[ralph]

Sadly, my first post is about an 'episode' at the dealership. Let me start by saying I put down a thousand dollar deposit in early November, one of the first to do so at the dealership. I have since been eagerly awaiting my scrambler delivery by reading this forum, googling any information I can find and watching 796 monster youtube videos over and over again...seriously.

So I see from the ducati website that my dealer will be hosting the scrambler soon and I go down to find out the details. Well, the sales guy (the one I first met back in November) says " what are you talking about, we already had the scrambler come through here." Ok, I am little upset now because he didn't notify me even though he has both my email address and phone number. I ask him why and he says it was " all over the website" and states that "we emailed everybody" which is a bold faced lie. Now I'm really pissed and we have some choice words at an audio level I'm sure everyone in the dealership could hear.

So, my first question is, was I wrong in thinking the dealership should have shown a little more concern by contacting all us pre-order people about the scrambler visit?

And more importantly, what the **** do I do now? After the sales guy lied right to my face and did his own share of escalating the situation there is no way I am going to have anything to do with him again. And I think he is the only salesman there and his son works in the service department to boot. I can just imagine the fun he'd have working on my bike.

So I think my options are either bite my lip, buy the bike and have it serviced elsewhere, or head on down to the harley dealership. No, can't do the harley thing, I love the scrambler. arrrgh

And yes, it's 100% my fault for losing my temper after he lied to my face, so scold me if you must but any constructive advice is appreciated. I guess in the end, I just gotta decide, how badly do I want that scrambler.

 

[chilira]

My advice... Right or wrong, I'd accept delivery and find another dealer. You can't unring the bell -- if you had an emotional exchange and damaged your relationship it will be very difficult to recover. Next time, try to be harder on the problem than the person.

 

[ralph]

My advice... Right or wrong, I'd accept delivery and find another dealer. You can't unring the bell -- if you had an emotional exchange and damaged your relationship it will be very difficult to recover. Next time, try to be harder on the problem than the person.

Good advice, thanks.

 

[EZapatta]

very well put

these awesome toys are all about OUR FUN FACTOR !

JUST PROJECT THAT FIRST SUNNY DAY, you getting up and getting dressed, and off for a day of zoom zoom …wow !!

so cool !

we are SOO SOOO LUCKY !

 

[Jonnyk8]

Sadly, my first post is about an 'episode' at the dealership. Let me start by saying I put down a thousand dollar deposit in early November, one of the first to do so at the dealership. I have since been eagerly awaiting my scrambler delivery by reading this forum, googling any information I can find and watching 796 monster youtube videos over and over again...seriously.

So I see from the ducati website that my dealer will be hosting the scrambler soon and I go down to find out the details. Well, the sales guy (the one I first met back in November) says " what are you talking about, we already had the scrambler come through here." Ok, I am little upset now because he didn't notify me even though he has both my email address and phone number. I ask him why and he says it was " all over the website" and states that "we emailed everybody" which is a bold faced lie. Now I'm really pissed and we have some choice words at an audio level I'm sure everyone in the dealership could hear.

So, my first question is, was I wrong in thinking the dealership should have shown a little more concern by contacting all us pre-order people about the scrambler visit?

And more importantly, what the **** do I do now? After the sales guy lied right to my face and did his own share of escalating the situation there is no way I am going to have anything to do with him again. And I think he is the only salesman there and his son works in the service department to boot. I can just imagine the fun he'd have working on my bike.

So I think my options are either bite my lip, buy the bike and have it serviced elsewhere, or head on down to the harley dealership. No, can't do the harley thing, I love the scrambler. arrrgh

And yes, it's 100% my fault for losing my temper after he lied to my face, so scold me if you must but any constructive advice is appreciated. I guess in the end, I just gotta decide, how badly do I want that scrambler.

