Modern Vespa

Something doesn't add up here. IF the bike was exclusively dealer serviced from the beginning, then said dealer should have carried out the valve adjustment service at 15Kmi/24K km.

Better check your service records.

The service record is electronic here now. We have no service booklet.
I will discuss with the dealer what to do, as the labour will be high for this job.
Parts quoted at around £200

Okay, but you still get a printed invoice detailing what was done when you pay for the services performed right? At least that is how it is here.

Before you got this issue did the bike have a harder time starting when cold??? When valves get tight, it usually always affects cold starting.

Ehhh it is a HPE so it could not be older then 1 year it comes with 2 years warranty

No labour and noparts charges

Wrong. The HPE powered MP3s appeared at the end of 2017 as a 2018 model. See link

https://www.topspeed.com/motorcycles/motorcycle-reviews/piaggio/2018-piaggio-mp3-500-hpe-business-ar181552.html

It seems strange that it was running and i assume starting ok prior to filling up and then stopping after 2 miles, my thoughts were misfueling with diesel or water laden petrol or a blocked fuel tank vent which i've had more than once on other bikes.

Brasseye doe's say 3 yr old.

my mistake miscounted the years

Yes your exactly right.
It started and stalled twice the week before.
But I thought it was just the cold affecting the idle.

Now knowing the fault. I feel a bit daft not linking this to the breakdown.

Oh I so wish it is under warranty.
This bike will be 3 years old in March.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and venture to say that in all likelihood you were charged for a valve adjustment but didn't actually get a valve adjustment.

Valve adjustment is one of those grey zones with a high bill where no easy visual inspection/verification can be done.

And in the hands of a shady dealership a easy cash cow which can potentially give the marque a bad name.

I think you have the stronger position here. If the bike only got dealer service as you state, then said dealer should follow the service schedule as prescribed by the manufacturer. If they didn't do that, then they should be on the hook for failing to follow the established factory maintenance procedures.

And with Piaggio not exactly being a straight flier when it comes to standing by their customer, you have a match made in heaven or hell depending from who's viewpoint.

This kind of stuff would never happen at a official Honda dealership.

Dealers make out the valve adjustment is expensively time-consuming - but if done at the same time as a regular oil/belt/spark plug service it hardly adds any time at all. One more suspension bolt to undo, engine rotated, valve cover off, adjust. Less than 10 minutes - about the time needed to ensure the oil has drained properly.

OK, if done by itself it's time consuming - but in this case it shouldn't have added anything to the bill.

Chase that dealer!

You don't have to rotat the engine it can be done with out disconnecting the engine of the frame
using the access panels on left and right side and the top it will take a hour tops

Yes thats what i did,just a bit fiddly as most jobs on the fuoco are.

Very true - somehow my mind was focused on a Vespa GTS...

Still waiting parts form Italy.
Am told Piaggio has had a new stock system installed over Christmas and is creating a holdup.
I'm thinking of buying another bike......! Just need to get to work.

Good luck. I'm still without my bike thanks to that stock system. My part was sent but not received so had to be sent again. I've now got a loaner bike. At least it's something. I bet this doesn't happen with Honda.

Yes I am with a lovely loaner bike 350 hpe mp3
So glad the shop I use is helpful for myself getting to work.

You're getting there 😉

Well still waiting but I'm not bothered. This loan bike is great. The 350 hpe is a good commuter.

In the end I had a wacking bill and 3 months with a broken bike, once it was in the workshop the dealer was great providing a loan bike.

3 months? Eh? What did they do in all that time, restore a VW Golf?

No wonder Piaggio will never have any significant marketshare.

Maybe they should be absorbed into the Stellantis corporate empire? Scratch that, bad idea, as Stellantis is turning into Italy's version of British Leyland

Everytime my bike goes in for a non routine issue, it's at the shop for at least a month sometimes two (as you can see from my prior experience further up the thread). It's like everything comes from Italy and when dispatched, they send it by sea to the UK.

I hope you at least get a loaner! My fairly extensive experience of UK dealers is that if they can't sort something out there and then, a loaner is provided.

That said, there aren't that many dealers left for Piaggio, let alone Vespas.

Regarding parts - now that Piaggio has dropped Fowlers as a distribution hub, it's surely better for you to get your own parts within days from SIP or easyparts.nl.

It would be, except there is a risk that the dealer won't fit them because of liability issues i.e. if it goes wrong, how can the customer tell it's the part or the fitter.

If it's sealed in its original Piaggio packet then I see no problem whatsoever. Plus you can always give a waiver to the dealer - they want to be able to charge you for their time at least! They make bugger-all on the parts anyway.

Thanks - will try next time