So we went to book our Ducati ST3s in for a service, new back tyre and MOT at a well known UK dealer, that we’ve used before (My wife bought her Monster there) and we’ve been rather disappointed. I wouldn’t have mentioned it after the first few niggles, but I rang them yesterday and they’re about to get pretty much the following in a writing to a director, because the bloke on the phone really didn’t seem to care and was quite uppity with me

Here we go, in roughly time order

We needed a new back tyre. They didn’t know what size it was. We had to tell them in advance. They should know this.
Bike came back with black oily fingerprints on it (Bike is immaculate and clean) and clear oil of some sort dripping off one of the top frame tubes
They heard a ‘knocking noise’ on a road test so they had replaced the rear wheel bearings without clearing it with us first. They also noted the chain and sprockets were worn. When I tested it afterwards, the noise is obviously the worn chain.
There’s a suspension linkage bush thats worn. I went through the whole rigmarole of getting a price (Why not already priced up??) said “Yep, do it” to be told they can’t do it for three weeks at least
My wife rang them to inquire how much extra they’d charge to change the C&S whilst they were doing the rear suspension (i.e back wheel already out) to be told 1.5 hrs labour, so £80-ish + VAT. 1.5 hrs to split and join a chain and switch 2 sprockets over? Joke, right?
The paperwork noted that the headlight aim had been adjusted for the MOT. We mostly ride 2-up with luggage and for those that don’t know (Including their mechanic it seems…) ST3s have electronic headlight adjustment, so ours was set LOW. So they manually adjusted it UP and messed the headlight aim up, rather than just pressing a button…. And on the first ride, lo and behold, the headlight was pointing at low flying panes, but set on it’s lowest setting.
There was a breather pipe dangling oddly where it had never been before

So I gave them a ring, and the bloke on the phone was rather uppity and tried to suggest I was wrong about the headlight adjustment so I suggested that he should go and read the owners manual. I wasn’t going to mention the rest of the stuff but he annoyed me so I reeled the whole lot off
Him “We’re not doing very well are we?”
Me “No, you’re not”
All he could say was to bring the bike in and leave it a day. We really don’t have the time to do this. Nor should I have to waste a gallon of fuel on a round trip to correct stuff that shouldn’t have happened in the first place so I asked what recompense I would get for this to which he answered he couldn’t do that so I should contact a director.
I said I would, in writing.
And I will, be sure of that. Don’t call my bluff, sunshine.

At this point I thought I’d give the bike a further check over and found

NDS chain adjuster wasn’t even finger tight and rattling around (They took the wheel out remember) and it wouldn’t have been long before I’d have lost the end cap off the swing arm.
There was fresh oil drips on the bottom of the oil filter.

Now, I’m a pretty good mechanic myself and as we need to ride that bike rather than faff around, I’ve sorted the headlight and tightened the adjuster up already, and I’ll be fitting the new chain too, I’ve done that several times in the past. And what I’m going to do in the letter is include a bill for my services in correcting their mistakes and see what they make of that.

See, I pay premium dealer prices for a premium dealer service. I expect, not unreasonably, that they should know more than me, have better mechanics and facilities than me, and provide an efficient service. I shouldn’t have to tell them what tyre size it is. They should call me and clear any extra work before carrying it out. The bike should be returned in a better mechanical and cosmetic condition than it was left, not worse. I shouldn’t have to correct their mistakes, wait on the phone whilst they faff about getting prices, or write to a director to get some action.

Mistakes happen, I get that. It’s how you deal with them and correct them that counts.

I’ll be writing to them today (Sun 12th August) and when I get a reply, I’ll update this thread.

I’ve put various bikes into a range of dealers for servicing etc.
One left a tool inside the engine (used to set points gaps).
One put bodywork back on badly, breaking a mounting tab and trapping a fuel hose so the bike broke down after a mile.
One fitted the wrong size tyre (/60 instead of /70).
One flattened the battery by leaving heated grips on without realising it til I’d been dropped off to collect it.

I do most of my own servicing now…

Shocking, but not overly surprising given the complete lack of interest when I went in with the intention of buying a Diaval – given they would have made on the sale and the finance package I kind of lost interest and went elsewhere.

