Motofan998
New member
- Joined
- Jul 30, 2010
- Location
- San Jose
- Moto(s)
- 2002 Ducati 998 (constantly upgrading), 2012 Ducati 1199 Paniagle S ABS (Suing DNA for Buyback)
- Name
- Andy
As I'm sure you all know about the newest ducati superbike, the 1199 Panigale...
It's revolutionary design & traditional Italian beauty, I have a tale to tell. More of a nightmare really. In 2012 I bought a brand new Ducati 1199 S w/ABS. I put down a deposit back in 2011 when I first heard about this new bike, I saw spy photos, concepts photos, read about technical specs, you name it. I waited a long time to get my hands on one of these things. In May of 2012, my panigale finally showed up. After a quick transaction at the dealer here in the Bay Area. I was handed my keys, my box of accessories, given a handshake, and I was on my way. My first new ducati and I felt great!! I had one of the first ones to arrive in the Bay Area and I was a happy man. I went everywhere that I could think of and then some. I put the first 600 miles on it almost in the first day to break her in. I was very pleased to say the least.
After the first year of owning this bike and being very happy, I was met with a big problem...upon returning home from a ride, I parked the bike in the driveway to go inside and open my garage. When I approached the bike I noticed what looked like water/coolant rapidly collecting on the ground beneath the center of the bike. I knew that wasn't good and I parked it inside. The next day I contacted the dealer and told them what was going on, they said that it is definitely covered under waranty and that they've seen it before. I brought the bike in, and the service department handled everything perfectly and a repair order was made. I felt confident that I was being taken care of.
A couple of days later and a phone call from the service department, I was assured again that this issue was going to be fixed. The repairs required the engine to be completely rebuilt and the engine cases be replaced. I was told that the only thing that was needed was approval from the ducati North America area service manager who was very nearby.( FYI, ducati North America is located in Cupertino CA and the dealer is in Sunnyvale. Probably no more than 20 minutes away. ) About 2 weeks later I received word that the approval had gone trough and the parts were being ordered that week. I was told that the only thing that I need to supply to the dealer was a notorized copy of the registration to verify the VIN number and so that the numbers would match. This way there would be no problem with the title or the DMV. I supplied what they asked for at my cost and without hesitation. I was feeling much better about getting my bike back.
After a couple more weeks, I received no word about the status of what was going on. I took it upon myself to call & visit multiple times to see what was going on. The guys in the service department had no information. Turns out, they were in the exact position I was in. No one knew anything about what was going on. I was even told that their area service manager wasn't returning emails or phone calls. The line of communication had broken down from the source. At this point, I had become pretty frustrated. It's the best time of year to ride and I don't have my new bike! So, I took it upon myself to call ducati North America and try and get some answers. I mean, I've lost 2 months of good riding and I don't have what I've paid good money to own and insure to ride. \
I made the call, I got a live person, I was surprised! I was being helped by "john" from customer service who had identified me before I could even say who I was. (Obviously caller id) I asked him the question in the most collected and calm way, " what is going on with my repair?". He was quick to tell me that the parts had shipped and that they should be arriving shortly. I said "ok, how long will it take to get this job done, I want to ride my new bike!". He informed me that it would proably take about 10 days to get everything in. I said "ok, why did this take so long?". He had nothing to say. He quickly changed his tone to a defensive and condescending one. He did a pathetic job of trying to defend ducati but was coming short and as a customer, I was not going to take that type of treatment considered the amount of money I've spent on te bike and accessories, time I waited just to buy this bike, riding time I've lost, and now this rude treatment from a direct representative of Ducati. NO SIR! I said to him "you know, you're treating me very unprofessionally, and you've become condescending, I want to talk to someone else immediately!". He apologized and I said "too late, you had your chance, I've been more than patient with all that's been going on, I want to talk to somebody else!". I was pretty mad at this point.
