Ducati Aylesbury

[Orfink69]

As much as I don't enjoy doing things like this I'm afraid to say that I am far from impressed with the service both myself and my beloved S4R were given on Saturday during the compulsary 600 miler.
Following a most exhilerating 90 mile trip down there on a glorious summers morning I was greeted by your normal service desk happy, smiling, pleased to see you type chappy, or am I thinking of somewhere else ????
Anyway after a lovely three and a half hour wait in their air conditioned waiting area with tea and sandwiches provided....... sorry drifting again.... sat outside in the baking sun next to the rather expensive butty van, I was told the bike was now ready and everything was fine.
On closer inspection I was relieved to see that they had actually done the service it was supposed to have, in fact that was from the butty van, as I could see the chain wax that was all over the swing arm, number plate, exhausts, seat cowl, seat, frame.... oh and the chain.
Anyway didn't want to complain too much as at least they had serviced it.
HOWEVER.... when I asked the happy, smiling... in fact now grinning like a cheshire cat (my apologies to all cheshire cats) which was a little worrying,service desk chappy just how much I owed him... well was I in for a surprise..... £220.00 :mad:
Oh well only a little over the quote I thought and so paid up.........
Curiosity got the better of me on the way back... I know should have checked it while I was there but I was a little worried in case they tried to get the shirt from my back if I stayed any longer.... so I decided a much earned breather was needed and a look over the invoice.
MUCH to my surprise I found that they had not charged me a penny............ for labour ???????? but had charged me £21.00 for an oil filter and £35.00 for the oil...... per litre :eek: . That equates to £140.00 for oil on a 996cc engine, which is 20 quid more than BMW charge for their special motorsport oil for the M series.
To say I am a little p****d is probably an understatement.
To top it all I spent nearly three hours trying to get the chain wax off everything except the chain and then on a little run to Barmouth yesterday the rear brake light switch decided to drop off thanks to a nut vibrating loose, and I thought they checked things like that :confused: .

Sorry Ducati Aylesbury but you certainly will not win any votes from me, in fact I will go as far to say that you have just lost a very good, spend happy customer... And thats the first time I have ever said that about any Motorcycle dealer.

In hind sight Ducati Wolves would have been a safe bet, less in fuel and at least Tony and Scott know their stuff.

[NattyBoy]

Sorry to hear that mate...not good is it - and im sorry to say that my 998s owning mate frequently has these sort of experiences. Im gonna get my 2nd (3000 mile) service done by Snells..and then its over to the capable (independent) hands of Louigi Moto who fettles my 888.

Cheers
Nat

[crust]

Ring up another dealer and ask them or the price of a filter - usually £7 - £10, then oil, usually £40 for 4 litres shell Advance, then phone them up and complain.

Get an explanation of their racketeering, mention that UKMOC are curious as to how they justify these ridiculous prices.

Personally I reckon the blokes made a mistake.

Did he have a shaved head?

:) Crust

[BoozyBOB]

sorry to hear this ...our own fatbloke and PeteS4 have had good dealings there.....
me thinks you could call them and mention UKMOC and how you feel...


...(and knowing Fatbloke he will also have words)..

[JMo]

Ring up another dealer and ask them or the price of a filter - usually £7 - £10, then oil, usually £40 for 4 litres shell Advance, then phone them up and complain.

Get an explanation of their racketeering, mention that UKMOC are curious as to how they justify these ridiculous prices.


Totally agree - get back on to them straight away - if labour is free, then your first service should cost around £45 - mine did (at P&H Crawley), and I got a job sheet to show exactly what should have been done... what were they doing for 3.5 hours???

As crust said, this could be a simple mistake... made by someone simple?

xxx

[Gilps]

I bought my new S2r from Ducati Aylesbury on 17th August. A couple of days later I figured I was going to need the 600 mile service pretty soon as I was racking up the miles. I phoned Aylesbury who told me that the soonest they could do it would be in 3 weeks and that I wasn't allowed to go more than 100 miles or so over the 600 miles. I was told that I should have booked it in on the day I picked up the bike, but I wasn't. It would only have made a couple of days difference anyway. I was looking at having my new bike laid up for 2 weeks as I waited for the service - not good especially with the bank holiday looming.

