O ring
 

first pic

second pic

Jeez, Martin, the nightmare continues!

When I read your very first post on this thread, I thought, hang on, let's not **** the guys off, cos when you start to service a bike, you never know whether you might need to replace some part (like a gasket) that you might not have in stock. If I look through my service records, for example, I find it's not just filters and belts that have been replaced, but all sorts of odds and sods. And it's quite poss. that a company might not happen to have that item in stock.

That said, reading on in the thread, the way you've been treated is disgraceful.

And the "cleaning" must just seem like the last straw! Sounds like someone sprayed it with one of those alkaline sprays, and went off for their lunch-hour.
I've used Muc-Off and Castrol Greentec cleaners. These type of cleaners always say, rinse off after 1-2 minutes. If you do this, then there's no problems at all. If you leave them a long time, then you can get unsightly white marks.

I just hope you get some sort of satisfaction after all this.



[Edited on 14-5-2005 by moto748]

belt covers

Sorry bout the large pic, heres a smaller one

Heres one of the pipe that shows how the coating has been removed with some toxic substance. The brown bits are not rust (for those without a Multistrada the pipes have a kind of satin coating of some type on them from new)

Heres another looking at the pipe under the seat, you can see the untouched part where the work experience lad with the jar of acid and a brillo pad has missed.

And this one shows what I have had to do to be able to ride my Multistrada tommorow. I found a tube of exhaust paste thats been lying around for years. A temporary bodge I know but at least its better than you know who managed to do!

Martin, it's not looking good mate. In fact, it looks pretty rubbish!

We all make mistakes but .... I would be interested interested to hear what Robbie has to say on this.

Enough pictures! It may seem like petty stuff to many of you but I am really not happy about this at all. The bike now looks pretty shabby and I know that come sale or trade in time this is going to cost me. Last week I was parked up next to a MS that had more than twice the miles on it mine has. His pipes still looked near enough the same as new. His exhaust was not blowing, his bike was not covered in white specks. Where did he have his bike serviced? Not the same place as me!

I perhaps should have contacted the dealer straight away but to be honest after collecting the bike I rode it straight home and locked it away for a few days. When I did get it out I did not notice the pipes straight away but found myself staring at the bike thinking that there was something different about it. I noticed the white specks but just assumed they would wash off.

I noticed the blowing on the exhaust quite simply because the bike was popping on the overun and I checked for a leak (and found it!)

I perhaps would have phoned the dealer if I had not been so busy with other more important things, however as I have been waiting for a promised phone call from him I thought I would leave it till he called.

If I had been a customer without access to this site I think I would think twice about buying a Ducati again. However I know that the majority of people on here have nothing but good experiences with Ducati and their Dealers. I love the bikes and know that it will not always be like this.

As always I would be very interested to hear your comments. Especially you Robbie! Exactly how are you going to make it up to me? You could start by refunding me for at least the o rings that you charged me for and did not fit!

Martin

Thanks TP and Dseered, your comments pretty much sum up my thoughts.

Martin, I would say though. Give some thought to what you would regard as a satisfactory outcome to this issue.

If you clearly state that when you discuss this then you have a 'stake in the ground' from which you can steer your negotiations. People don't do this often enough and they find themselves shortchanged.

Good luck mate.

i think i would be on to ducati uk see what they think about it

Ditto on DSR. Read between the lines of peoples posts and you can see the anger and frurtration which is arising from this and other threads.
I promised to be positive about my posts but when y'see something like this, well....
I believe this thread serves as a very welcome reminder of "who" and more specifically "who not" to take your bike to or buy it from in the fist place.
Full marks to Martin for posting and giving us all the knowledge of his experience and although it doesn't exactly help his fight on here, we all now know where not to go.
Best of luck


Alan

ps, at the risk of being pulled, Trading Standards is probably the first port of call for me, but like was posted by others, put down exactly what YOU expect a satisfactory solution to be, then it won't take you by surpprise when they ask you (if at all).

[Edited on 14-5-2005 by guest1]

:saint:You can't trust the big chains,your much better off in terms of customer service going to your local dealer and paying the little bit extra.I'm not only talking about bikes,i think it applies to almost everything you buy.:devil: