Modern Vespa

Just recently purchased a very low mile 2009 GTS. It is on the recall list and it has not been done yet
I want to do it myself. I'm more than capable and have a well outfitted shop to do the job.
I'm in CT; closest dealer is 1-1/4 hrs away and would be 2 trips in my truck. Furthermore I trust my work. I would do a very thorough job with additional maintenance and detailing.
Does anyone know if I can get a pump shipped to me covered by recall. I'll gladly allow the shop to take the labor. Or if I can buy the pump, get it shipped then get reimbursed by Vespa?
What is a flat rate time and $$ rate if I go the reimbursement route. I have a licensed repair shop I can run it through
Thks in advance for any input.

Have you a local shop? Tell them you'd like to DIY, they can grab the labour charge, but you'll order it through them so it goes down as 'done' in Piaggio's database.

Worked for me many times over, everyone happy.

That's not how this works. Vespa pays a dealer to do the work so that they know it is done. They won't give you the part.

Bollocks. The dealer applies for the warranty, gets the part, gives it to you, does the 'paperwork', job's a good'un.

And everyone's happy, no downtime.

My closest dealer is supposed to call me when they sort out the details with piaggio.
It's a fairly new Vespa dealership. We don't have as much support or experience in Vespa here in CT. I feel much more comfortable doing the job myself.
'm going to see if a reimbursement is still offered like stated in the original recall notice. But I doubt piaggio will reimburse full cost with labor when a dealer is available so it'll be between me and the dealership

Vespa will not reimburse if the pump has not been done.
I think I will remove the tank and bring it to my closest dealer 1-1/4 hours away and have them install in my tank while I wait. They can't screw that up!!
I don't care if work order is for full R&R of pump. They'll do well on this job.

Where are you in CT?

I'm near Mohegan casino in uncasville.
Connecticut Scooter pros Vespa is in Vernon.
New haven power and sport is in new havenI won't go to New Haven

It always *should* be between you and the dealership - they are the ones who should contact Piaggio, ask for a warranty/recall/whatever solution to a customer's problems and get them resolved.

I'd phone up the dealer, explain it's a recall fuel-pump situation, but it'd be far more convenient to fit it yourself. Just tell them they're welcome to the labor charge, you'd just like the fuel pump posted to you.

Everybody's happy...

That's exactly what I'm going to try and do. You've done it more than once and it's a no brainer for the dealership.
I have no problem dropping my tank and doing a dozen extra things while the motor is down.
I hope I can get them to ship it to me?? Save a trip.

Legally, this is illegal as hell. But if you're able to get a dealer to do it, more power to you. By law, the recall must be done by a qualified technician at a franchise dealer of the brand. As much as they might want to, the Dealer can't have the accessory girl who sells jackets and teeshirts for $12 an hour do the recall either. If it's not done by the book, Piaggio and the NHTSA have no way of knowing that the work was done, and done correctly. If someone were to perform this job incorrectly, and the thing caught on fire, there would be no paper trail that the work was done. There will be a paper trail that the part was shipped to the customer and the dealer submitted paperwork that the recall was done. So the dealer decided to submit false paperwork that ends up under the purview of a powerful Government Agency. Now that's another issue that's also illegal. Depending on how much they want to investigate, it would be relatively simple for any investigator to figure out what was done. When push comes to shove, the technician who "performed" the recall is not likely to lie under oath.
You are dealing with the NHTSA, and they wield a lot of power, compared to most Federal regulatory agencies. They can make a manufacturer's life hell on earth, if they decide to. Three people can keep a secret if two of them are dead. How well do you think something like this can be kept quiet? Piaggio isn't going to protect a dealer who does it, and the dealer isn't going to protect the Service Manager. And the technician on the work order is going to shout the loudest that they never got paid for this particular job. I'm not disputing the fact that it happens, but I would be surprised if it's as easy as calling the service manager and telling him to send you the part.

You live within 2 hours of some huge metro areas including Boston and New York. Without even looking, I suspect there are dealers in New Haven (not sure why you won't go but it's lovely - believe there is a prestigious university there that has survived for awhile), Greenwich, White Plains, Providence…….. for fun you could take the ferry to the Hamptons where I believe there is a dealer as well.

Well. I'm back to bringing the tank up to them if they'll go that route. I'll call to verify first. Otherwise I'm going to buy just a pump and change out mine myself. I'll leave the open Recall on the scooter for when I sell it.
2 trips up and back = 6 hours with loading and unloading.
When I'm ready to do the job I'll source a good aftermarket pump.

I have a problem driving. Not very good at it. I'm older and don't belong on the highway when at all possible. Even the scooter only gets couple hundred miles a year.
But I like my machines to be able to go cross country if need be. (If I'm on a death mission. LOL)

If you take a stab at this without Piaggios support, they make some great $20 fuel pumps that don't include the whole housing. It's a bit more work, but you can save some cash.

That might be the best idea. Although I've now done it four times (twice in the UK, twice in the US) I was on good friendly terms with the respective dealers beforehand, and they knew I was as capable as them to do the install. I can see that a huge can of worms might open up if missteps were made (especially in the ultra-litigious USA) so buying your own pump might be the best answer. You don't need the whole pump+filter+housing that Piaggio would supply, just the pump itself. There are several topics on MV describing this process.

Can't see a dealer wanting to flirt with this can of worms.
"Bring it here. Or don't. We're not going to falsify factory recall paperwork or procedures."


An exception I had. VW had a recall on blown heater cores dumping coolant into passenger footwell.
Local dealer was booked up for 2 months. We were on the wait list.
While on the wait list - the core blew on a winter day with my wife and infant son in the car!
Local VW bug shop did the work. We paid $800, mostly for labor.
Sent the receipt and a letter to VW HQ in MI.
VW sent us a check for $800.
VW techs figured a work-around to pulling the dash. Cut out the back of the glove box with provided saw in the recall kit. Replace the core. Install new glove box from the kit! In and out in an hour!
O.S.

Sourcing and installing myself -That's easier for me than driving . That's probably what I'm going to do. Connecticut Scooter is supposed to contact me but I'll probably wind up doing my own change out.

There is a Vespa/Indian dealer in Westfield, MA, but that's not very close to you, either.