I enquired about the cost and was told it would be £230. I was horrified as my wife's new Hornet 600 was £45 for the same service. The explanation that I was given was that it was a Ducati! The service guy told me that labour is not free on the 600 mile service. He also informed me that as I would be having the bike serviced with the supplying dealer, the £230 price included a subsidisidy of £100 so I was apparently getting a bargain!
I then phoned Riders of Bristol to see if they could do me a better price and service time. They could only fit me 2 days earlier and their price was £240.
I went back to Aylesbury and told them that Riders were only £10 more expensive, so what happened to the £100 subsidy? The service receptionist couldn't explain. They said that if was unhappy I should go to Riders then!

As both Riders of Bristol and Ducati Aylesbury are in the middle of nowhere I didn't fancy sitting around for 4 hours with nowhere to go. So I called Pegasus in Reading. What a difference. Polite efficient staff.
They could fit me in the next week. I had my bike serviced by them on Thursday, less than 2 weeks after picking it up. They had it done in 3 hours and it only cost £217. That's cheaper than the supplying dealer with their £100 subsidy, who you would have thought would have been keen to hang onto my business. Pegasus also sorted out a couple of things that should have been done as part of the PDI check by Aylesbury. They removed various pieces of white tape from around the frame and several silver tapes off the swing arm which are fitted at the factory to protect the bike whilst being assembled. They are also now working on a problem with the fuel mixture and balance of the injection as the bike is running lumpy. As I hadn't ridden a Monster before I thought that it was just the nature of the bike, but the service technician wasn't happy with it and is endeavouring to sort it out - but that's another story. Odd though how Ducati Aylesbury didn't notice it.

Pegasus are only a 10 minute walk from the town centre so there is plenty to do whislst they service your bike. I strongly reccomend them.

Make your own mind up about Ducati Aylesbury - I have.

[fatbloke]

sorry to hear this ...our own fatbloke and PeteS4 have had good dealings there.....
me thinks you could call them and mention UKMOC and how you feel...


...(and knowing Fatbloke he will also have words)..

I never have any spanner work done at Ducati Aylesbury.
All my work is done by Dave Wood
I think Ducati Aylesbury are good for buying your bike from
you can normally get a good deal,
But as far as the workshops concerned ....................no comment

[CK & AK]

Suggest anyone else getting quotes like this, phones a few other dealers, as I have NEVER heard of a 600 mile service costing over £160 (except from a 'Ducati' own store).
At this time of the year, any good, reputable dealer/workshop will be quoting at least 3 weeks.

My M1000 service was approx £135 from an authorised dealer, who is STILL quoting similar prices for those who havent brought the bike from them new.

Try W M Snell at Alton, for good old fashioned service & courtesy :)

[gary tompkins]

DWR is now picking up an awful lot of the service work that Ducati Aylesbury used to do, leaving them to warentee work mainly.

I wonder why? :rolleyes:

£240 for a 600 mile service is a joke. A lot of good indepenant service agents would only charge a little more than that for a 6000 mile service.

[Chappers]

DWR is now picking up an awful lot of the service work that Ducati Aylesbury used to do, leaving them to warentee work mainly.


This is the only place I will take my bike to have any work done on it, servicing, modifications etc :)

[bod]

My 600 mile was £45 as part of the deal on buyin the bike,just had a look and they charged me £37 for oil(still to dear for me as I work in the trade and no the mark up on oil) ;)
£140 is a jike though,did they go to the north sea to drill it out for you? :rolleyes:

[farl]

I'll second what's been said about Snell's ~ top service and helpful. Good ride down from Walton to Alton along the Hog's Back too. The 620sie I brought new from DLS had the first service thrown in, thought that was the norm.

[JMo]

The 620sie I brought new from DLS had the first service thrown in, thought that was the norm.

It's been said before in a number of other threads about this subject - but just to re-cap: basically if you pay list (or close to list) for your bike, then the dealer you bought it from will more than likely do your 600 mile service FOC as part of the deal - or if not totally free, then just the cost of 'consumables', which as said above is typically around £37-45 for oil and filter...

