Ducati. F-ing me?

paul1478 · November 19, 2022, 12:37:27 PM

I missed a call from "unknown caller" that I assumed was spam.
Nope Ducati calling. They left a message saying they would call at a later date.
Great.
My plan it to try and keep my cool and play nice.
I will ask them for their denial in writing and ask them how they feel this explanations will satisfy the US Magnuson moss warranty act. And then ask him how I escalate this.
If still denied I will go back to Ducati of Detroit.
All I want is my bike fixed.

Striker1423 · November 19, 2022, 02:18:33 PM

If you end up near Detroit again let me know. Not far away.

paul1478 · November 19, 2022, 03:17:52 PM

Thanks I will. If Ducati says no f-ing way I am
Going to ask the guys in Detroit to do something for cost or something.
If they do I will trailer it up.

paul1478 · November 22, 2022, 06:16:29 PM

I got a call from Ducati. They told me wow, sorry man. I know that is hard.
BUT, if you pay to have the motor torn down and we see something that shows us this is a manufacturing defect "I will go to bat for you to get it fixed". What a guy!
$1700.00 for this to just tear it down.
When I told this guy, well, according to the Magnuson Moss warranty act this is exactly backward. the manufacture needs to prove the modification caused the failure. His response was, if we want to talk about this, we need to stop talking and I will have to refer you to our legal team.
Guys in Detroit will do it if I bring it to them but no discount. No one is going to do anything to help me on this F-ED up mess.
eBay engine is 2800-3K 1500 to get it installed. But I wonder what is the value of the bike after? I am sure it would be much less.

F. I wish I would have driven past that dealership a year ago but, I have to deal with the reality I have.

Striker1423 · November 23, 2022, 08:20:32 AM

Ouch. Not good. The dealer system strikes again!

What would it be to tear the motor apart and do it yourself? It seems more and more obvious Ducati isn't willing to help. Might consider a consultation with a lawyer. Try not to get into the legal weeds, but there's that. Or, fix it.

Either way I don't think I'll be buying a Ducati EVER.

m in sc · November 23, 2022, 10:17:28 AM

call them on their bluff. my ex wife used to do warranty admin at the local duc/bmw/triumph dealership, prior to that, at various car dealerships, and many years ago i spent my time in them as well. that said:

get a lawyer, not retained per-say, but to draft a letter to them citing said law and what transpired and what they expect the outcome should be and what your expected outcome should be. get a copy of this letter to the general manager of the dealership and the corp exec. it should cost 250-300 bucks top to get done.

If they think you're not fucking around, and YOU are willing to get a lawyer involved, their tune will change quickly, they don't need a potential ruling against them.

right now, you are just an angry old guy to them. I heard years and years of these stories every night when i went home over dinner.. and 85-90% of the time, it went the customers way.

it's worth the gamble on calling them on their bullshit. at the end of the day, they do not want to spend the retained lawyers time dealing w you, (it does have value to a corporate entity, make no doubt).. it isn't worth it ultimately to them, they i am sure have bigger fish to fry.

if nothing come of it, then there it is.

Evans Ward · November 23, 2022, 10:37:46 AM

^ great advice there from Mark!

paul1478 · November 23, 2022, 12:57:43 PM

What I am leaning toward now is get the motor taken apart and grantee the money. If Ducati said F-you, I will do exactly what you said Mark get a lawyer and make the next move. I feel like I would be hedging my bet doing this. If I go straight to the lawyer there is a chance I am still getting nothing and I will get nothing from service as "good will". He made that apparent in our conversation.

and yes, I agree Ducati NEVER again, they made a bad decision, they have made an enemy for life out of me.
well thanks a LOT for the input guys. I wanted to stay away from the Ducati forms just in case these fools look. I wanted to try and keep is as civil as posable.

m in sc · November 23, 2022, 01:29:47 PM

so whos going into the motor?

paul1478 · November 24, 2022, 06:15:13 PM

I was going to have the guys in Detroit do it. After I called them to discuss and ask them if they were willing to give me a discount in labor if I had to end up paying (Ducati still says no after looking into the motor).
They said no. I express my displeasure seeing how they were the ones who did this.
If the owner does not say something different then the service manger I will not give them another penny of my money.
I will let the Ducati ATL shop do it. It has to be Ducati or they will not do anything without lawsuit.

Cheapest way out is eBay motor. I fear I will not be able to sell it if I do that.

oxford · November 24, 2022, 06:30:28 PM

I would do the letter first like Mark said. Once you have it apart they have you on the hook.

I would also have a letter drafted up from the lawyer to the Detroit dealership basically stating that they will be sued for repair costs if Ducati doesn't honor the warranty claim since they did this to a new bike sold by them and made no mention of this voiding the warranty with the manufacturer. Let them fight with corporate if they think they will be on the hook for the bill.

sav0r · November 25, 2022, 11:46:08 AM

I agree with the lawyer and the letter. It really seems the most simple way to get some action. When I had some issues with my VW the dealer kept trying to add services, they even failed the state car inspection despite the car not being there for inspection, then they tacked on a bunch of charges for brakes (which in their own report passed inspection). My favorite was that the car sat on their lot for three weeks and when the battery was dead they refused to charge the battery, they said they had to replace it. Finally I just told the repair department manager that if they didn't stop effing around my lawyer would be in touch. Problem solved.

Striker1423 · November 26, 2022, 11:32:23 PM

Quote from: sav0r on November 25, 2022, 11:46:08 AM
I agree with the lawyer and the letter. It really seems the most simple way to get some action. When I had some issues with my VW the dealer kept trying to add services, they even failed the state car inspection despite the car not being there for inspection, then they tacked on a bunch of charges for brakes (which in their own report passed inspection). My favorite was that the car sat on their lot for three weeks and when the battery was dead they refused to charge the battery, they said they had to replace it. Finally I just told the repair department manager that if they didn't stop effing around my lawyer would be in touch. Problem solved.

A VW failed a state inspection? Color me shocked. Say it ain't so?! It's almost like VW corporate flat out lied to the world several years ago about emissions.

sav0r · November 27, 2022, 12:14:31 AM

It officially failed because they couldn't get the warranty parts, and yes, it is a dieselgate car. But they hassled me a bunch before that. It's been fixed, let's put it that way.

paul1478 · November 30, 2022, 07:44:11 AM

well after being consumed by this, calling attorneys Ducati, the guys in Detroit I have decided to just replace the motor.
I ordered it yesterday and it will arrive before the end of the week. I am getting a warranty that will cover the same as the factory should have but they are not worried about the tune (in writing). It is transferable and when I see it it will be a good selling point. Yes it has a used motor with 2000 miles but I have a 5 year warranty.
It was making me crazy and it was worth the cost to just get this behind me. Peace has a value and I feel so much better.

I still say F Ducati but I feel much better.

News:

Ducati. F-ing me?