Terrible Dealerships... What would you do?

[mboy]

So 6 months ago, I put a £250 refundable deposit on a V4 Ducati Multistrada, pending a test ride and availability.

Here we are today, I haven't had a single phonecall from the Ducati dealership that has my £250... They are a mile away from where I live, I have popped alone 3 times in that 6 months in the hope of an update. The first time, under full lockdown, the manager of the Dealership (who to be fair has been pretty good to deal with when I have been able to get to him, but he is ALWAYS busy) came out and explained where we were (lockdown meant no test rides etc.)... The following 2 times, I could not get to the manager, I was only able to deal with the 2 insanely self satisfied idiot sales prevention officers that were in no way shape or form, ready to try and help me whatsoever...

Now I'm only after answers... I understand the V4 has had engine recalls, as well as being in incredibly high demand. I don't expect anybody to resolve these issues overnight (working in an industry where demand is outstripping supply to a much higher demand right now, I am sympathetic for sure), but I don't think I'm being unreasonable to have expected a phonecall or two to keep me updated during the last 6 months at least...?

Fast forward to today... Working away, I passed another Ducati dealership and thought I'd pop my head in and take a look. I popped in, asked about a potential demo ride (was told their demo bike was ready whenever I wanted to book), asked about availability of the bikes (was told, depending on spec, if I ordered one today it would be available within 4-12 weeks) before then laying my cards on the table and letting them know the disdain with which my local dealership has dealt me with...

What would you do here...?

I'm 40... I've spent 6yrs running my own shop where I lived and died by my reputation, work for a global brand now in a customer facing role, I don't think I'm expecting the unreasonable? I don't expect miracles, bikes to be magiced up out of nowhere etc... Merely that I am not treated unfairly and that no false promises are made.

I have half a mind to walk in, demand to speak to the manager of my local branch, lay my cards on the table and see what he plans to do to rectify the situation... I don't however wish to deal with the ensuing fracas that would be required for me to be able to go in there to deal with him (he's ALWAYS got 2 or 3 customers busy waiting to speak to him, or on the phone, where the 2 numpties are stood around scratching their arses). A business is only as strong as it's weakest link, and sadly whilst he may have a good track record, he's surrounded by idiots and he can't do everything himself!

Or should I send an email...? I'm worried that it would just come across as a passive-aggressive rant, and wouldn't be dealt with the sincerity I feel I deserve.

Or should I simply waltz in, ask for my £250 deposit back, and go and take a test ride with said other dealership (90 miles away, though not exactly local, though kudos to them for being very proactive and helpful when I went in to speak to them today and even laid my cards on the table)... My current bike, a KTM SuperDuke 1290 GT is from a dealership 80 miles away (precisely because my nearest dealership are so hopeless, and these guys are very good), but it hasn't been without its faults and traipsing 80 miles each way every time I've had a problem with the bike (4 times now inside 16 months!) hasn't been ideal...

Your thoughts...?

[weeksy]

Or should I simply waltz in, ask for my £250 deposit back, and go and take a test ride with said other dealership (90 miles away, though not exactly local, though kudos to them for being very proactive and helpful when I went in to speak to them today and even laid my cards on the table)... My current bike, a KTM SuperDuke 1290 GT is from a dealership 80 miles away (precisely because my nearest dealership are so hopeless, and these guys are very good), but it hasn't been without its faults and traipsing 80 miles each way every time I've had a problem with the bike (4 times now inside 16 months!) hasn't been ideal...

Your thoughts...?

That right there... As you said, when you were running your bike shop, you live and die by service, by customer focus and a LOT of dealers ought to die by it IMO. Customer service in this industry is bizarrely terrible. i've got 3 places that come to mind that have been awesome over 50+ motorbikes and many many years.... 1 of these dealers i've never ever bought a bike from, but their service has been exceptional when i've been throwing ideas about and asking for prices, finance quotes etc.
MAny though, were terrible, just awful.

At the end of the day, if your local dealer is shite when you're trying to give them £20,000, how are they going to be when you're complaining about an electrical gremlin they can't easily diagnose and they say "yeah it'll be 3-4 weeks till we can get it in the workshop"

My local and most used as many will know are Premier Bikes KTM, i've had niggles on a few but as soon as i ring the lads i get "sure mate, bring it over if you can today, if not then we'll come and collect it for you". That's service, that's what you want, not to be fobbed off by someone who doesn't care.

[KungFooBob]

I'd draw a line under it.

Ask for your deposit back, either in person of over the phone. No need to burn bridges, etc.. just say you've changed your mind.

I think I'm going to do the same thing today, however my deposit isn't a 'refundable' one so I can imagine there being a bit of an argument.

[Supermofo]

What Weeksy says, if they can't be arsed to call you to get a potentially £20k sale what will they be like if yours needs a recall or work or servicing etc.

