UK Aprilia deals

[Bytor]

http://www.robinsonsrochdale.co.uk/b...php?bikeID=306

Damn that works out at about $16k with 0% and free Arrow cans (according to prilia owners forum)

There are very few things I miss about the UK but the bike dealer deals I do miss!

Fack if they could do that here, I'd sign tomorrow

[YellowDog]

With the NZ$ being so strong at the moment, these deals do look very attractive.

It would have to be a huge saving to make it worthwhile.

[Bytor]

http://www.moto-passion.co.uk/_ebooks/Issue1/index.html

0% on Kawasaki/Suzuki and Victory as well, although as expected the RRP are steep

[red675]

one other small difference with the UK - have you tried getting any Aprilia parts here ?

[chef]

yea 0% intrest is sweeeeet.

[Insanity_rules]

Other small difference with the UK, have you ever tried riding through London in the dead of winter????? Never again!

[Hitcher]

one other small difference with the UK - have you tried getting any Aprilia parts here ?

Fuck. Don't get me started.

Anybody seriously considering buying a new Aprilia in New Zealand should ask their dealer this one question before handing over their hard-earned coin:

"How long will it take for factory warranty issues to be resolved?"

They will not be able to answer that. I kid you not.

Currently it is not beyond the realms of possibility that your breathtakingly magnificent Italian beast may end up parked in a shed somewhere for months at a stretch in the faint hope that parts may one day arrive.

If, however, you forgo warranty related considerations and import the parts you need through other than the "official" channels, then you will be back riding again in weeks.

Does anybody involved in the official supply chain appear to give a rat's arse about this? Regrettably not.

Will they sell you a brand-new bike? You betcha.

New Zealand purchasers of Piaggio's products (Aprilia, Moto Guzzi, etc) deserve better. Much better. This company makes great bikes. It's a shame they aren't prepared to provide a system that honours their two-year factory warranty.

If I haven't got my warranty issues resolved by Christmas, Aprilia NZ can buy my Shiver back off me for what I paid for it because, on 4 January, it will be unwarrantable.

[AllanB]

If I haven't got my warranty issues resolved by Christmas, Aprilia NZ can buy my Shiver back off me for what I paid for it because, on 4 January, it will be unwarrantable.

Is the warranty only 12 months?

You'll be fine with any warranty relates issues you have notified them about and they are attempting to rectify, prior to the expiry of the warranty.
It's not your fault they are taking months to correct the problem(s) and if it went to court they would not have a leg to stand on. In fact I'd say the court would be inclined to offer you some form of compensation for the pissing around, especially of the claim stopped you riding the bike.

It occurs to me that KB members need to get together and write a letter to the dealer/importer stating their concern about the state of parts etc, and how that is affecting our consideration of the brand as a purchasable motorcycle.

A couple hundred letters of this type may rev a few things up.

[Molly]

Whenever I'm planning a big purchase, say, a new computer, I ring their helpline and see if it answers as fast as the sales line. If they don't, f'k 'em.

Earlier today it took National Bank half an hour to finally quote me $150 more than AMI for my car insurance. Call centres... That's another issue.

[Hitcher]

Is the warranty only 12 months?

No, my "factory warranty" is for two years. My WOF expires on 4 January 2010, at which stage my bike is officially unwarrantable and therefore unrideable. If I can't ride my Shiver, Mr Aprilia NZ can buy it back from me.

I am more than a little steamed. I am strongly tempted to undermine Aprilia NZ's launch of the new RSV4 by getting people to ask dealers the question I postulated in my last post.

They won't be able to answer it.

This isn't a recent issue either. Ask any ex-Aprilia retailer in New Zealand why they no longer stock these bikes.

The dealer/importer doesn't respond to emails. Aprilia Australia does, and the bike isn't their worry. Make of that what you will.

[geoffm]

Fuck. Don't get me started.

A.

If I haven't got my warranty issues resolved by Christmas, Aprilia NZ can buy my Shiver back off me for what I paid for it because, on 4 January, it will be unwarrantable.