I obviously didn’t fit their demographic or something.

Sounds utter shite to me. I find motorcycle main stealers are often like this.

I think they are far more independent than 4 wheeled main stealers and therefore are often run much more like poorly staffed local bicycle shops than the fronthouses of multinational companies.

Also…should have bought a honda maybe 🙂 ❓

Vote with your feet.

Don’t write, organise a meeting with the Boss at a time to suit you – vent then.

http://www.cornerspeed.co.uk is the only place allowed to get their hands on my Ducati. Neil treats every bike he gets in like its his own. Find a good indi and stick with them. JHP (or Ducati Coventry i think they are know as now) are (or certainly used to be) another good choice.

organise a meeting with the Boss at a time to suit you – vent then.

Not really practical. I can’t even get near the pace for at least 2 weeks now

I’d let them know what I think of their service,point out where they’ve screwed up & never let them near my bikes again
I service my own bikes,a Yamaha XT600 & FZ750.They’re both old bikes so I don’t need dealer stamps for the warranty.I don’t know how old your Duke is,but if it needs a MOT I doubt it’s got any warranty, so if you’re competent I’d do it myself, at least then you’d know what’s wearing etc.If the desmo valve service is a job you’re wary of then ask other Ducati owners who they use.
It sounds like you know more about the bike than they do..

Lynchford Road ?

Fowlups????

Contact Ducati UK, they are supposed to be quite strict with dealers when it comes to screw ups like this.
According to a mate of mine who had problems with his 749 when a dealer serviced it, Ducati UK couldn’t have been more helpful.

Bustaspoke: it’s a 2006 bike, immaculate with a FDSH. We bought it on condition and history as you should always do, especially with a Duke and I intend to keep it up.

To be fair we’ve used the dealer in question a few times (and bought a bike from them) and they’ve always been good before. I just get the feeling that there’s been some changes which might have affected their service, shall we say?

i would never let a main dealer lay a spanner on my bike. not a chance. do everything yourself, or find a good local indie spanner shop and support them. the one man bands trade on reputation, so cannot afford to screw up.

The Ducati riding community in the UK is not that big, most would value a big pile of receipts from a well known indie more than a fully stamped up service book from a main dealer any day. Plus the good indies are Ducati authorised service centres anyhow.

OK. Find me an independent Ducati specialist near Farnborough, Hants… 🙂

Out of interest, what sort of miles has the bike done?
With a 6 year old bike I wouldn’t worry about main dealer service stamps. If you are competent why not do it yourself and get the satisfaction of saving money and knowing the job is done right first time.
In a previous life a worked for a big London dealer and I can tell you that we never covered “consequential losses” due to our very rare screw ups. So just stick with the facts, ask them to collect the bike, put it right and return it to you at a mutually convenient time.
If they are not prepared to do that then contact Ducati UK to intervene on your behalf.

Out of interest, what sort of miles has the bike done?

About 26,000

With a 6 year old bike I wouldn’t worry about main dealer service stamps. If you are competent why not do it yourself and get the satisfaction of saving money and knowing the job is done right first time

It’s a Ducati thing. People like to see PROOF they’ve been looked after by a specialist. You don’t buy a Duke on milage, but history. More miles are better then less, if it’s been looked after.

General stuff like brake pads, chain/sprockets, general repairs, accessory fitting and the odd oil change I’m perfectly capable of, and I do do. But are YOU confident on adjusting a Desmo valve train? I could do the cam belts if I wanted, but I’m not touching them valves! 🙂

Oh, I’ve just proved 2 things I said in the OP too:

1) It won’t take a pro mechanic 1.5 hrs to fit a chain and sprockets. It took ME that long because I’ve only ever fitted 3 chains before, I wasn’t sure how this bike came to bits, i’m crawling around on the floor, and my chain tool is a bit old and past it. With a dealer worksop, experience and tool kit, it’s a 45 min job

2) The knocking sound that they replaced the wheel bearings for was 100% definitely the worn chain.

Ah, but you haven’t factored in spanner polishing time, looking at the mildly pornographic workshop calender and mechanics fuel aka tea.
I do find it surprising that they saw fit to replace the rear wheel bearings without authorisation as they would have done most of the work to replace the chain and sprockets at the same time.
Are we talking about the shop that used to be Motorcycle City?

