Resetting Service Light - 696

[DarkMonster620]

Its a ducati dealer.. what do you expect..

I am a dealer...

[Curmudgeon]

Maybe people on this forum can pool some resources and set up regional areas to fix up at least some of the minor repairs.
Some of the guys on this forum have completely rebuilt bikes and probably know more than most of the mechanics.

Like anything else..., there are dealers..., and then there are DEALERS.  Mine's pretty good, just a 140 mile haul unfortunately. Bikes are seasonal which doesn't help matters from a business standpoint. Of course, no dealer is perfect and personal relationships and accurate communication count for a lot. So far, so good, fingers crossed.  The "Master" certifications are not worthless though.

There are also a few really good Ducati independents/specialists around and a few are on the DMF when you need help. None close to you AFAIK.

Sorry to read that Ferracci had slipped. Eraldo used to make engine jewelry. Maybe you'll have better luck farther west.

[Dochunt]

Maybe it's just because I live in New Jersey.
I have had such bad experiences dealing with all the local Porsche Dealers and their repair crew.
Over the last few years I have started using independent shops.
I will try out FBF, my bike is fairly new and I hope it  all will work out.

[Kev M]

I have no doubt that Eraldo is highly skilled, perhaps even a genius with a bike.

But it's simple, he obviously doesn't personally work on customer's bikes and there's some question as to the skills and attention to detail of at least some who do work for him.

I shouldn't be surprised. I (like DocH) chose to give his dealership a chance (to try and develop a relationship for continued business) DESPITE the warnings of local riders.

Maybe if I didn't do most of my own service and handed everything over to his shop I'd have a better experience.

I mean fully half of my gripes are because I pay more attention to details than the average customer and/or because he seems to not like customers who work in their own stuff.

But then again, is there really an excuse for such basic screw ups as not adjusting the clutch on a new bike so it is impossible to get into neutral? Or not being able to sell a customer the recommended oil or even the right size crush washers for the oil drain plug? Or refusing to even look at a warranty complaint on a bike UNLESS you first pay for a full service?

I've got a friend who has spent more than 6 figures on new bikes from them in the last decade (multiple Ducatis, multiple Guzzis, and an MV Augusta).

When his brand new (less than 100 miles on odo) Guzzi Cali 1400 was stranded by a demand sensor for the RBW system Eraldo personally came by his home to pick up the bike. (After my little bro and I retrieved his trailer to get it back to his house the day it was stranded).

But my buddy has always brought those bikes back to FBF for service and as trade-ins or consignment sales.

I saw that relationship and figured I'd at least be treated fairly and not blown off when I wanted to pay for something simple.

I was wrong.

[Dochunt]

I have had bad experiences with BMW, MB, Porsche and Kawasaki repair guys.
I don't mind paying what they ask but sometimes they just don't pay attention to the details like Kev said.
I miss the old days when you had a Master mechanic who was even more anal about the details then you were and educated you in the process.
Some of the crochity old guys in NYC would yell at you for ignoring things that you didn't even know existed and they could spot from a mile away.
Times are a changing.

[Curmudgeon]

Dochunt, this is a toughie. Suggest you introduce yourself to Eraldo and explain that you bought your bike "brand used", are now hooked, and want to use him to service this and other bikes you buy and possibly some of those from him..., but that you are willing to trust the shop..., but are ANAL.  Then hope for the best I guess. Better yet, invite him to lunch at his favorite Italian restaurant. (Hint: He likes his reds.  ) Chemistry is a tricky thing. Could be totally wrong, but Kev may have some bad chemistry. It happens.

With my own dealer who's very fond of Eraldo, I know we are on the same page and he alone works on mine. He's a no-nonesense engineer who shoots straight, but with absolutely no "bedside manner". This throws a lot of people off. He's better off avoiding some of the casual clientele as his parts manager has a true gift for customer interaction and is also impressively knowledgeable. I'd have loved to have had him working for me. Sales and the service advisor are so-so.

Eraldo is a bit old now to be wrenching. Be sure to tell the advisor or mechanic precisely what you want and what you expect and hope for the best.

As for your cars and bikes, you are in a dead zone for toy and luxury cars in that part of NJ. Without writing a book, I feel your pain. My dealership was in a Madison Ave. / Wall St. bedroom with fussy customers and high demand. You are right though, this is not the '70's - 80's when most Porsche buyers were enthusiats, supply was very tight and smaller dealers had a loyal following and personal relationships with their clients. These days dealerships are forced to move iron and are machines. This would be a LONG discussion...  Glad I could retire when I did.