3 words - mix order to suit - Act, consumer, guarantees. Add in "fitness for purpose". Stir with the CGA requirement to hold reasonable parts.
Read the CGA - it is online, easy reading and very few retailers have read it, otherwise they would be shaking in their boots as it is very powerful. A key thing in your case is the RETAILER is the focus. THe fact they can't get any joy from the supplier is NOT your problem. They took the money and made a margin, makes it THEIR problem. First stop, have a look at the links in http://www.consumeraffairs.govt.nz/consumerinfo/cga/
I am not a lawyer, but I can be the customer from hell if you fuck with me once to often.
Give them written notice (now) about their failure to act and that you want them to replace your bike with a new one, or $$. Make sure you hand deliver it and get someone to sign receipt for it.
I did this with Slingshot when I was having 6 months of ISP problems, and did it get some action, 6 months to late though...
Apart from getting attention, getting someone to sign for it proves delivery, which you will need to demonstrate for the CGA claim in the Disputes Tribunal. Give them a time deadline to reply (in writing). If they call you, tell them to put their reply in writing and send it to you - if it is not in writing it never happened. Minute any phone conversations and send them a copy. Again, it gets their attention, and as the only written record, it then becomes the "real" one.
Every bit of correspondence calling for action must have a clear (but reasonable) deadline for action before you move to the next stage< Clearly state what the consequences for failure to act are, and deadlines.
IMO anything over 1 month is to long to wait for a warranty repair - they can take parts off a showroom bike or something. Nail them and don't let them get away with it.
This sort of crap is one reason I am now riding Japanese again...
Geoff

[Hitcher]

While I understand where you're coming from, I think that the retailers have no more leverage than do I. And they too have been let down badly by lack of organisational support on Aprilia's part. Indeed that is a reason why there are recent ex-Aprilia retailers. They cop it in the neck from aggrieved customers whose bikes are parked up waiting on parts, get little in the way of either straight answers or actions from the distributor, and walk away from selling the brand. You can't blame them for that.

If there are no Aprilia parts in the country other than whole bikes and filters (and I suspect that that is actually the case), then there is little a retailer can do about that.

I don't think I'm asking for anything more than anybody in the Aprilia supply chain would want. I want my bike fixed in a timely manner, honouring the terms and conditions of its warranty, I want to see the reputation of Aprilias in New Zealand to go from strength to strength so that when it's time to trade up to a new bike I have a Shiver that somebody else wants to pay top dollar for.

I will only "lawyer up" as a very last resort.

[mashman]

Ahhhh this old chestnut. Sorry to hear yer having problems Hitcher, i've had a couple and the longest she was off the road was 1 week. Like you say it is Piaggio's problem, they're starting off of the back foot having has seriously shite parts supply to the world, let alone NZ, some 3 - 4 years ago... They're finally getting their house in order, but it seems to be at the cost of anyone who requires warranty work...

I had mine in with TSS (x-dealer i believe) and they fell over themselves to help me... the pain was getting Piaggio to just say yes or no to the warranty work (how hard can that be???). When they did say yes, my parts came from a "donor" bike off the shop floor to get me up and running and then they fixed the donor bike at a later date. Bloody legend and as they only get paid for the resolution, not the diagnosis, they well and truly earned the beers I took along as a personal payment... well above and beyond those guys...

Having said that, i've had the Prila off the road once in 3 years...

Good luck Hitch.

[mashman]

http://www.robinsonsrochdale.co.uk/b...php?bikeID=306

Damn that works out at about $16k with 0% and free Arrow cans (according to prilia owners forum)

There are very few things I miss about the UK but the bike dealer deals I do miss!

Fack if they could do that here, I'd sign tomorrow

Hmmm, i'm going back to see the family in the UK in a few months... perhaps it's time to get me a race bike, ha ha !!! Give me yer cash Bytor and i'll get ya one, store it in the UK for a year and then ship it over...

[Brett]

For a bike manufacturer that is in competition with Ducati and KTM they need to lift their game then. If what you say is correct, I would look at the other two over Aprilia. Its a pity, cause the new RSVR Factory is nice, went for a ride with a dude on one 2 weeks back as he was running it in. Nice machine.