I've had a similar problem with my dealer here in northern Ireland (which is the only dealer in the country). I'm biting my lip and dealing with them as I want the bike so much. Love your comments about the 796 vids, I have been doing the same. In no time you'll have forgot about all the hassle and be enjoying your new toy!

 

[mjhallock]

After, repeat after, you get your bike, when they send those "how do you like us emails" post your real thoughts. You would be surprised how fast that gets the corporation attention.

 

[mjhallock]

Or now. Who was the dealer?

 

[frankd123]

same rule applies across the board: never **** with the people who serve your food.

Your excitement got the better of you. In the end, it was just a stupid showing of a bike that you are soon to own anyway, so why would you care.

However, just order it from them and forget it. They won't **** with it. That would be too stupid and risky for them...it's not worth it for them to **** with your bike. Good luck.

 

[albie]

Get the bike. Take it elsewhere for service and parts etc. End it there at the door and love the bike and forget about them literally. Not even worth badmouthing them after as that will spoil your mind. Ride it and enjoy.

 

[JWA]

I ask him why and he says it was " all over the website" and states that "we emailed everybody" which is a bold faced lie.

So, my first question is, was I wrong in thinking the dealership should have shown a little more concern by contacting all us pre-order people about the scrambler visit?

And more importantly, what the **** do I do now?

This all seems quite silly to me. I have three thoughts:

1) You mentioned three times that he "lied to your face". You mean when he said that the scrambler news was on their website and he said that they emailed everyone? Did he specifically say that he personally emailed you? It sounds to me like he said that the office staff emailed everyone as far as he knew. That's not a "bold face lie", it's a misunderstanding.

2) Even if they did email you, specifically, email is not a 100% reliable technology. Things happen and they get flagged as spam on one of the many servers they pass through, you accidentally delete it along with a couple others, etc.

3) Were you really that offended that they had a scrambler there and didn't tell you about it? Seems pretty entitled. Telling you about it would have been a courtesy.

So, now that you've thrown a tantrum because they didn't read your mind and send you an engraved invitation that they had a Scrambler in the showroom I think you have two possible courses of action. You either go by and apologize for your behavior and ask to put it past you, or you stick to your guns and cancel the order and never show your face in there again.

 

[mjhallock]

Ask him to show you his computer where he emailed you. He has that record. Then threaten to sue him for fraud.

 

[JWA]

Ask him to show you his computer where he emailed you. He has that record. Then threaten to sue him for fraud.

Fraud? Lawsuit? What exactly were the damages here?

 

[fastwoman]

Dealer should have backed down, at least a bit, because you are the presumably valued customer. That said, I've sometimes had to remind myself that I only have to take delivery, I don't have to marry the seller. That goes for real estate purchases too! Hold it together long enough to get the bike, don't let him ruin it for you, and know that you never have to see him again.

 

[ralph]

Thanks for the responses everyone, I really appreciate it.

Good news to report. I went over today to the next nearest dealer to me and he turns out to be a super cool guy. Not only that but:

1. He asks for a $500 deposit not $1000.
2. His ballpark quote for the bike is much less than the $11000 out the door price given me by the first dealer.
3. Even though he has a full service department, he suggests I get my bike serviced at the closer dealer for convenience. Of course I tell him that I don't want my bike serviced there.
4. Says he personally called everyone who had placed a deposit to tell them when the scrambler would be there out of "common courtesy."

The only problem is that he is located an hour plus away depending on traffic, vs five minutes away for the first dealer. A small price to pay I think for being able to do business with someone you trust and like.

So my scrambler dream stays alive and thanks again for the support here.

And in case you're interested, I found a picture of the scrambler instrument cluster that has a fuel gauge at the top. Must be for a future incarnation of the scrambler. I'll post a pic in the proper thread.

so, now that you've thrown a tantrum ...

