Over two weeks

Raiderfn31 · Post by **Raiderfn31** » Fri Aug 19, 2011 2:56 pm

I broke down over 2 weeks ago and got a tow to my dealership. My scoot just stalled so I think its a simple carb cleaning I need.(no vapor lock prob) Well my scoot hasnt even been looked at yet. I like my dealer. He's seems to be a good guy, but I am finding myself more and more pissed at each passing day. Im not the type to fly off the handle but this is BS in my opinion. They next dealership is a few miles more, and I would probably have to cover a bit of the tow(over 150 bucks) so I want my original dealer to work out. Just needed to vent. 3rd weekend w/out my scoot and Im not happy.

Lotrat · Post by **Lotrat** » Fri Aug 19, 2011 3:25 pm

Call your dealer and tell him. You don't need to get nasty with him. Just tell him he's had it for 2 weeks and you'd like a completion date so you can plan alternate transportation until it's done. If you do it the right way I bet he bumps your scooter up on the list to get worked on. If it's not done by the date he tells you, go get it from him and tell him your business will be up the street. Don't piss him off until you have your scooter back in your possession. A carb cleaning doesn't take that long IF that's all it needs.

still shifting · Post by **still shifting** » Fri Aug 19, 2011 3:49 pm

Dealers, you got to love them...? don't you? Take in some donuts. R

Skootz Kabootz · Post by **Skootz Kabootz** » Fri Aug 19, 2011 4:03 pm

That they haven't even looked at it yet is inexcusable.

PIStaker · Post by **PIStaker** » Fri Aug 19, 2011 4:23 pm

Raiderfn,
Find out if the other dealer has the same backlog of service work. If not, grab a friend with a pick up and chug it on over there. Your profile says you're in NC, afterall. ...someone's GOT to have a pick-up.
...Or find someone with a Kia Sedona minivan. Mine fits just fine (sans mirrors), and the hooks in the floor for the seats, double nicely as places to tie down your scoot.
It's a better option than just waiting around.
The only time I've ever really had to wait, is when our friends at SW did not have the part and they/we were waiting for it to arrive to the US.
Waiting sucks. No matter whether you're a w/e warrior, or you rely on it as a daily commuter like I do.
Good luck.

jijifer · Post by **jijifer** » Fri Aug 19, 2011 4:27 pm

I've learned the hard way - check the sparkplug!

Something I noticed since my sparkplug replacement 2 days ago: when the spark plug is new, I don't even need to pull the throttle to start it - Just the brake and the start button.

I'm putting in the back of my mind: once starting requires twisting the throttle change the plug.

I, too, thought it was gonna be a carb cleaning. It chugged, coughed and eventually it stalled. Because mine was a cap fail not a plug fail, I would be able to start it on a occasion - when the plug would make contact - and hold an idle. After a while I couldn't turn it over at all.

If yours has been sitting two weeks now, it may be needed a battery recharge, too, but hey, go to the dealer, buy a spark plug, ask if you can have 15mins alone with your scooter and replace the plug with the tools under your seat!

My dealer is now the ONLY shop in town after all the vespa shops within 80 miles closed. They picked up Vespa. My friend who hauled me in to the shop Tuesday commented how he didn't recognize a single bike. It's SO true. I know loads of San Diego scooterists and before they were a vespa dealer, I recognized 90% of the bikes in the shop at any time. On Tuesday there were probably 25 scooters there and not ONE I recognized. It's great news for my shop as service and business is booming. It's bad for me because I've had the luxury of only needing to plan a couple days a head to schedule service.

When I called about breaking down they said I had to be there within the hour or wait a week. GAH!

I'm relieved it was just a spark plug because, yeah, waiting sucks

Raiderfn31 · Post by **Raiderfn31** » Fri Aug 19, 2011 5:52 pm

monamibuddy wrote:Raiderfn,
Find out if the other dealer has the same backlog of service work. If not, grab a friend with a pick up and chug it on over there. Your profile says you're in NC, afterall. ...someone's GOT to have a pick-up.
...Or find someone with a Kia Sedona minivan. Mine fits just fine (sans mirrors), and the hooks in the floor for the seats, double nicely as places to tie down your scoot.
It's a better option than just waiting around.
The only time I've ever really had to wait, is when our friends at SW did not have the part and they/we were waiting for it to arrive to the US.
Waiting sucks. No matter whether you're a w/e warrior, or you rely on it as a daily commuter like I do.
Good luck.

Im in NC so I must know someone with a pickup truck? WTF??? Just kidding bro.

I know several!!! I tell ya, youve got to be a secure male around here to ride a scoot. If I hear one more time "If you spent that much why didnt you just get a MC?", Im gonna go ape on somebody. But being in TX I guess you understand, huh? Thanks for the feedback from all of you guys and have a great weekend.

Silver Streak · Post by **Silver Streak** » Fri Aug 19, 2011 6:01 pm

This is the reason I do almost all my own wrenching.

No, I'm not a cheapskate... it's just the inconvenience, delays and incompetence that drive me up the wall.