I was handed off to Ducati north Americas other customer service rep and she contacted me later that day. Her name is "Melanie", she was more than courteous to me and treated me much better. She asked what she could do for me to make this situation right. I told her that i needed to think about it because I was pretty upset. It's not a good idea to try an make decisions when upset. She told me she completely understood but was quick to try and resolve this situation. She said to me "what can I do to make you happy?". I thought about it and folder about everything I had been through, the waiting, the buying experience, and how I've been let down buy a company that produces a produce that I personally and thouroughly love & enjoy. She politely interjected and asked me to tell her what can she do, what can I give you to make up for what you've been through and what you've lost. She quickly said "please don't tell me that you want an exhaust system". I said to her "No, I have that already". She asked me to think of the first thing that popped into my head and tell her. At this point I was pretty shocked. This company wants me to be happy...and I thought..."DING!", I know. So I told her what I wanted. She said "ok, I'll see what I can do, I'm sure it won't be a problem". I told her that I wanted a pair of wheels that had been installed on the panigale 1199RS superbike. I imagined that they had the same value of the full termignoni exhaust system that I had already purchased. A week or so went by and she called and informed me that she had no information about any detail about what i asked for. I told her that was ok and at this point figured ok, she's at least trying but I'm still frustrated and upset and still...no parts had arrived.
A couple of days later, I decided to take it upon myself to research what I had asked for. I made one call to marchesini who made the wheels and they knew little to nothing about them. I figured these wheels were un-obtainable. There's probably only one or two pairs that exist and they're mounted on the actual race bikes. So I didn't have my heart set on them and figured I wouldn't get them. So, I made one more call to an authorized ducati corse dealer here in th US( this dealer will remain anonymous to keep them from getting in trouble with DNA)
Surprisingly...they had ALL of the answers, they had part numbers, sizes, manufacturer, and a price for the pair. My guess about the price was correct, they were the same price as the termi exhaust. But, they were 16.5" wheels...completely useless unless I wanted to run track tires 100% of the time.
Oh well, so what now?
I email forwarded all the information I had to Melanie and she was pretty surprised. But not as surprised as me. How is it John Doe off of the street can make one phone call or send one email and find all of the information about something that specific and an actual rep from DNA couldn't get anything? I was pretty surprised. I told Melanie via email that these wheels would be totally useless due to their size. So I told her I needed to think about what we were to do next since we couldn't come to an agreement. She told me that she would give me a credit towards any Ducati performance accessories, ducati performance parts, ducati OEM parts, or service.
I took that statement literally... It did say "ANY"...
So, I switched gears and asked for the front forks from that same RS BIKE. I figured the answer would be a "no" due to the price. Those are ohlins fgr200's or 300's I believe, and retail for a significant amount. I mean, the worst she could say was "no" again, right? She was quick to reply with a "no" like I anticipated. But hey, can't blame me for asking. I'm upset and don't have my new bike.
Next, I said to her that is was funny how quick her reply was since it usually took a few days for her to reply, whether it be email or phone call. I told her, that I would then start looking into my rights as a motor vehicle buyer/consumer and she would be hearing from me soon.
So, here I was, no new bike, with the bike in service completely untouched and still leaking, no parts yet and I'm basically pissed off. So I did some research and during which time I received a phone call from the dealer, MY PARTS HAD ARRIVED! I was put into a much better mood but still not 100%. The dealer cleared off a stand for my bike almost immediately and started the repair. I continued my research and discovered the "California lemon law" which states, a dealer or authorized service repair center has 30 working days to make the necessary repairs from the creation of the repair order or, the manufacturer has to refund the purchase price. There are more details but it's pretty straight forward. I received a phone call and was told that my bike was finally ready to go and be picked up. The dealer told me that I needed to pick it up or be charged for storage...understandable but not cometely acceptable. I quickly went and picked it up and brought her home. I was itching so bad to get her back I had to ride it. New motor meant another break in. So I took it easy, put a few miles on her and...more leaks. Just not as bad. It was leaking like an old Harley Davidson. So I brought it back in and had it looked at. At this point I had remembered my research and So I contacted Mel, and said you guys have to buy this thing back. She informed me that I needed to send a certified letter requesting a buyback stating my situation. So I immediately got to work. I stressed in my letter that this bike is unsafe to ride because of the fluid leaks from the motor in front of re rear tire. I also stressed that I still want to be a ducati customer and a member of the family. I sent the letter and Mel informed me via email that she had received it.
