if it was a bike stopper.
Just read the threads on here about bikes that are down for problems. What if there was a increased chance that these problems would be caught simply by having the bike looked over with a critical eye by a knowledgeable mechanic. Some would not care but I would bet many would. Another plus is that the more problems you find at the 600 mile service these will most likely be while the bike is still under warranty. I have seen plenty of Ducati's that have way less than 6000 (7500) miles by the time the warranty is up.

"nothing you can say or show me will ever, ever, EVER justify the fact that the same job was charged $350 somewhere else."

This is some of my point, It may NOT be the same job. Just the same interval and thats why you should just talk to the shop you are thinking of doing business with.
It also is not my intention of trying to sway you from your fully entrenched beliefs , just to let people know that as always there is more than one side to any story.
I would still be happy to sit down and have a cold one while swapping horror stories.

FTR, I don't go to Nichols because of their prices.  I go there because they do a great job and I trust them. [thumbsup]

Quote from: ducvet on August 23, 2008, 10:44:01 PM
I have to say that yes I do agree that a oil change should not cost that much. Basic parts costs don't vary that much although oil can vary a great deal in cost, this certainly is a wild card in the pricing.

My point was not the cost of an oil change but to explain that not all shops do just an oil change. If thats all you want then thats all you should get and pay for. Many long time Ducati shops do more for a reason, experience.
Although we all would like to believe these bikes are rolled out of the heavens assembled and designed to absolute perfection the reality is a bit different. People make mistakes on all levels from the engineers to the guy putting the bike in the crate (and every one that touches it afterwards).  The dealer is the support crew that is to help prevent and CATCH these problems before they cause a larger issue. If the shop feels the bike should have part x looked at to make sure something is right , they should tell you and if you choose to not have them look it is your call.

My former shop used to do a very extensive PDI (pre delivery inspection) as well as a very in-depth 600-1000 mile service. The reason was to keep the bikes running as trouble free as we could, no shop wants to do repair work in the busy season. It worked very well for us and we had a great following of very happy customers.
Heck if i had my way you would all be having your valves adjusted at  3000 miles and then every 10,000 after that.

The first service (now read oil change) is for break in purposes, thats it.  As you state it is a "check service" but who would not set something right if it failed a check?
No other time in your bikes life do you use such a short interval. There are many things that change during break in and not all of them are connected to engine oil. cables seat in housings, linkages on shifters and throttles find a new home. Chains have come a long way but even they sometimes need readjusting. Sometimes it takes a few hundred miles before that loose bolt behind your camshaft pulley starts to work its way out.

These bikes do have a warranty, few are happy to have to use it. Down time during riding season is never fun and who wants to get stranded if it was a bike stopper.
Just read the threads on here about bikes that are down for problems. What if there was a increased chance that these problems would be caught simply by having the bike looked over with a critical eye by a knowledgeable mechanic. Some would not care but I would bet many would. Another plus is that the more problems you find at the 600 mile service these will most likely be while the bike is still under warranty. I have seen plenty of Ducati's that have way less than 6000 (7500) miles by the time the warranty is up.

"nothing you can say or show me will ever, ever, EVER justify the fact that the same job was charged $350 somewhere else."

This is some of my point, It may NOT be the same job. Just the same interval and thats why you should just talk to the shop you are thinking of doing business with.
It also is not my intention of trying to sway you from your fully entrenched beliefs , just to let people know that as always there is more than one side to any story.
I would still be happy to sit down and have a cold one while swapping horror stories.

...ducvet,

turns out we are saying the same thing. I am 100% with all you said.

I guess i have to apologise because my English was not clear.

I will try again  ;D

when i say: "nothing you can say or show me will ever, ever, EVER justify the fact that the same job was charged $350 somewhere else."

i mean same job compared to same job.

to be more clear:

shop A

-oil change (oil X)
-oil filter
-cruch washer
-chain check (eventually adjustment)
-brake, clutch check



total: $115


shop B

-oil change (oil X)
-oil filter
-cruch washer
-chain check (eventually adjustment)
-brake, clutch check



total: $350


and we are assuming that THIS specific service does not require more than 1hr labour...

^^^^^^^^^^^THIS is unacceptable^^^^^^^^^^^^

Quote from: ducpainter on August 23, 2008, 05:09:55 PM
You can take your bike to the cheapest tech/shop out there.

I'll take mine to one of the best.

...Nate, this statement has nothing to do with this thread.

You are assuming that the most expensive is the best. (?) I can garantee you that in the great majority of cases it is NOT the truth.

In the LA area i can assure you that the best is not even close to any Ducati Dealer....

but again, this is absolutely not the point.

Quote from: ducpainter on August 23, 2008, 05:09:55 PM
...and Luca...

the man said a 600 should consist of more than just an oil change...

I know he has the experience to justify that statement.

It's the same as Ducatis "new" valve clearance specs.

Did the motor change?...No.

It's marketing kids...

a Duc with closers at 2 thou will beat the half rings to death.

....agian i apologize for my poor english. But the topic here was supposed to be wheather your dealer has screwed you by charging you too much for a service that should not cost more than $200 (regardless of oil and labour rates).

NOT getting into what should or should not be done
NOT getting into who is a good mechaninc and who isnt

simply trying to quantify how many Ducati Dealers are screwing fellow riders....

To tell you the truth, Nate, for some reason i thought i was trying to help out and find a way to give usefull information to fellow riders and avoid people to get screwed...but i feel like some one out there, is not only NOT apreciating the effort, but infact throwing wrenches at my wheels...

Is it just my impression? I really hope so.

at the risk of stubbing my toe....
i dont think anyone is throwing is a wrench in your spokes luca,.....at least i hope not.

however, i for one misunderstood some of the points you were trying to make. thats ok, 'cause im an idiot, and i was glad to see that i misunderstood your point of view.

that said, there is another way to deal with the issue that your post was originally about (unscrupulous dealers, right?)
take your business somewhere else. find another dealer if possible, or any reputable bike wrench, and work on building a relationship there.
if its anything like i remember from working in a bike shop, they make most of their money in parts and service, and selling used bikes, not the new model stuff. so taking your bike service, and parts/ accessories spending somewhere else is definitely going to have an impact.

edit: thats not to say that letting DNA know about dealers who are overcharging (350 vs. 150) for "same service" is a bad thing

Quote from: herm on August 25, 2008, 10:30:02 AM
at the risk of stubbing my toe....
i dont think anyone is throwing is a wrench in your spokes luca,.....at least i hope not.

however, i for one misunderstood some of the points you were trying to make. thats ok, 'cause im an idiot, and i was glad to see that i misunderstood your point of view.

that said, there is another way to deal with the issue that your post was originally about (unscrupulous dealers, right?)
take your business somewhere else. find another dealer if possible, or any reputable bike wrench, and work on building a relationship there.
if its anything like i remember from working in a bike shop, they make most of their money in parts and service, and selling used bikes, not the new model stuff. so taking your bike service, and parts/ accessories spending somewhere else is definitely going to have an impact.

edit: thats not to say that letting DNA know about dealers who are overcharging (350 vs. 150) for "same service" is a bad thing

...im sorry again for the lack of clarity...i hope i made it clearer if not please let me know  ;D ;D

and YES of corse take your business somewhere else is the ultimate way to go....

BUT in order to know where to bring your busyness, you need to also know where NOT to bring it....hence the request to give indications not only on how much you paid for service but most importantly WHERE...and what you got for your money

That way we can indicate secifically to DNA who is not doing a good job by over charging (and usually blaming it on Ducati) AND to all fellow riders, which shop did what, how much they charged etc.

and give us Ducati owners the chance to freely decide where to go knowing what to expect and not get screwed...

Together with a chance to give back to the MANY qualified, honest mechanics out there who do a great job and charge what is fair and have deserved and earned our respect and busyness.

cheers
so post up!!

ps: i dont even own an '07 or recent Duc...

Quote from: Lucazuma on August 25, 2008, 10:10:33 AM


...Nate, this statement has nothing to do with this thread.

You are assuming that the most expensive is the best. (?) I can garantee you that in the great majority of cases it is NOT the truth.

In the LA area i can assure you that the best is not even close to any Ducati Dealer....

but again, this is absolutely not the point.

....agian i apologize for my poor english. But the topic here was supposed to be wheather your dealer has screwed you by charging you too much for a service that should not cost more than $200 (regardless of oil and labour rates).

NOT getting into what should or should not be done
NOT getting into who is a good mechaninc and who isnt

simply trying to quantify how many Ducati Dealers are screwing fellow riders....

To tell you the truth, Nate, for some reason i thought i was trying to help out and find a way to give usefull information to fellow riders and avoid people to get screwed...but i feel like some one out there, is not only NOT apreciating the effort, but infact throwing wrenches at my wheels...

Is it just my impression? I really hope so.

I think my English is the problem here.

I'm not trying to diminish what you're trying to point out at all.

My take on it is the consumer market is all about perceived value.

If you think you got screwed...you probably did.

My point is it shouldn't be about the price but more what you are getting for your dollar.

If a tech I trust says that a simple oil change at 600 miles isn't enough...

I'll go with what the guy who will end up fixing it when it breaks suggests.

DNA is trying to sell bikes...period.

They have made claims that the 'new' Ducs need less maintenance for the sole reason of making the Ducati marque more competitive in price.

I call bullshit...

I've been around bikes a long time and an oil change isn't enough at 600 miles...on any bike.

That the only point I was trying to make.