However, if you squeeze them on the OTR price (and lets face it, it's quite easy to do that these days as there are a lot of Ducati dealers out there with stock bikes to move this year), then they are going to try and claw it back in whatever way they can - they aren't a charity afterall...

Therefore, typically with compaines like Ducati Aylesbury who are renowned for discounting the OTR - they make their turnover shortfall up by expensive service costs...

xxx

[Phoenix]

Blimey how offputting - £200 for 600 mile service :eek: Glad I don't have to deal with that sort of crap and can use who I like for servicing now.
Thats a bloody rip off :rolleyes:

[Will]

This is the only place I will take my bike to have any work done on it, servicing, modifications etc :)

Who, what, where are DWR?

Will

[gary tompkins]

Who, what, where are DWR?

Will

Dave Wood Racing :cool:

They will have an open day soon too....

http://www.ukmonster.co.uk/monster/showthread.php?t=14000

[Rockhopper]

I would suggest that they have made a simple mistake with the price of the oil. £35 a gallon is more like it.

Have you called them about it?

[Jasper]

I've also been ripped off by Ducati Aylesbury!! Not long after buying my M600 from a mate i took a trip over there for a look around. On the way the chain was rattling so i asked if they could take a look at it which they kindly did there and then. The result was new chain and sprocket kit but they could'nt do the work for another week. They quoted me £160 approx. Being fairly inexperienced at the time i did'nt want to ride the bike home incase of more damage to the bike, and being advised by the mechanic not to.Had to get a well pissed off girlfriend to pick me up!!
A week later they charged me £230! I can't believed i paid it thinking back but i just wanted to get my bike back and get the hell out of there...NEVER again will i get any work done on my bike there.It's a very nice store and the staff are ok too but they are too much of a Corporate outfit now who are only interested in hitting there targets! Baines Racing are Cheaper and Better, or try Dave Clark motorcycles in Oxford. He and his son John are not a Ducati dealer just a little garage with 30 years experience, no complaints what so ever.

[brewhaha]

I've also been ripped off by Ducati Aylesbury!! Not long after buying my M600 from a mate i took a trip over there for a look around. On the way the chain was rattling so i asked if they could take a look at it which they kindly did there and then. The result was new chain and sprocket kit but they could'nt do the work for another week. They quoted me £160 approx. Being fairly inexperienced at the time i did'nt want to ride the bike home incase of more damage to the bike, and being advised by the mechanic not to.Had to get a well pissed off girlfriend to pick me up!!
A week later they charged me £230!.


Just got a new gold chain and sprockets fitted at Ducati Glasgow for £104
in 1 days notice :)

[Will]

Dave Wood Racing :cool:

They will have an open day soon too....

http://www.ukmonster.co.uk/monster/showthread.php?t=14000

Thanks

Will

[Mrs Soup]

They are also now working on a problem with the fuel mixture and balance of the injection as the bike is running lumpy.

How did this manifest itself? I have noticed that mine 'hunts' a bit when at constsnt mid revs.

Anyone else have this?

[Gilps]

How did this manifest itself? I have noticed that mine 'hunts' a bit when at constsnt mid revs.

Anyone else have this?

The bike was very vibey below 3k. I just put this down to being a v-twin. It pulled quite well above 3k. I wasn't blown away by it though, as my last bike was a 2004 Triumph Sprint RS with loads of grunt (too much to be any fun which is why I sold it and got the Monster). I was happy enough with the performance as I had not ridden a S2R before I bought it. However, the service guy at Pegasus said that he was not happy with it and that it felt a bit underpowered. He adjusted the fuel mixture as it was way out but he could not get it quite right with the computer. He said to try it out. Big mistake. It was then 10 times worse. It was missing and gutless below 3k. It did make a difference above 3k though. Now there was plenty of pull and I was quite pleased. It looks like this thing is not going to be as slow I first thought. It went back in last Saturday where they spent a couple of hours on it. Apparently the balance of the thottles was wrong. They corrected that but still couldn't get the fuel mixture right. It went back in yesterday for the technicians to have a better look at it and to consult Ducati. It is suspected that the valves may be too tight. I will hopefully have more news tomorrow. I'm not technical, but when I get the answer and it gets fixed I will let you know the outcome.