My bike was still leaking and had been dropped back off at the dealer for continuous repairs. At this point I had stopped riding the bike completely and it would still start leaking. In total, it's been back about 6 times for leaks, even though I had stopped riding it.
A little more time passed and I had received no word about my letter from DNA whatsoever. They went radio silent. I made many phone calls, sent numerous emails, and received absolutely zero replies. I was being ignored. I think they thought I was just going to vanish by them hiding and cowering under their desks. They were wrong... All that effort to to resolve this problem and they just start ignoring me. How about that?... A huge international company handling a problem by just ignoring it towards the end. Wow!! How professional! \
I made one last Hail Mary and sent Mel one more email..."you've had your chances, and I've been more than patient, you'll be hearing from my lawyer" is what I emailed Mel. I received a brief and simple reply, "understood". \
So I lawyered up, the paperwork has been filled out and sent to the state for processing back in November of 2013. I'm still waiting, my 1199 still just sits there. I've taken off all of the accessories and returned it to its original delivered condition and I await some type of court decision. My lawyer has told me that it takes almost 6 months to get these cases started. Ducati has broken off all communication with me and continues to ignore me. I will definitely consider this situation if I ever think about buying another new ducati, but you never know...at this point, it's the principle of the matter, they sold me a lemon, they failed to make the repair, they failed me...\
Those that read this may side with ducati because they think I asked for too much to be compensated for my time and inconvenience. But consider that I've been totally honest with what happened. In my opinion, I was treated like crap. Just because I didn't ride across the US on my 1199 and talk about my experience online like Dennis Matson did about his. (Who, by the way, was treated like absolute royalty for doing so by being flown out to the circuit of the Americas in Texas for the world press release of the 1199R and got to ride with Nicky Hayden, and other professional racers all day on an 1199R, if you don't believe me or know about it, search his name on YouTube. DNA made and posted a video about it. I'm sure they don't want this story coming out, but again...they had their chance...
Consider how you would want to be treated, think about it before you buy a new Ducati....
I will add any missing minor details later, I will also respond to any questions readers may have via comments.
Thanks for reading
It's revolutionary design & traditional Italian beauty, I have a tale to tell. More of a nightmare really. In 2012 I bought a brand new Ducati 1199 S w/ABS. I put down a deposit back in 2011 when I first heard about this new bike, I saw spy photos, concepts photos, read about technical specs, you name it. I waited a long time to get my hands on one of these things. In May of 2012, my panigale finally showed up. After a quick transaction at the dealer here in the Bay Area. I was handed my keys, my box of accessories, given a handshake, and I was on my way. My first new ducati and I felt great!! I had one of the first ones to arrive in the Bay Area and I was a happy man. I went everywhere that I could think of and then some. I put the first 600 miles on it almost in the first day to break her in. I was very pleased to say the least.
After the first year of owning this bike and being very happy, I was met with a big problem...upon returning home from a ride, I parked the bike in the driveway to go inside and open my garage. When I approached the bike I noticed what looked like water/coolant rapidly collecting on the ground beneath the center of the bike. I knew that wasn't good and I parked it inside. The next day I contacted the dealer and told them what was going on, they said that it is definitely covered under waranty and that they've seen it before. I brought the bike in, and the service department handled everything perfectly and a repair order was made. I felt confident that I was being taken care of.
A couple of days later and a phone call from the service department, I was assured again that this issue was going to be fixed. The repairs required the engine to be completely rebuilt and the engine cases be replaced. I was told that the only thing that was needed was approval from the ducati North America area service manager who was very nearby.( FYI, ducati North America is located in Cupertino CA and the dealer is in Sunnyvale. Probably no more than 20 minutes away. ) About 2 weeks later I received word that the approval had gone trough and the parts were being ordered that week. I was told that the only thing that I need to supply to the dealer was a notorized copy of the registration to verify the VIN number and so that the numbers would match. This way there would be no problem with the title or the DMV. I supplied what they asked for at my cost and without hesitation. I was feeling much better about getting my bike back.