PIStaker · Post by **PIStaker** » Fri Aug 19, 2011 6:10 pm

Raiderfn31 wrote:
monamibuddy wrote:Raiderfn,
Find out if the other dealer has the same backlog of service work. If not, grab a friend with a pick up and chug it on over there. Your profile says you're in NC, afterall. ...someone's GOT to have a pick-up.
...Or find someone with a Kia Sedona minivan. Mine fits just fine (sans mirrors), and the hooks in the floor for the seats, double nicely as places to tie down your scoot.
It's a better option than just waiting around.
The only time I've ever really had to wait, is when our friends at SW did not have the part and they/we were waiting for it to arrive to the US.
Waiting sucks. No matter whether you're a w/e warrior, or you rely on it as a daily commuter like I do.
Good luck.
Im in NC so I must know someone with a pickup truck? WTF??? Just kidding bro. I know several!!! I tell ya, youve got to be a secure male around here to ride a scoot. If I hear one more time "If you spent that much why didnt you just get a MC?", Im gonna go ape on somebody. But being in TX I guess you understand, huh? Thanks for the feedback from all of you guys and have a great weekend.

Raiderfn,
Secure in my masculinity, yes. And being north of 300lbs on a scooter takes some thick skin as well.
...people are so caring though. I've had several people suggest that I lose weight.
I'm also waiting for the day I appear on break.com or failblog. I've been on more people's iPhones than I care to recall.
It's all worth it when I blow by them doing 65mph on my 161cc kit.
And I concur. If I wanted a M/C, I would have gotten one.
Hope you get yours back soon. I hate being without mine.
And be safe out there.

desmolicious · Post by **desmolicious** » Fri Aug 19, 2011 6:18 pm

Call the shop, be polite and let them know you're going to pick up your bike and take it elsewhere as they obviously are too busy.
That may get them to bump it up to the top of their schedule, if not, you're better taking elsewhere anyway.

jasondavis48108 · Post by **jasondavis48108** » Fri Aug 19, 2011 9:33 pm

did they give you any kind of time frame for when it would be looked at? I'd be pretty pissed off myself if they didn't inform me ahead of time that it would take so long to even get it looked at.

david12df · Post by **david12df** » Sat Aug 20, 2011 12:39 pm

check craigslist for a cheaper tow or someone with a pickup truck
for a move

Raiderfn31 · Post by **Raiderfn31** » Sat Aug 20, 2011 1:57 pm

jasondavis48108 wrote:did they give you any kind of time frame for when it would be looked at? I'd be pretty pissed off myself if they didn't inform me ahead of time that it would take so long to even get it looked at.

NOPE

Raiderfn31 · Post by **Raiderfn31** » Sat Aug 20, 2011 2:05 pm

Called yesterday and talked to the mechanic. I was a bit pissy but he understood. My scoot shoul be at the top of the list. Otherwhise I wil visit them with a pick-up. Im so Fing pissed I want to punch a wall.

Lotrat · Post by **Lotrat** » Sat Aug 20, 2011 2:28 pm

Did you get a date when it will be ready?

Mikie M. · Post by **Mikie M.** » Sat Aug 20, 2011 2:34 pm

Secure in my masculinity, yes. And being north of 300lbs on a scooter takes some thick skin as well.
...people are so caring though. I've had several people suggest that I lose weight.
I'm also waiting for the day I appear on break.com or failblog. I've been on more people's iPhones than I care to recall.
It's all worth it when I blow by them doing 65mph on my 161cc kit.
And I concur. If I wanted a M/C, I would have gotten one.
Hope you get yours back soon. I hate being without mine.
And be safe out there.[/quote]

At 136 plus kilos it would take a thick butt.
Raider is correct. He should be pissed.
A Kia Sedona Van. You're kidding, right?

Raiderfn31 · Post by **Raiderfn31** » Sat Aug 20, 2011 2:57 pm

Justa called my Vespa Of Cahrlotte. Scoot is ready.WATER in gas. BIG OIL SUCKS

Post by **illnoise** » Sat Aug 20, 2011 3:00 pm

Keep in mind that a good shop schedules service, and if you were bringing a bike in at a scheduled time and date that was planned long in advance to minimize your inconvenience, you wouldn't want your scheduled service delayed, and the shop wouldn't want more bikes on their shop floor than they could turn around quickly.

That said, a REALLY good shop would leave gaps in the schedule for emergencies, and explain the above reasoning clearly to you when they know they might not have time to work on it right away. They should be respectful of other people expecting quick service, but also clear and honest with you.

Bb

michelle_7728 · Post by **michelle_7728** » Sat Aug 20, 2011 10:14 pm

Raiderfn31 wrote:Justa called my Vespa Of Cahrlotte. Scoot is ready.WATER in gas. BIG OIL SUCKS

Glad it's all resolved for you!

If you ever run into issues again, if there's some place near by you can store your scooter, grab a friend with a truck then go to UHaul and rent a motorcycle trailer for $15 a day. I've done this twice (once when I bought a Buddy a couple of hours away, and once when I had to take my MP3 to the shop). You can't beat the price.