Modern Vespa

the closest dealer to me currently is 2.5 hrs on the interstate 1 way. I rode to Atl to get my update done 4 hrs 1 way. If you want a good dealer you have to seek one out. This is a big country we live in and you can't expect to see a dealer on every other street corner. Its all about demographics. If you had alot of folks who owed scooters in your area they would be more dealers to chose from. Look at the amount of dealers in Ca and where they are located, what the client base is.

That think looks like it has even less leg room than the MP3!

Unless they leave the US, why the hell would they stop shipping parts through an existing parts/dealer network for ONE model That just makes no sense what so ever, Think about it.

The sense is in the Original Post. It's just good business sense.

Sure, easy for you to say. Do you imagine there's any good ice cream in UCLA (Upper Canton, Lower Akron)? Be a nice ride, 96 miles on rt. 30, according to Mapquest.

Did I read the first post wrong? It says they are stopping import of the MP3.
Well last time I heard, they don't stop supporting parts when they discontinue a model line.
You are reading way to much into one email

The dealer I bought mine from assured me they could still get parts.

You'd think that if someone ordered a new, 2013 model, Piaggio would ship it. Sure it would be expensive, but if a U.S. customer wants one, why wouldn't they fill the order?

If they aren't importing a model to the US, that means they haven't gone through the process of getting that model certified for sale in the US. The model might even need further modifications before it could be certified. They aren't going to go through that time consuming and possibly costly process for one special order.

No, I wouldn't. Bringing in a new model (not yet certified for sale in the US) is not a trivial matter.

Beyond that, if YaYa Dave is feeling let down by PiaggioUSA, he is entitled to that feeling. I personally don't agree with him, but only because I think this is part and parcel of buying something Italian. Try owning Fiats, Alfas, Ferarris...

Or even Moto Guzzi.

But it does seem like he is getting picked on...

Cheers!

John

Interesting...I had no idea.

I am in no way trying to pick on him, just pointing out he has no merit to one of his observations and the other is just part of owning a Piaggio/Vespa product.

I don't particularly feel picked on. If I didn't want to stir the shit I wouldn't have put my oar in.

See this from another thread.

*****************

Tue Oct 30, 2012 4:51 pm flag quote
Re: No more new mp3 in the USA?
klaborde wrote:


Also...
I recently ordered some body parts.
The response I got was no more in the US Warehouse, they will have to come from Italy. That is very disturbing...

Keith,
Marietta, GA

***************************

So let me re-cap. Scooters are not big in the US. There may be a tipping point in the price of gas that will cause a change in American attitudes. BMW scooters won't have any affect. They're just too expensive. Piaggio et al, Fiat, and Alfa Romeo have a long history of entering the US market, finding it not comfortable, and then leaving. The only practical option for scooters in the US is Honda. They make good products. They have a large and stable dealer network. They're everywhere. They have a great range of products if they would care to bring them here.

As far as "you can get the parts from Europe or the UK" goes, I don't want to be the only guy around who knows how to work on my scoot. I want to know that I can fool around with maintenance and repair if I feel like it or I can take the scoot and it's particular problems to a convenient dealer who has the know-how and parts to fix it at a reasonable price.

I'm not mad at anybody, just callin' them as I sees them. I don't know how all this got onto this thread.

As always, YMMV

Sure, but let's remember what Keith was talking about. That is a model that has not been imported into the US for 3 years. And all he has been told (assuming it is even completely true), is that those parts such as body panels that are in low demand, are shipped from Italy when ordered. I guess I'm having a hard time understanding why that would be the end of the world as we know it .

not in my world.

i can get the most parts in 1 week so pm me i can ship over the pound

i'm even can try getting secondhand parts i needed

My observations from waving my check book around, and wanting to buy a New MP3/500 Touring has been the same.
Once the 2010 MP3/250's that are in the warehouse are gone, then you will have to depend on the used market.

I have emailed Piaggio Customer support, and they don't even answer.
Don't blame Sandy either, as I did this about a month before the storm.
They should at least have the balls and take the MP3 off the Piaggio US Website, and stop playing games.

One of my friends calls my MP3 a "Zebra"...
He owns both Scooters, and Harley's and he suggest I dump it while I can stukk get some money back on it.

I am seeing 2007/2008 MP3/250's selling for around $2500 to $3500. Mostly closer to the $2500 price range unfortunately, which makes me sick.
2009 MP3/400's for around $4500.00 to $5500.00, dependent if it has any needs for body part replacement.
MP3/500's have been selling for about the same as MP3/400's.
More and more of them are being taking in on Trades for other bikes from Non-Scooter Dealers who are paying to much for them as they are not familar with them and aware of the market on these bikes.

Body parts for the MP3/250 and MP3/400, look to be running out in the US Warehouse, and they are not re-stocking. I have one painted part for mine and its been on back order for 2 months now. It's supposed to be coming from Italy, and be in the US at the end of this month.
We will see...
I have been watching for someone to dump their MP3/250, and may buy it for a "Parts Bike", my only resistance is I have not seen any my color yet for sale "Cortina Gray 711/B". A crap load of Black, Maroon, and Blue ones. Just not that many Silver/Gray ones.

I really like the MP3, so much I have ordered a lot of spare parts that are common to the MP3/250 and MP3/400 as the body parts are similar.
I have almost every body part with exception to the large front painted nose where the HeadLight is mounted.
The engine on the MP3/250 is same Quasar Engine as the GTS, so I don't worry from that perspective. I just need to stop hitting Rodents and Recap Tread on the Interstate that hit the painted parts under your feet and crack them easily.

I will hold out until 2014, and if no MP3's in the US by then, I will get rid of mine, and put all the parts on ebay.com I have. I really want a larger bike from a Touring perspective as I will be retiring soon. I love my GTS/300 to use around town. I was very close to purchasing the BMW 650GT, but I figure I will give it another year, to wait on Piaggio to ship the MP3/350 or MP3/500. A friend of mine who was with me at BMW talked me out of it, and said he would not buy the first one out of the gate, he would wait for the next model year.

Piaggio better get off there ASS before someone else setups up shop in the US.

What I was told by a "Competing Manufacturer Executive" who hates Piaggio; that it was Quadro that stopped Piaggio from selling anymore in the US. It has to do with the MP3 Patents that Quadro Owns, and License's them to Piaggio to make the MP3. Does this mean Quadro wants to start selling in the US... Well if they are, where are they? I heard this June of this year, when the MP3 Inventories started drying up...

So that's my 2 cents...

Keith,
Marietta, GA

Spyders start at around $16K price range.
The feel is more like a car then bike, with no lean.
You are correct, I heard 41MPG, but its not good.

Everyone I talked to that has one, says they eat front tires.
I asked why they owned it, and most of the answers were either Health Problems, not able to balance a 2 wheel bike, or they had a Harley Trike, and wanted to give this a try.

Keith,
Marietta, GA

+1 on that. The mp3 is pretty promoted in the Piaggio webpage as one of their flagships... and when you call the dealerships about it then discover is not being sold anymore

I just picked my 400 up about 5 weeks ago after waiting 2 weeks for it as I was "told" the amount of availabe units couldn't keep pace with the sales (sh'yeah) and now I see this. I called Piaggio customer service just to hear it and yep; no more imports into the US "for now." the rep assured me service would not be impacted by this decision.

All the promos on this thing and they discontinued US sales? I think I'll bounce this off my attorney. The issue is threefold as I see it. First, this could impact resale value or trade-in ability (or it could swing the other way and make it a novelty item). Secondly, the repair issue may become an issue in a couple of years. Lastly, if I get used to this thing and ride it to it falls apart and there aren't any more three wheel items out there (trikes and true three wheeled vehicles don't count) then I have to readjust to a two-wheeled vehicle again or give up riding entirely. Something that may not be easy after years of the MP3 riding. I have come to rely on the extra grab even in this short period of time.

I think I'll try to dump mine quick and grab a regular bike. I'm too insecure with this scooter market right now. As many others of you have pointed out, dealerships can be too few and far between and you never know when something's going to be discontinued. The BMW 650 is nice, I sat on one, but what happens to that in a couple of years if sales are bad. 11k is a bit much for a scooter when there are dual clutch (automatic and standard) bikes out there for the same money or less. Maybe Honda is calling.
I'm super dissapointed!!!

Gosh, didn't you notice that you were buying a 2 or 3 year old bike per the model year on the MSO/title? And if you really didn't want a scooter, and aren't comfortable with them, why buy an MP3? I think you need to just choose. The MP3 400 is a nice ride and parts/service will continue to be available for the foreseeable future. My two cents worth would be ride it and enjoy it. Down the road, switch to another ride when you are ready. On the other hand, if you conclude you made a mistake and should really have chosen a different ride - do it.

when I you reads, I realize that I am very lucky to live in europe for the scooters .........

Yeah I noticed. It was an option offered me as opposed to a "new" one to keep the price down, and I took it thinking I'd upgrade in the future. Better?
And as far as wanting or not wanting a scooter that was not the issue. It was the MP3 that caught my eye. I never considered a "regular" scooter, and I was unaware as to the sparse nature, or scarcity, of dealers, or service centers, etc.. I came across the MP3 when I was googleling used motorcyles in my area and became intrigued enough to check it out. I thought it was really innovative. Didn't wind up buying that particular one but it set me on the path of purchasing one. It's all acedemic at this point as I learned my lesson from rushing into it and have decided to dump it and get a bike. I may get a scooter again in the future but it will be a plain old little vespa which is what a scooter is supposed to be in my opinion- again, my opinion- a nimble little low maintence fun machine to zip around town with.

Yes, it was a mistake, but yes it was a fun "little" machine.

Best to all, TR

since its a not so current scooter and you need to dump it, I'll offer you a $100. Because I have to deal with the no dealer thing as well. closest one to me is 2.5 hrs away by interstate.