[JMo]

Glips, as a thought - when I had my ECU changed (unnecessarily I might add) by my original dealer, they didn't set the EFi up properly (indeed at all), so essentially it was running in a 'get-you-home' mode - although this was virtually unrideable with bike hunting and cutting out at low revs... Although the bikes should come from the factory with the EFi set properly, this might be the problem you have?

Ducati UK's ASM Andy Joyce eventually sorted it out - and he was a right wizz with the computer and the bike went like a rocket afterwards... did take him 2 and a half hours to set it up though...

xxx

[Gilps]

Glips, as a thought - when I had my ECU changed (unnecessarily I might add) by my original dealer, they didn't set the EFi up properly (indeed at all), so essentially it was running in a 'get-you-home' mode - although this was virtually unrideable with bike hunting and cutting out at low revs... Although the bikes should come from the factory with the EFi set properly, this might be the problem you have?

Ducati UK's ASM Andy Joyce eventually sorted it out - and he was a right wizz with the computer and the bike went like a rocket afterwards... did take him 2 and a half hours to set it up though...

xxx
Here's an update. Remember, I'm not technically minded. Pegasus have played around a bit, and have ordered some parts from Ducati. They have run a compression test and one of the cylinders is low. They have ordered a new barrel and hopefully I will have my bike back at the weekend.
I'm beginning to wonder if buying Italian was such a good idea. I can't win though. My shopping list was all Italian this time round - Ducati, Aprilia, Benelli, or MV Agusta, so I reckon I'd have had quality issues whichever way I went!
I have had the bike for 4 weeks, and have had 12 days riding out of it, so I can't complain really. As long as it's fixed by next spring I will be happy.
I can recommend Triumph if anyone is looking for a new bike. They are reliable and the after sales service is reasonably priced and excellent quality.
I'll keep you posted on developments with my Monster.

[Shauns4]

[QUOTE=Gilps]I'm beginning to wonder if buying Italian was such a good idea. I can't win though. My shopping list was all Italian this time round - Ducati, Aprilia, Benelli, or MV Agusta, so I reckon I'd have had quality issues whichever way I went!

one of my friends has an Aprilia, over 20,000 miles, no problems with the 1000 V twin motor.

[Gilps]

Well, it's now fixed. I picked it up on Thursday after 2 weeks at Pegasus. They fitted a new barrel, pistons, the works. Now it goes like it always should have and I can really feel the difference. God knows how it was ever supplied to me from new in its original state. It's like a totally different bike. Not having ridden one before I had nothing to compare it with, but I would have thought that Aylesbury mechanics would have noticed when they PDI'ed it.
It's just so much quicker and way smoother. I thought it was supposed to shake like a Harley on tickover. Only bummer is, I've got to run it in again now.

[JMo]

but I would have thought that Aylesbury mechanics would have noticed when they PDI'ed it.

Hmmmmm... yes, you would think... x

xxx

[Shauns4]

God knows how it was ever supplied to me from new in its original state. It's like a totally different bike. Not having ridden one before I had nothing to compare it with, but I would have thought that Aylesbury mechanics would have noticed when they PDI'ed it.
It's just so much quicker and way smoother. I thought it was supposed to shake like a Harley on tickover. Only bummer is, I've got to run it in again now.

I would have asked for a replacment new bike or some compensation, obviously it was supplied out of the factory not properly tested as they are supposed to be and the shop obviously didn't test ride it properly, did they tell you what was actually wrong with the bike? I would take your issue with Duacti and ask how a brand new bike was supplied well below specification, do their quality control procedures not work? I'm not really sure how Ducati test thier bikes before dispatching them but someone like Honda always put them on a rolling road and test the bike performance and this will form part of the quality control documentation for which all companies who are ISO registered must do or prove by some means.

[gary tompkins]

I'm not really sure how Ducati test thier bikes before dispatching them but someone like Honda always put them on a rolling road and test the bike performance and this will form part of the quality control documentation for which all companies who are ISO registered must do or prove by some means.