After a couple more weeks, I received no word about the status of what was going on. I took it upon myself to call & visit multiple times to see what was going on. The guys in the service department had no information. Turns out, they were in the exact position I was in. No one knew anything about what was going on. I was even told that their area service manager wasn't returning emails or phone calls. The line of communication had broken down from the source. At this point, I had become pretty frustrated. It's the best time of year to ride and I don't have my new bike! So, I took it upon myself to call ducati North America and try and get some answers. I mean, I've lost 2 months of good riding and I don't have what I've paid good money to own and insure to ride. \
I made the call, I got a live person, I was surprised! I was being helped by "john" from customer service who had identified me before I could even say who I was. (Obviously caller id) I asked him the question in the most collected and calm way, " what is going on with my repair?". He was quick to tell me that the parts had shipped and that they should be arriving shortly. I said "ok, how long will it take to get this job done, I want to ride my new bike!". He informed me that it would proably take about 10 days to get everything in. I said "ok, why did this take so long?". He had nothing to say. He quickly changed his tone to a defensive and condescending one. He did a pathetic job of trying to defend ducati but was coming short and as a customer, I was not going to take that type of treatment considered the amount of money I've spent on te bike and accessories, time I waited just to buy this bike, riding time I've lost, and now this rude treatment from a direct representative of Ducati. NO SIR! I said to him "you know, you're treating me very unprofessionally, and you've become condescending, I want to talk to someone else immediately!". He apologized and I said "too late, you had your chance, I've been more than patient with all that's been going on, I want to talk to somebody else!". I was pretty mad at this point.
I was handed off to Ducati north Americas other customer service rep and she contacted me later that day. Her name is "Melanie", she was more than courteous to me and treated me much better. She asked what she could do for me to make this situation right. I told her that i needed to think about it because I was pretty upset. It's not a good idea to try an make decisions when upset. She told me she completely understood but was quick to try and resolve this situation. She said to me "what can I do to make you happy?". I thought about it and folder about everything I had been through, the waiting, the buying experience, and how I've been let down buy a company that produces a produce that I personally and thouroughly love & enjoy. She politely interjected and asked me to tell her what can she do, what can I give you to make up for what you've been through and what you've lost. She quickly said "please don't tell me that you want an exhaust system". I said to her "No, I have that already". She asked me to think of the first thing that popped into my head and tell her. At this point I was pretty shocked. This company wants me to be happy...and I thought..."DING!", I know. So I told her what I wanted. She said "ok, I'll see what I can do, I'm sure it won't be a problem". I told her that I wanted a pair of wheels that had been installed on the panigale 1199RS superbike. I imagined that they had the same value of the full termignoni exhaust system that I had already purchased. A week or so went by and she called and informed me that she had no information about any detail about what i asked for. I told her that was ok and at this point figured ok, she's at least trying but I'm still frustrated and upset and still...no parts had arrived.
A couple of days later, I decided to take it upon myself to research what I had asked for. I made one call to marchesini who made the wheels and they knew little to nothing about them. I figured these wheels were un-obtainable. There's probably only one or two pairs that exist and they're mounted on the actual race bikes. So I didn't have my heart set on them and figured I wouldn't get them. So, I made one more call to an authorized ducati corse dealer here in th US( this dealer will remain anonymous to keep them from getting in trouble with DNA)
Surprisingly...they had ALL of the answers, they had part numbers, sizes, manufacturer, and a price for the pair. My guess about the price was correct, they were the same price as the termi exhaust. But, they were 16.5" wheels...completely useless unless I wanted to run track tires 100% of the time.
Oh well, so what now?
I email forwarded all the information I had to Melanie and she was pretty surprised. But not as surprised as me. How is it John Doe off of the street can make one phone call or send one email and find all of the information about something that specific and an actual rep from DNA couldn't get anything? I was pretty surprised. I told Melanie via email that these wheels would be totally useless due to their size. So I told her I needed to think about what we were to do next since we couldn't come to an agreement. She told me that she would give me a credit towards any Ducati performance accessories, ducati performance parts, ducati OEM parts, or service.
