martin smith
5th April 2011, 19:53
Let me warn you that if you're thinking about buying a modern vespa,be aware that if you're not mechanically minded that it's going to cost you big time.I've got a GTS250ie that I've done just under 20,000ks on since I bought it new and recently had it in for a drivebelt and roller change along with a full service and rear tyre change and they also replaced the steering bearing and rear wheel brake pads,which they told me would have to be done anyway,because my warrant of fitness is due next month.
What I didn't expect was that when I rode off I noticed that the headlight wasn't in line with the front wheel and not just by degrees,but was a good couple of inches to the right and I took it back straight away and then had to wait around for just under an hour for them to put it right.Stupid of me,I should have checked everything else while I was still there,because a couple of days later,I had trouble getting the seat lock to engage because the lock hadn't been tightened and the rear tail light wasn't either and it nearly fell out,so I had it held in with a bit of masking tape.
Just yesterday I took it in because it's got a faulty fuel pump that has to be replaced that costs $654+labour+GST of course and I pointed out the other problems which they created for me.Rennie tried to tell me that they couldn't have been responsible for those other problems because he reckoned that they hadn't worked anywhere near them,but that's a load of crap because I have it written down on the invoice,in which he itemises the wheel bearing that he replaced along with new brake pads for the rear wheel.When I rang him to complain about it,he told me that he doesn't like my attitude and that he thinks I should go in,pay them for the new fuel pump they ordered and piss off,so I asked to speak to the owner peter,who told me that he would speak to rennie and get back to me,which he did a few minutes later to tell me that they will replace the fuel pump,but that's all they're going to do and that the work will be done by jonathan,because rennie refuses to do any work on it.However rennie never worked on it last time it was in,because jonathan did and he's the one who did such a crappy job when he put it all back together in the first place.
I told peter that according to the consumer guarantees act he is supposed to first welcome my feedback so he can improve his services and that the mature thing would be to say 'sorry,we might have made a mistake and we'll try to do a better job next time and bring it back in so we can put it right' and certainly not tell me 'if you don't like it,piss off'!
So what he's had a lot of stress with the earthquakes and all,but guess what folks,I've been here in christchurch living through all the same myself and unlike them,I am a single man living on my own with nobody holding my hand when the going gets a bit rough.It doesn't stop me though and here I am giving these people business.The fact is these days,that you're not going to like all the people you do business with,that's reality and if they can't accept that,then maybe they shouldn't be in business then,eh?
To tell you the truth I wouldn't recommend you buy a modern vespa,but if you're determined you want one and don't have mechanic skills then don't bring it to the south island,unless you're thicker skinned than I am and of course you're pretty rich,because mine has cost me for every tyre change,7 so far and I've had trouble with the coolant pump twice and a diagnostic fault that took MRC in Dunedin 10 days to just figure out what was wrong with it,but after all this time,turns out that it was all tied up to the fuel pump being faulty,which is why it is back in today.That new fuel pump's $654+labour+gst of course.
I told peter that I'm not one to go jumping the gun without talking to them first and following the complaints procedure well I've talked to the tech,talked to him and how if I'm still not happy,how I'll be posting a review on his business on the internet,before I start talking about it on kiwibiker.co,but I didn't tell him that I'm also registered with facebook,twitter,diggit,grownups,bebo,gtsownersclu b,modernvespa.com,canscoot,smilecity,nzmessageboar ds,mytradesmen,nocowboys,haveyoursay,bangthetable, yourvoice et al,which should be enough to keep me occupied for a while and makes up for the fact that although I'm an avid reader,how I've been unable to get a library card these last 3 months,let alone any books out to read.
What I didn't expect was that when I rode off I noticed that the headlight wasn't in line with the front wheel and not just by degrees,but was a good couple of inches to the right and I took it back straight away and then had to wait around for just under an hour for them to put it right.Stupid of me,I should have checked everything else while I was still there,because a couple of days later,I had trouble getting the seat lock to engage because the lock hadn't been tightened and the rear tail light wasn't either and it nearly fell out,so I had it held in with a bit of masking tape.
Just yesterday I took it in because it's got a faulty fuel pump that has to be replaced that costs $654+labour+GST of course and I pointed out the other problems which they created for me.Rennie tried to tell me that they couldn't have been responsible for those other problems because he reckoned that they hadn't worked anywhere near them,but that's a load of crap because I have it written down on the invoice,in which he itemises the wheel bearing that he replaced along with new brake pads for the rear wheel.When I rang him to complain about it,he told me that he doesn't like my attitude and that he thinks I should go in,pay them for the new fuel pump they ordered and piss off,so I asked to speak to the owner peter,who told me that he would speak to rennie and get back to me,which he did a few minutes later to tell me that they will replace the fuel pump,but that's all they're going to do and that the work will be done by jonathan,because rennie refuses to do any work on it.However rennie never worked on it last time it was in,because jonathan did and he's the one who did such a crappy job when he put it all back together in the first place.
I told peter that according to the consumer guarantees act he is supposed to first welcome my feedback so he can improve his services and that the mature thing would be to say 'sorry,we might have made a mistake and we'll try to do a better job next time and bring it back in so we can put it right' and certainly not tell me 'if you don't like it,piss off'!
So what he's had a lot of stress with the earthquakes and all,but guess what folks,I've been here in christchurch living through all the same myself and unlike them,I am a single man living on my own with nobody holding my hand when the going gets a bit rough.It doesn't stop me though and here I am giving these people business.The fact is these days,that you're not going to like all the people you do business with,that's reality and if they can't accept that,then maybe they shouldn't be in business then,eh?
To tell you the truth I wouldn't recommend you buy a modern vespa,but if you're determined you want one and don't have mechanic skills then don't bring it to the south island,unless you're thicker skinned than I am and of course you're pretty rich,because mine has cost me for every tyre change,7 so far and I've had trouble with the coolant pump twice and a diagnostic fault that took MRC in Dunedin 10 days to just figure out what was wrong with it,but after all this time,turns out that it was all tied up to the fuel pump being faulty,which is why it is back in today.That new fuel pump's $654+labour+gst of course.
I told peter that I'm not one to go jumping the gun without talking to them first and following the complaints procedure well I've talked to the tech,talked to him and how if I'm still not happy,how I'll be posting a review on his business on the internet,before I start talking about it on kiwibiker.co,but I didn't tell him that I'm also registered with facebook,twitter,diggit,grownups,bebo,gtsownersclu b,modernvespa.com,canscoot,smilecity,nzmessageboar ds,mytradesmen,nocowboys,haveyoursay,bangthetable, yourvoice et al,which should be enough to keep me occupied for a while and makes up for the fact that although I'm an avid reader,how I've been unable to get a library card these last 3 months,let alone any books out to read.