If you want to give the dealer a chance and don't want to speak to the monkeys directly, email them listing concisely what's happened so far and saying you've been offered a test ride and a bike by another dealer instantly but would like to give them a chance to remedy the salutation. If not can you have your £250 quid back and you'll go elsewhere. Personally I'd want to do it face to face so I can get my answer then and there and I'd deal with the monkeys if I couldn't get the manager. It sounds fairly simple. You've given them £250 can you have a test ride can you have it yes/no. If it's a no go to the other dealer. Sod waiting.

BUT - my gut feel is that they sound like a shit dealer and you'd be better off at the other place.

[Horse]

I'd draw a line under it.

Ask for your deposit back, either in person of over the phone. No need to burn bridges, etc.. just say you've changed your mind.

I think I'm going to do the same thing today, however my deposit isn't a 'refundable' one so I can imagine there being a bit of an argument.

^ That

As much as you want them to hear your frustration and subsequently improve their customer service, realistically it'll make no difference.

Don't even bother going in there, that ony gives them an opportunity to delay.

So write (I guess that, legally, an email is good enough) to a named person. No need to give a reason, just state the date etc. Set a reasonable timescale for either CC refund or BACS (ie however you paid).

[Demannu]

Don't forget to take your new bike there for its free 1st service........just to add insult to injury

[the_priest]

Ask for deposit back, do test ride past current place and smile nicely.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

Get your deposit back and walk away

[Bigyin]

My local Ducati place have always been good to me and I am made to feel welcome any time I go in but I have heard horror stories from others who describe exactly the same sort of ignorance when they have gone in to the extent they have bought bikes from a dealer miles away and will never go back in locally.

IMO get your deposit back, order from dealer who seems to provide the service you want and enjoy the new bike when it arrives

[Mr Moofo]

Sadly Ducati dealerships are not all brilliant.
Down on the South Coast Pro Twins and Moto Rapido are both good.
ProTwins are always helpful but missed a melted ABS sensor on my back wheel ( due to my ham fistedness) - which as it was there specifically for an intermittent starting problem was a big miss.
Moto Rapido picked it up when they service the bike - but they are a little aloof. As I parted with 1.2 in their direction , it would have been nice to be treated like a customer. They also chipped my petrol tank in delivering it back to me. As yet they have not come back with what their "offer" to resolve this was.
P&H are just the pits ...

As for buying - I have only ever bought from Ducati at On Yer Bike, or Forza Italia at Silverstone. FI ( if the still exist) were brilliant

[Skub]

I'd keep the KTM.

Seriously though a dealer having a shit reputation doesn't appear to impact on their sales much at all. There is a big dealership close to me who are well known to have an offhand attitude to paying punters. I know several who have been treated like shit,they piss and moan and yet back they go when they spot something new and shiny. This shop knows perfectly well it can get away with this behaviour and still sell bikes,so there is little incentive to bother being nice to customers.

The only thing that will force a dealer to be nice is if most folk stopped buying their stuff and that is an outside shot,from what I see.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

I'm shocked no one has suggested shitting through the letter box

[KungFooBob]

I'm shocked no one has suggested shitting through the letter box

...and setting the showroom on fire.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

I'm shocked no one has suggested shitting through the letter box

...and setting the showroom on fire.

Obviously, though you might want to leave a few days gap between the two, otherwise the first is a bit pointless

[Mussels]

If you hadn't agreed to buy one what was the deposit for, fixing the price?

[Horse]

I'm shocked no one has suggested shitting through the letter box

...and setting the showroom on fire.

Obviously, though you might want to leave a few days gap between the two, otherwise the first is a bit pointless

And definitely, definitely, get them in the correct order.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

...and setting the showroom on fire.

Obviously, though you might want to leave a few days gap between the two, otherwise the first is a bit pointless

And definitely, definitely, get them in the correct order.

Yeah, could end up like Johnny Cash

[Bigjawa]

I'd keep the KTM.

Seriously though a dealer having a shit reputation doesn't appear to impact on their sales much at all. There is a big dealership close to me who are well known to have an offhand attitude to paying punters. I know several who have been treated like shit,they piss and moan and yet back they go when they spot something new and shiny. This shop knows perfectly well it can get away with this behaviour and still sell bikes,so there is little incentive to bother being nice to customers.

Hint?

[Couchy]

Walk in and ask for money back, no discussions just money back. Go to helpful dealer and spend

[CarlBarth]

Its weird how it works, I found P&H brilliant. Have bought both a KTM and a Ducati from them, the Ducati was for my wife and they talked to her and not through her to me, an experience she has had elsewhere.
But agree get the deposit back and buy elsewhere, a phone call is very simple and makes all the difference.