I took that statement literally... It did say "ANY"...
So, I switched gears and asked for the front forks from that same RS BIKE. I figured the answer would be a "no" due to the price. Those are ohlins fgr200's or 300's I believe, and retail for a significant amount. I mean, the worst she could say was "no" again, right? She was quick to reply with a "no" like I anticipated. But hey, can't blame me for asking. I'm upset and don't have my new bike.
Next, I said to her that is was funny how quick her reply was since it usually took a few days for her to reply, whether it be email or phone call. I told her, that I would then start looking into my rights as a motor vehicle buyer/consumer and she would be hearing from me soon.
So, here I was, no new bike, with the bike in service completely untouched and still leaking, no parts yet and I'm basically pissed off. So I did some research and during which time I received a phone call from the dealer, MY PARTS HAD ARRIVED! I was put into a much better mood but still not 100%. The dealer cleared off a stand for my bike almost immediately and started the repair. I continued my research and discovered the "California lemon law" which states, a dealer or authorized service repair center has 30 working days to make the necessary repairs from the creation of the repair order or, the manufacturer has to refund the purchase price. There are more details but it's pretty straight forward. I received a phone call and was told that my bike was finally ready to go and be picked up. The dealer told me that I needed to pick it up or be charged for storage...understandable but not cometely acceptable. I quickly went and picked it up and brought her home. I was itching so bad to get her back I had to ride it. New motor meant another break in. So I took it easy, put a few miles on her and...more leaks. Just not as bad. It was leaking like an old Harley Davidson. So I brought it back in and had it looked at. At this point I had remembered my research and So I contacted Mel, and said you guys have to buy this thing back. She informed me that I needed to send a certified letter requesting a buyback stating my situation. So I immediately got to work. I stressed in my letter that this bike is unsafe to ride because of the fluid leaks from the motor in front of re rear tire. I also stressed that I still want to be a ducati customer and a member of the family. I sent the letter and Mel informed me via email that she had received it.
My bike was still leaking and had been dropped back off at the dealer for continuous repairs. At this point I had stopped riding the bike completely and it would still start leaking. In total, it's been back about 6 times for leaks, even though I had stopped riding it.
A little more time passed and I had received no word about my letter from DNA whatsoever. They went radio silent. I made many phone calls, sent numerous emails, and received absolutely zero replies. I was being ignored. I think they thought I was just going to vanish by them hiding and cowering under their desks. They were wrong... All that effort to to resolve this problem and they just start ignoring me. How about that?... A huge international company handling a problem by just ignoring it towards the end. Wow!! How professional! \
I made one last Hail Mary and sent Mel one more email..."you've had your chances, and I've been more than patient, you'll be hearing from my lawyer" is what I emailed Mel. I received a brief and simple reply, "understood". \
So I lawyered up, the paperwork has been filled out and sent to the state for processing back in November of 2013. I'm still waiting, my 1199 still just sits there. I've taken off all of the accessories and returned it to its original delivered condition and I await some type of court decision. My lawyer has told me that it takes almost 6 months to get these cases started. Ducati has broken off all communication with me and continues to ignore me. I will definitely consider this situation if I ever think about buying another new ducati, but you never know...at this point, it's the principle of the matter, they sold me a lemon, they failed to make the repair, they failed me...\
Those that read this may side with ducati because they think I asked for too much to be compensated for my time and inconvenience. But consider that I've been totally honest with what happened. In my opinion, I was treated like crap. Just because I didn't ride across the US on my 1199 and talk about my experience online like Dennis Matson did about his. (Who, by the way, was treated like absolute royalty for doing so by being flown out to the circuit of the Americas in Texas for the world press release of the 1199R and got to ride with Nicky Hayden, and other professional racers all day on an 1199R, if you don't believe me or know about it, search his name on YouTube. DNA made and posted a video about it. I'm sure they don't want this story coming out, but again...they had their chance...
Consider how you would want to be treated, think about it before you buy a new Ducati....
I will add any missing minor details later, I will also respond to any questions readers may have via comments.
Thanks for reading