A tantrum? No. When I asked him why I wasn't contacted, it was he who became defensive and started ranting. While I was disappointed, my reaction was not of anger or retribution but to simply turn and start walking away without saying a single word. He didn't like that however and yelled at me to wait. I had no interest in conversing with him any further and yes, I said two not nice words at a normal conversational volume in response to his command and continued on my way to the door. His reaction was to leap out of his chair and yell loudly "what did you just say to me?" while coming at me at a high rate of speed. Seeing this guy who is about 10 inches taller quickly approaching, I was pretty sure a fight a was about to ensue.

So no, I wasn't having a 'tantrum'. I was retreating from the get go right up to the point where I thought I was going to be attacked.

 

[ralph]

Oh, I forgot one thing the second dealer said. He says he can get me a red icon in April, the same month as the first dealer where I have had a deposit since November. Woohoo.

 

[JWA]

A tantrum? No. When I asked him why I wasn't contacted, it was he who became defensive and started ranting. While I was disappointed, my reaction was not of anger or retribution but to simply turn and start walking away without saying a single word. He didn't like that however and yelled at me to wait. I had no interest in conversing with him any further and yes, I said two not nice words at a normal conversational volume in response to his command and continued on my way to the door. His reaction was to leap out of his chair and yell loudly "what did you just say to me?" while coming at me at a high rate of speed. Seeing this guy who is about 10 inches taller quickly approaching, I was pretty sure a fight a was about to ensue.

So no, I wasn't having a 'tantrum'. I was retreating from the get go right up to the point where I thought I was going to be attacked.

Oh, that's different than your initial overview of the encounter. In that case, WTF? What company who has invested heavily in a Ducati franchise would allow a salesman to treat a customer that way? In that case, yeah - contact the manager and tell them you want your deposit back and do business with the nearest proper dealer.

 

[ralph]

Oh, that's different than your initial overview of the encounter. In that case, WTF? What company who has invested heavily in a Ducati franchise would allow a salesman to treat a customer that way? In that case, yeah - contact the manager and tell them you want your deposit back and do business with the nearest proper dealer.

Yeah, in the initial overview I left this out in the interest of 1. not trying to write a novel and 2. it's not really relevant to the intent of my first post which was to try and find the best way to move forward in the aftermath. By originally leaving this section out it looks like I go from him lying to me, to me losing my temper which i suppose does look like a tantrum. In reality it went from him lying to me and other statements, to me trying to leave , to him then coming after me like he's going to kick my ass and then and only then do I lose my temper.

In any event, all's well that ends well I suppose. As I posted earlier, I found a new dealer and will be getting an icon just as soon as I would have with the first dealer. I just need to go down and get my deposit back and I'm done with them.

I think this is a good point to let this thread die and move on to bigger and better things like - which exhaust system should I get? hmmm

 

[ducatirdr]

Sounds like you turned lemons into lemonade. You probably found the next dealer the same way many in your area have found them. I think the first dealership may have a jerk for a sales person. That type of sales person treats people that are passionate about a product like lemmings and let them run off an emotional cliff rather than apologize. You may have been way overreacting but its a person with good customer service that apologizes and talks you off the ledge.

I've seen it at another dealership. Two type A's and no one backs down. Pretty soon someone's really pissed and the guy hired by the dealer loses another customer. The local Harley dealer has been through 3 sets of sales managers before finally getting the attention of the regional sales Harley rep. Calls to the regional sales rep sharing stories of people getting "thrown out of the dealership" where just becoming too common. The HD corporate people had strong words with the owner to fix the problem and put new mgt in place.

My local Duc dealer called me and told me that the new Scrambler was being shown at the Boston bike expo. A show known more for of its custom Harley's. I was already aware of the national Ducati tour stopping there. But I thanked the dealer for making sure I was fully aware. Yes that was really nice of them seeing the event wasn't even at their shop.

I say bring your business where ever you feel like it. The first dealership sounds like they have people working there that don't care about their customers. Nothing like voting with your money to get the point across. The service dept may be excellent at the first shop and run by passionate people that understand passionate owners and have nothing to do with the sales department...