Rip off dealers are a completely different topic.

i try to always use advanced motorsports in alvarado,tx (also has a dallas store). jeff, mark and the crew always make me feel comfortable when i drop my bike off. however the biggest problem recently i had to use another dealer because he has people coming in from all over the state to work on their bike and he was just to backed up. the other shop wasn't all bad but i don't trust them the way i do AMS-A. if i can do it myself i do if i can't (valve job, tire mount) it goes to the dealer. a bit pricey per hour (another local dealer is 25 per hour cheaper ) but i "TRUST" them so it's worth it to me. try to find a good local tech on the side to save money. we have one in dallas i have yet to use but everyone else swears by and once my warranty is up he will get my valve job work. as it was explained to me by another rider "if you are worried about price then you shouldn't have bought an exotic!" although i don't agree with that statement there is something to expecting to spend a lil' more money on a ducati vs. one of the big 4.

I paid $220 for mine, but that was with installing the 14t sproket also.

I think one thread covering all the dealers in the US is a touch ambitious.     Safest thing is to ask the experienced guys near you geographically.   Most of the guys near me who have been into Ducs longer than I have been alive don't even venture into the general forum.


I'm truly not trying to be a downer on this one....honest...

In fact, I'll stay out of it from now.

sorry.

Quote from: Statler on August 25, 2008, 05:03:46 PM
I think one thread covering all the dealers in the US is a touch ambitious.     Safest thing is to ask the experienced guys near you geographically.   Most of the guys near me who have been into Ducs longer than I have been alive don't even venture into the general forum.


I'm truly not trying to be a downer on this one....honest...

In fact, I'll stay out of it from now.

sorry.

Yeah, who do you think you are?  You think you run this board or something?  Sheesh... some people.   ;)

can't we all just have some  [bacon]? 

I honestly don't know that anyone's actually upset at anyone in this topic...  Everyone is saying the same things... they're just emphasizing different parts. 

Same services should have similar costs (labor rate dependant)
Additional services are up to consumer as recommended by their chosen mechanic. 
If you're (or feel you are) being ripped off, don't repeat business.

Now, seriously, how do i unsubscribe to threads that i no longer want to follow?

$107 @ http://www.nicholsmfg.com/

...posted up in some local boarsd, hope ot get a good feedback.  ;D

Quote from: zedsaid on August 25, 2008, 06:33:29 PM
<snip>
Now, seriously, how do i unsubscribe to threads that i no longer want to follow?

It's like windows...

click notify.   ;)

Just an update on what I was quoted on my service price.  I posted the original thread where I was quoted $380 when I picked up the bike. 

I scheduled my appointment today and casually pointed out what was required at the 600 mile interval.  The service writer already knew what the service would require and quoted me $180.  This includes checking over the whole bike.  I am content with that as it is $200 less than what I was originally told. 

They were unaware of the coil issue but said they would look into it. 

Quote from: golgofett on August 30, 2008, 01:16:39 PM
Just an update on what I was quoted on my service price.  I posted the original thread where I was quoted $380 when I picked up the bike. 

I scheduled my appointment today and casually pointed out what was required at the 600 mile interval.  The service writer already knew what the service would require and quoted me $180.  This includes checking over the whole bike.  I am content with that as it is $200 less than what I was originally told.  

They were unaware of the coil issue but said they would look into it. 

...where?

ANd THIS is why all of us need to share theis experiances!  [thumbsup]

im glad that the knowledge you aquired from this thread saved you $200...hopefully it will save money to many others  [thumbsup] [thumbsup]

Quote from: Lucazuma on August 30, 2008, 01:20:31 PM
...where?

ANd THIS is why all of us need to share theis experiances!  [thumbsup]

im glad that the knowledge you aquired from this thread saved you $200...hopefully it will save money to many others  [thumbsup] [thumbsup]

Michael's of Reno,  My sales person and the sales manager have been a great help to me after a few hurdles from a prior attempted bike purchase.    I met with them first and told them that $380 was crazy.  They were not aware of the quote I was given.   The sales manager took me back and introduced me to one of the service writers.  The original quote was given to me when the service tech went  over my bike with me before letting me ride off.  My sales person told me that maybe the quote was for a "major service".  Who knows? 

Spectrum Ducati in SoCal just quoted $170.  Said it would take about an hour, appointment on Thurs, let you all know if anything changes.
[evil] [moto]

Just paid $200.71 for the 600 mile service at Ace Motorsports in Concord, CA  Nice people.  Service appt was on time and took 1 1/2 hours.  They checked out a lot of things other than just changing my oil.  IMO, worth it since I don't know much about maintenance and electronics and don't have the necessary tools.

Just quoted $220 for 2 hours at Ride Now in Longwood FL.....being in Central FL, limited to locations to take to, which include Longwood, Ocala (45 mins drive), or Miami (4 hours)......
Calling back today to remind them of the "news" and campaign push......let you know how it goes.