On our factory visit we saw finished engines being run on a test rig for several minutes, before being sent to the assembly line. The new bikes were also ridden on a rolling road in a sound proof cabin before being crated up. Still doesn't explain how a knackered bike got to the showroom, but it's not the first time faulty engines have cropped up. Several 620's were recalled for oversize cylinder bores and excessive oil consuption a few years ago.

[Gilps]

I've had the bike back for a few days now and am only now just getting to find out what it can do. Wow, I'm well chuffed. I thought it was OK before the engine rebuild but now it's just ACE. Such usable power. If I'd opened the throttle this much on my Triumph I would have been doing stupid speeds, but this is just so much more usable. It's fun, enjoyable to ride and very involving. I think I've seen the light. Hopefully there will be no more problems, and you never know, if this love affair continues to blossom I might even consider another Ducati at some point.

[Vman]

Got it for a good price, got qouted silly money by them for the 600 mile service, though F`that and went to Daytona, they did it for £60.00

I think I got lucky somehow, but thats what I paid. :D

Did I mention, I sold the S4R a 3 months ago for £7500. :D :D :D

Get them new (at the time) for £6499.00 :burnout:


Who`s a happy boy? :bunny:

[JMo]

Just for info for all you whinging types out there (and I include myself in that group x) - a friend in the know informs me that Ducati UK recently specified to dealers exactly what should be done at the 600 mile service, and the labour involved means the recommended cost of this will amount to around £200 (and that most dealers will charge this as a flat fee now).

Now some dealers may still incorporate the cost of this into any deal you strike on a new bike, but he said to be weary of anyone who charges a lot less for the first service - in the past some dealers may have only changed the oil and filter and kicked it back out the door, hoping everything else would be alright... he recommends you make sure you get the worksheet showing you everything has been done - and afterall, you've got another 5,400 miles to go before then next one x

xxx

[Rockhopper]

Presumably the originator of this thread has now contacted the dealer and tried to sort the problem out. Perhaps he could post up the details of what happened?

[Orfink69]

Well it would seem that my initial venting of anti-dealer rage has started something here..... oh well, that could never be a bad thing.

In answer to Rockhopper, and my apologies for the delay, I did contact Aylesbury following my shock of the bill for the first service.

It would appear that Aylesbury's computer system will not only add up the cost of the parts and labour to give a total but will also take a total and then make up the bit in the middle :confused: Yeh right and I'm married to the queen of sheba.

Having discussed this with a number of people in the motor industry, both two and four wheel, it would appear that this is industry talk for " we've got your money now p**** off and bug someone else".

And there was me thinking that my business was valuable.

There is a happy ending to all of this though. Tony at Duke Wolves has agreed to take my pride and joy under his wing for some slight mods over the winter period and for longer term maintenance requirements, and for when any more bits decide to drop off :rolleyes:

It also means when it's time to add to the Ducati family Aylesbury won't see a penny of my hard earned money.

I work in the service industry and learned a long time ago to value all of your customers and treat them fair... otherwise :burnout:

[DAservice]

Hi all,

here at Ducati Aylesbury thought it might be useful to add our input to this sorry tale.

The main complaint seems to be over the cost of the first service. As others have pointed out, the charge is in line with Ducati UK service pricing and represents their full service schedule, which we adhere to strictly.

Any suggestion that we have not carried out the full first service schedule is one that we strongly refute.

We do not hide our service costs, and again, as a few have mentioned, we charge the full amount for first service, which partly reflects the good deals that we do in our sales department. Nobody expects to get everything on the cheap, surely?

As it happens, the software that we use, "price seeks". This means that if the menu price is £220, the system allocates an amount to each chargeable item on the invoice, to make this total.
1st service labour comes up as free (it is not chargeable on some of our other franchises), so all of the cost is allocated to oil and filter, which are the only chargeable items according to the system.
This explains the very expensive oil.
When I myself, do a Ducati 1st service invoice, I enter a figure for the labour, to stop it doing this. The outcome is the same however.

We are not telling you to p*** off, or suggesting that you may have royal tendancies in Sheba at all. We are telling the truth. If you would like to pop in anytime, i'd be very happy to show you how it works or perhaps show you a few other invoices. A full copy of the service schedule is always available also, so that you can see exactly what your hard earned money is spent on.