If you are a PCA member, ask the guys who are the best independents. Ideallly you want a Porsche Master Tech with years of dealer experience who has invested in all the factory tools and diagnostics. Dealers mostly don't enjoy working on older cars. Someone with 20+ years of experience knows all the old tricks. It'll be HIS shop, so he cares. I had three Porsche techs with 90+ years of experience but all have doubtless retired. Those people are super-difficult to replace and it takes forever and a TON of $$$ to train their replacements.

Did you try Freehold for your Benz? Not many "old school" dealers left. Both the two I used in NJ were bought out by groups who could care less. Same down here, so I drive 70 miles to an independent with three Benz Master Techs, all the gear and a spotless shop. He's half rebuilt my old commuter wagon which has to last me the duration. Not cheap but not unreasonable and as my son helped him build his new shop, I can borrow his wife's car to run errands locally. 

[Dochunt]

Thanks Crum for understanding my pain.

I got rid of the Benz as my wife got tried of having to pick me up from the shop, same goes for her BMW 528.
It got to the point that we only lease cars and return them soon as the lease is up.

I am hanging on to the Boxster only for sentimental reasons. ( plus I promised my son he can have it next year if he makes it to a good college).
There used to be two old timers European cars specialists close by (one in Somerset and the other in Kingston) but they are retired now and one shop closed and the other became a Harley shop.
I think I have found one in Flemington but I have not had the chance to go there yet.

I will give FBF a try because a friend of mine with a Diavel raves about them.

[Curmudgeon]

Well..., definitely drop the name of that Diavel customer while you're at it! 

Surprised you didn't get a loaner when you were in for service. The factories used to subsidize a few of those and it's an effective tool to hook customers on the newer stuff! 

In NJ leasing is a really good deal for everybody as there's usually a factory subsidy in them and in NJ you only pay sales tax on the payment. When scheduled maintenance was also included, the clients knew virtually ALL the expense of "ownership". and business clients particularly could expense for the vehicle. My sales were 85% leased and customers were happy campers.

Down here leases are double-taxed and the driver still has to pay personal property tax on a vehicle they don't own!!!  This results in a very healthy, overvalued used car market and a super-tough new car market. I'd have starved... 

Again, ask the PCA boys whom they like and use.

[Kev M]

Dochunt, this is a toughie. Suggest you introduce yourself to Eraldo and explain that you bought your bike "brand used", are now hooked, and want to use him to service this and other bikes you buy and possibly some of those from him..., but that you are willing to trust the shop..., but are ANAL.   Then hope for the best I guess. Better yet, invite him to lunch at his favorite Italian restaurant. (Hint: He likes his reds.  ) Chemistry is a tricky thing. Could be totally wrong, but Kev may have some bad chemistry. It happens.

Not for nothing, but the first time I met Eraldo I was with my buddy (the one whose house Eraldo came to last year to personally pick up his brand new/broken Guzzi). Eraldo gave me a big smile and pat on the back the next couple of times I saw him.

That said, I almost never dealt with him... you deal with Jim for Sales, Hoak for service... never learned the counter people names.

It wasn't until the LAST incident (refusing the hook up the V7 to a scan tool even if I paid for shop time to check for a warranty update to the map UNLESS I PAID FOR A FULL 5k mile service etc.) that I gave up on him, and even remotely expressed my displeasure to him directly and even then it was more of a case of disbelief than anything.

Every other time it was one of his staff that screwed up and whom I dealt with. And most of the times I didn't complain to him or his staff (unless I mentioned something to Jim or Hoak) but in most cases it wasn't worth it.

So I'm thinking chemistry personality probably doesn't have anything to do with it.

[Dochunt]

Thanks guys for the input.
Bikes are so different then cars.
Maybe its me but the emotional attachment I have even with a plain bike like the Kawi Versys is much stronger then my cars.

It may also be that if something craps out while going 75 in a car, you pull over and call AAA, on a bike passers-by will cal 911.

I will have to learn the mechanical stuff even on work done at the Dealers.

[Dochunt]

As far as the Porsche goes, as soon as they started making SUVs and sedans and all the suburban moms started driving them the whole culture was lost.   Even the PCA members become less enthused, I gave up my membership years ago.

Thank god for motorcycles and particularly Ducati. .

PS. I should have bought a air-cooled 911 in 96,  they are worth so much more now.

[Kev M]

Good conversation about FBF at the Guzzi breakfast meet yesterday.

It reinforced my impressions that I'm not alone.

Someone mentioned that Eraldo may have stepped back about 5 years ago and mostly handed over the business to his kid (not sure if that's true, and I've never met him). But that might explain some changes in what seem to be a poorly run business from a customer service side of things.

I still think that the old man has something against people who work on their own bikes. I suspect that it's not without some justification in that I bet he's had to deal with hundreds of things people have screwed up with over the years.

But that doesn't justify the overall attitude.

Oh well, no biggie.