OK. Find me an independent Ducati specialist near Farnborough, Hants…

Snells in Alton are fantastic and have a superb workshop, also Moto rapido in Winchester also top notch service and quality staff.

Both have HUGE amounts of Ducati experience

£80 ph. You been ‘ad laddy!
I do know of a similar shodfy family run outlet at that kinda price with same bad ass attitude, .

£45-55 + the dreaded & we exchange nicieties whether it be bad or good. 🙂
Everyone surely knows ducats’n’harleys, you need serious coinage dropping all over the stealer just to get a reply to a question.

Yamaha on the otherhand have completly priced themselves outta the market the last 3 yrs or so.

Just tell em like it is like I,m sure you and a select few off this forum would.
Alb 🙂

Cornerspeed +1

I’m local luckily in notts, but even if I lives in Shetland, I’d still take it to Neil

People have been known to bring their bikes up from London for Neil to work on them!

Snells and Moto Rapido both have a good rep as well although I’ve never used them personally.

Sounds a bit cak. Are you sure they even changed the wheel bearing?

jimmy748 – Member

OK. Find me an independent Ducati specialist near Farnborough, Hants…

Snells in Alton are fantastic and have a superb workshop, also Moto rapido in Winchester also top notch service and quality staff.

Both have HUGE amounts of Ducati experience

I know both of these places VERY well and can recommend both VERY highly.

I used to race with Wilf who owns MotoRapido and his team is superb.

I also am mates with the cheif mechanic at Snells who lives, breathes sleeps Ducatis, he owns and runs a race team at the weekends. KRR Racing, who do very well in the Thunderbikes series.. he obviously does all the spannering.

Another +1 for Snells. If you insist on the main dealer stamp in your service book like me, then give Tom et al a try.

It was Snells….. Initially I had been pleased with their past work but I think handing back a bike saying “it has a knocking noise and we don’t know what it is; here’s the keys off you go” attitude is a bit piss poor! It did not have the knocking noise when I dropped it off. However saying that they did not cause the knocking noise they highlighted it when they tightened the chain but even I could tell it was the chain/wheel. As experienced mechanics they should know that this was what it was.
They failed to notice that the tank seal was leaking as well! I am sure that they would have had the tank up to check the engine.

It was Snells…..

Just shows – no matter how good your reputation, you have to get it right every time.

Wow… shocked at this. Both from a mechanical perspective and also from a perspective of customer service.

Only takes one shit mechanic to ruin your rep!
Perhaps their recruitment procedures need to be revised?

£80 ph. You been ‘ad laddy!

No. £80 to fit a chain & sprockets. 1.5hr labour
And I’ve not been had, cos I did it myself yesterday. I’d have paid to get it done if they’d been reasonable in the price.

But yeah. Snells. Not happy.

I also am mates with the cheif mechanic at Snells who lives, breathes sleeps Ducatis, he owns and runs a race team at the weekends. KRR Racing, who do very well in the Thunderbikes series.. he obviously does all the spannering.

Maybe you should tell him that that noise in the grey ST3s he serviced last week was the worn chain/sprockets he’d already noted and not the bloody wheel bearings he wasted my money on then.

Chillax winstonnnne!

Not unusual ime. At the start of the 21st century I owned a few Harleys and although the customer-facing staff at the luxury main dealer were always very nice – matey even – the people in the workshop esp the ones who did the routine servicing & repairs couldn’t give a rat’s ass and the cock-ups were numerous & frequent although rapidly and grovellingly rectified.

It’s the same everywhere there is just one Super Technician who very often doesn’t even work there who drops by as-and-when req’d to dispense knowledge and wisdom then leaves it to the on-site technicians – and I use the word loosely – to do the actual spannering.

Another +1 for Snells. If you insist on the main dealer stamp in your service book like me, then give Tom et al a try.

Revised to -1 for Snells, apologies.

Well, there’s obviously been something happening behind the scenes because today, before we even posted the complaint letter, Mrs PP had a call from one of the directors. He is apparently waiting to hear from us.

Interesting

Nothing back as yet….

godammit, was stalking this thread.. haven’t slept for days!