We would like to apologise for not cleaning the excess chain lubricant off your bike following the service. I'm sure that if you'd mentioned this at the time, we would have been happy to sort it out for you.

We are also sorry that you found the snack van pricing so disagreeable, sadly, this is an independant business that we allow to use our forecourt on a Saturday, so I am unable to offer you any help in that area.

At Ducati Aylesbury, we like to be open and honest with our customers and we would hope that our customers reciprocate. Whilst we understand that forums such as this have a place, for sharing experiences both good and bad, we like to think that we should be the first point of call if anyone has a genuine complaint about our work.

[JMo]

With my moderator hat on (I do wear it sometimes you know x), I'd like to say well done to Ducati Aylesbury for coming on and putting their side of the story - as you say, it is too easy to post your frustrations on a wbsite, before sorting the problem with the actual company...

That said, it is not the first complaint people have had with DA - but if it works as a two way street, and companies use any critisism to pull their socks up when things are slack - then we can all benefit...

xxx

Now, about that deal on an MV agusta... ahem x

[The Kevlar Kid]

Whilst we understand that forums such as this have a place, for sharing experiences both good and bad, we like to think that we should be the first point of call if anyone has a genuine complaint about our work.

How did I miss all this.......

As the above quote says, the dealer should really have been the first point of contact for any complaint. Having worked in the motor trade, I would have wanted to have been the first to know if any of my customers were unhappy, to at least give me the opportunity to explain the situation or rectify the problem. We all make mistakes sometimes.

To be honest the best time to complain / query is before you hand over any money, it has the benifit of focussing the attention of both parties.

In Ducati Aylesburys defence, although I do all my own work on the bike, I do use them a fair bit for parts etc. I have always found them polite and helpful. On the one occasion where I did have a slight issue on a part, it was all sorted out very quickly, exceeding my expectations.

I have my bike booked in later this week for a recall (fuel pipe), and they kindly agreed to do this whilst I wait.

Just thought it fair to have some positive experiences mentioned too....

[Orfink69]

Well it would appear that somebody has obviously mentioned this particular thread to Ducati Aylesbury which has lead to a most honest reply.

As we all know these forums are put in place for us consumers to vent our frustrations, anger, disappointment or in fact to praise for our experiences.

I was one of those to have vented disappointment in a dealership based solely upon my personal experiences. In NO way have I implied that the service was not carried out and with the exception of having to spend 3 hours cleaning the damn chain lube off when I got home there wasn't really a complaint regarding the service hence the reason you weren't the first port of call. I was simply miffed at having paid out the same amount of money for a 600 mile service on a bike as I do for a major service on my Audi.

I felt as though the standard of the service could have been better, and if this thread opens the eyes of DA to the needs of the consumer and their desire for 100% quality for a fair price then that can only be a good thing.

Under no circumstances would I retract my personal feelings regarding this matter and I would trust that DA would understand that everyone is entitled to their own opinion and take it on the chin.

[fatbloke]

Well it would appear that somebody has obviously mentioned this particular thread to Ducati Aylesbury which has lead to a most honest reply.

you would be suprised how many dealers view this and other websites.
I'm glad Ducati Aylesbury took the time to reply and would encourage
others dealers to do so.

[Rockhopper]

Well done to Ducati Aylesbury for fronting up on this one. Perhaps though you can see where the customers gripe is when he gets charged silly amounts for oil etc without it being explained to him how your system works.

[Shauns4]

Do Ducati read this website ? The comments about the charge for the 1st service should be aimed at them??

[fatbloke]

Do Ducati read this website ? The comments about the charge for the 1st service should be aimed at them??

Without a doubt they read it.
It would be nice to get a reply and hear there side.

[moony]

..........

[Davefridge]

Done 1100 miles on my S2R & haven't noticed any gliches. After riding a 750 SS for 10 years the S2R is an absolute doddle to ride!

[Davefridge]

Italia Moto of Lincoln charged me £40.79 for my first service. They told me the labour was free on the first service. I trust them as they mainly deal in Ducatis ( plus Benelli & MV ). Some of the prices being reported are a bit scarey!