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@chilln avatar
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Hooked
'09 Dragon Red, GTS 250
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@chilln avatar
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So the dealership can't figure out what's up with the electrical system on my GTS 250. The 7.5 amp ignition system fuse keeps blowing and cutting the engine. They tore through the whole wire harness and can't find/fix the problem.

They've been trying to get Piaggio Tech to come look at it for about 2 weeks, and they are having a hell of a time.

So... I am giving them a week to get to the shop and do something, and then I am going to an attorney (with the full support of the guys at the dealership) and giving them a notice that they must comply with the "lemon law".

It's been how long, almost 2 months, since I've been able to ride my scooter? This blows.
@benito avatar
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2010 Dragon Red GTS 300 Super, 2018 Grigio Titanio Piaggio Liberty S 150
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@benito avatar
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UTC quote
Wow, that really blows, you've missed the whole summer already.
OP
@chilln avatar
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Hooked
'09 Dragon Red, GTS 250
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UTC quote
Benito wrote:
Wow, that really blows, you've missed the whole summer already.
Tell me about it! Crying or Very sad emoticon
@alice avatar
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Molto Verboso
ET4
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Molto Verboso
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I'm a little confused ... I thought hiring an attorney to help you persue a lemon law case was something to be done if the dealer was not cooperating. If the dealer agrees that you have a lemon law case, why don't they just replace the scooter? Why are they making you go through the hassle and expense of hiring an attorney?
@snapshot05 avatar
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WHOoligan
1985 PX200E Arcobaleno : 2010/14 GTS300 S: RIP GTS250 @ 40K
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Sorry Chillin, best of luck.
OP
@chilln avatar
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Hooked
'09 Dragon Red, GTS 250
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@chilln avatar
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UTC quote
According to an attorney, and the dealer, the law goes after the manufacturer who released the defective vehicle.

The dealer can give me a new bike, but now they are stuck with a broken scooter. So they are in the same spot as I am.

Hopefully it won't come to legal matters. If Piaggio is aware of the lemon law, they can provide me with a new scooter or refund. Luckily for me, since I'm still in the Navy, I can get a JAG lawyer for free if need be.
@the_scootin_scott avatar
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UTC quote
Alice wrote:
I'm a little confused ... I thought hiring an attorney to help you persue a lemon law case was something to be done if the dealer was not cooperating. If the dealer agrees that you have a lemon law case, why don't they just replace the scooter? Why are they making you go through the hassle and expense of hiring an attorney?
I would guess because they don't want to replace Nick's scooter without knowing that Piaggio will reimburse them for it, which probably requires the tech guys to come look at it first, right? I don't know, but if they're having that much trouble getting the tech guys out, I can't imagine that the replacement process would be much easier (from the dealer's point of view).

On a related note, it took my dealer about two weeks of haggling the Piaggio USA people over the phone before they agreed to send him a replacement head for my GTS. Of course, the part had to be sent from Italy, which took another four weeks, but that's not what this thread's about...

Good luck, buddy!
@alice avatar
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Molto Verboso
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Molto Verboso
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Well, I do know that Piaggio's warranty book specifically states that "Warranty repairs should be made within a reasonable amount of time, not to exceed 30 days."

I'd say you were being extremely generous with your patience.
@sdg avatar
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Veni, Vidi, Posti
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UTC quote
Re: Maybe a "Lemon Law" scooter
ChillN wrote:
So the dealership can't figure out what's up with the electrical system on my GTS 250. The 7.5 amp ignition system fuse keeps blowing and cutting the engine. They tore through the whole wire harness and can't find/fix the problem.

They've been trying to get Piaggio Tech to come look at it for about 2 weeks, and they are having a hell of a time.

So... I am giving them a week to get to the shop and do something, and then I am going to an attorney (with the full support of the guys at the dealership) and giving them a notice that they must comply with the "lemon law".

It's been how long, almost 2 months, since I've been able to ride my scooter? This blows.
Pretty sure tech doesn't "come look at it", if possible the dealer should drag race it to tech to get assistance. That's what we do in a pinch. Speaking of pinch I suspect a wire is indeed pinched somewhere.

Good luck,
SDG
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Actually, all you have to do (and it's totally free) is first, file a complaint with the BBB. If Vespa (not the dealer) is a Manufacturer-Member (the majority of auto manufacturer's are) and has agreed to their arbitration rules which means their finding is binding on them but not on you, you can settle the whole thing without having to pay an attorney a dime. I went through this with Volkswagen in 2001. I lived in San Diego and had bought a new, VW Cabrio that had major problems from the first week. The whole process was easy, quick and got resolved in my favor after a 30 minute arbitration meeting. They refunded everything I had paid for the car. If, for any reason they don't find in your favor, the arbitration is not binding upon you so you will then have the right to go to a lemon-law attorney. In your case, it looks pretty simple. The only thing that I don't understand is why your dealer hasn't taken the scooter up to Orange County to the Piaggio training center? Surely, the instructors could find the problem quickly.
BTW: The BBB arbitration service that I used was the way it worked in 2001 so you need to ensure that nothing has changed.
Good luck!
@sdg avatar
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Veni, Vidi, Posti
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XLR8 wrote:
Actually, all you have to do (and it's totally free) is first, file a complaint with the BBB. If Vespa (not the dealer) is a Manufacturer-Member (the majority of auto manufacturer's are) and has agreed to their arbitration rules which means their finding is binding on them but not on you, you can settle the whole thing without having to pay an attorney a dime. I went through this with Volkswagen in 2001. I lived in San Diego and had bought a new, VW Cabrio that had major problems from the first week. The whole process was easy, quick and got resolved in my favor after a 30 minute arbitration meeting. They refunded everything I had paid for the car. If, for any reason they don't find in your favor, the arbitration is not binding upon you so you will then have the right to go to a lemon-law attorney. In your case, it looks pretty simple. The only thing that I don't understand is why your dealer hasn't taken the scooter up to Orange County to the Piaggio training center? Surely, the instructors could find the problem quickly.
BTW: The BBB arbitration service that I used was the way it worked in 2001 so you need to ensure that nothing has changed.
Good luck!
Or option B is to get it fixed. If it is broken it can be fixed, I would ask the dealer to get the bike to tech asap. This is the beauty of So Cal dealers, we have tech in our backyard's however we need to swiftly do that leg work. They are way too busy to make house calls.

Best,
SDG
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Chillin has been trying to remedy the situation through "Option B" for two months. Some things that are broken cannot be fixed ... at least not in a reasonable amount of time. That is why lemon laws exist.
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From my previous post:
Quote:
The only thing that I don't understand is why your dealer hasn't taken the scooter up to Orange County to the Piaggio training center? Surely, the instructors could find the problem quickly.
Yeah, SDG, I totally agree with you that the best of all worlds for both parties would be to get it up to Orange County. They can probably find the problem very quickly.
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UTC quote
I'm appalled. I know intermittent short-circuits can sometimes be tricky to find, but the scooter's wiring isn't that complex. With the right application of logic and the right tools it should be pretty quick.
@sdg avatar
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jimc wrote:
I'm appalled. I know intermittent short-circuits can sometimes be tricky to find, but the scooter's wiring isn't that complex. With the right application of logic and the right tools it should be pretty quick.
+1000

For me this is more the dealer and less Piaggio. Is it a priority for them?

Can you get it up to Los Angeles?

Best,
SDG
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UTC quote
ChillN wrote:
Luckily for me, since I'm still in the Navy, I can get a JAG lawyer for free if need be.
Nothing like being able to call in a Sub Launched Tomhawk as negotiating tactic!
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UTC quote
Mate, Two months is a joke. Pull it and get it to another shop.

Basic electronic tools and or piaggio digitek tool will locate your fuse issue. As mentioned the wiring harness is not too difficult.

Cheers
@cbruce76 avatar
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GTS 250 Super
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The last time I checked, lemon laws applied to cars and trucks. I'm not sure it applies to motorcycles and the like.
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Hooked
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UTC quote
cbruce76 wrote:
The last time I checked, lemon laws applied to cars and trucks. I'm not sure it applies to motorcycles and the like.
In California it applies to a; car, truck, mini-van, suv, recreational vehicle, camper, full size van, boat, motorcycle or jet ski.

May differ slightly per state.

http://www.lemonlawamerica.com/
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I repeat, I'm appalled. It might take a day to find, but if someone can't find the problem in eight hours max they don't deserve their job.

I wish I could be there to find it for you, these problems are *NOT* rocket science.
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+1
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Molto Verboso
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jimc wrote:
I repeat, I'm appalled. It might take a day to find, but if someone can't find the problem in eight hours max they don't deserve their job.

I wish I could be there to find it for you, these problems are *NOT* rocket science.
Yeah, I don't get it. What have they been doing for two months? There is something seriously wrong with the way they are handling his problem. Having that thing sitting around their shop for two months without making it right, by either repairing it or replacing it in a timely manner, is completely ridiculous.
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UTC quote
It would only take about fours hours to replace the whole wiring harness FFS....
@alice avatar
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Molto Verboso
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Molto Verboso
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jimc wrote:
It would only take about fours hours to replace the whole wiring harness FFS....
But that would involve ordering a part, and we all know what that means ...
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