OP
UTC

Enthusiast
Joined: UTC
Posts: 76
Location: Bergen County, NJ USA
 
Enthusiast
Joined: UTC
Posts: 76
Location: Bergen County, NJ USA
UTC quote
OK we need to address this and I know there has been a few blogs about this but nothing solid. Where are the Vespa's made today (2007-2010) models? Who makes the engine and where was it desinged (2007-2010) models? Has anyone found out what the dealer really makes. For example the GTS300 goes for MSRP $6199 say you get $200 off is that good? What is the invoice price? Not that I would put a vendor out of business but he/she needs to work with the buyer.
@masala avatar
UTC

Veni, Vidi, Posti
946
Joined: UTC
Posts: 6165
Location: Acworth, GA
 
Veni, Vidi, Posti
@masala avatar
946
Joined: UTC
Posts: 6165
Location: Acworth, GA
UTC quote
I have seen the dealer cost prices, and they really don't make much on the bikes.

Somewhat like a movie theater, the money is made on popcorn & soda.
OP
UTC

Enthusiast
Joined: UTC
Posts: 76
Location: Bergen County, NJ USA
 
Enthusiast
Joined: UTC
Posts: 76
Location: Bergen County, NJ USA
UTC quote
Thank you - it is hard to gauge I guess like anything it is business if you have a dealership that is doing good business it will stay open longer than one that does not.
UTC

Ossessionato
Joined: UTC
Posts: 3610
 
Ossessionato
Joined: UTC
Posts: 3610
UTC quote
Within the last week, there was a new, 2008 GTS being sold by a Vespa dealer in PA on Ebay for a "buy it now price" of $5099. There were no additional setup or freight fees that were to be added to the price. The retail list price on that scooter is $5999 and most dealers charge freight and setup fees totaling anywhere from $400-$700 that are added to the $5999. So, if margins are really as low as I've been lead to believe, how can a dealer sell for this kind of price and stay in business? This is not the first of these that I've seen in the last few months.
Also, over last winter, several people posted that they had bought new GTS models from dealers in various parts of the USA for $4500 and no freight or setup fees. So, are the margins really low or are these dealers so desperate that they've dumped new inventory just to get it off their floors and recover their cash or to get it off of their monthly floor plan interest charges? Makes me wonder?
@rudie_cant_fail avatar
UTC

Enthusiast
LX 125
Joined: UTC
Posts: 50
Location: UK, Yorks
 
Enthusiast
@rudie_cant_fail avatar
LX 125
Joined: UTC
Posts: 50
Location: UK, Yorks
UTC quote
When I bought my LX last year, I got a good look at the dealers order book and the price of the LX to them was £1600, the price I paid was £2500, so £900 difference. Id already decided I wanted the LX so knew what I'd be parting with.
All the stickers etc are in Italian and the bike was transported to the UK from Italy (after an extra two week hold up in Calais thanks to a French dock workers strike), so Im guessing mine is all Italian, but may be wrong...
@witch avatar
UTC

Moderatrice Strega
Joined: UTC
Posts: 7699
Location: Oregone
 
Moderatrice Strega
@witch avatar
Joined: UTC
Posts: 7699
Location: Oregone
UTC quote
The Vespas are still made (at least the major assembly) in Italy.
@lifer avatar
UTC

Molto Verboso
Black Molly - GTS 300
Joined: UTC
Posts: 1217
Location: Essen, Germany
 
Molto Verboso
@lifer avatar
Black Molly - GTS 300
Joined: UTC
Posts: 1217
Location: Essen, Germany
UTC quote
Witch wrote:
The Vespas are still made (at least the major assembly) in Italy.
I believe it would have to be if it is regarded as an Italian scooter... but most components are probably Chinese and electronics from Indonesia

As far as price... I have said the same thing as you in the past. They claim California is further and the costs are more, bla bla bla

I don't believe any of it.

The bottom line is that if you want a Vespa, you have to pay the price

Personally, I would not have bought a Vespa in the States
@xantufrog avatar
UTC

Moderibbit
1980 P200E - "Old Rusty", 1976 ET3 Primavera
Joined: UTC
Posts: 8891
Location: Atlanta, GA
 
Moderibbit
@xantufrog avatar
1980 P200E - "Old Rusty", 1976 ET3 Primavera
Joined: UTC
Posts: 8891
Location: Atlanta, GA
UTC quote
I believe in the EU it only needs to be assembled in a country to claim origin there. I see no reason why Piaggio won't take advantage of their Chinese and upcoming Vietnamese plants to make parts for the Italian scooters.

Hard to argue with, really. The plants are overseen to run at "Piaggio" standards (whatever that really comes to) and the engines and parts are of Piaggio design.

It shouldn't make a tremendous difference in the quality of the scoot. It probably WILL make SOME difference, however, due to poorer labor morale etc. which might crop up in the non-italian plants, but it won't be the same as riding the maligned "generic chinese scooter"

I wouldn't worry too much about it... it will still be a high quality and beautiful machine. What, nowadays, doesn't have parts from China in it?
OP
UTC

Enthusiast
Joined: UTC
Posts: 76
Location: Bergen County, NJ USA
 
Enthusiast
Joined: UTC
Posts: 76
Location: Bergen County, NJ USA
UTC quote
Personaly a Vespa is not like any other scooter - it hurts me to know that it is made in china. But the design is Italian and always will be.

If made in China the profit margins are higher then before for Piaggio. I wonder if that is passed on to the dealer. Prep and Freight/delivery fees are BS but a Vespa is a want not a need so if you want it so bad I guess you must pay.

Are Vespa's in EU different from US or North America?
UTC

Ossessionato
Joined: UTC
Posts: 3610
 
Ossessionato
Joined: UTC
Posts: 3610
UTC quote
igf1r wrote:
Are Vespa's in EU different from US or North America?
Yes.............They don't have the U.SA. required emissions equipment. Other than that............I'm not aware of anything else.
@jess avatar
UTC

Petty Tyrant
0:7 And counting
Joined: UTC
Posts: 38099
Location: Bay Area, California
 
Petty Tyrant
@jess avatar
0:7 And counting
Joined: UTC
Posts: 38099
Location: Bay Area, California
UTC quote
XLR8 wrote:
igf1r wrote:
Are Vespa's in EU different from US or North America?
Yes.............They don't have the U.SA. required emissions equipment. Other than that............I'm not aware of anything else.
Also, reflectors are added to the US models, which leaves holes in the plastic panels when removed.
@jess avatar
UTC

Petty Tyrant
0:7 And counting
Joined: UTC
Posts: 38099
Location: Bay Area, California
 
Petty Tyrant
@jess avatar
0:7 And counting
Joined: UTC
Posts: 38099
Location: Bay Area, California
UTC quote
And the No Pets sticker in the underseat pet carrier.
@witch avatar
UTC

Moderatrice Strega
Joined: UTC
Posts: 7699
Location: Oregone
 
Moderatrice Strega
@witch avatar
Joined: UTC
Posts: 7699
Location: Oregone
UTC quote
And the DOT "earring" turn signals on the LX/LXV/S models.
@woodenhead avatar
UTC

Molto Verboso
GT60
Joined: UTC
Posts: 1381
Location: Fraser Valley, BC
 
Molto Verboso
@woodenhead avatar
GT60
Joined: UTC
Posts: 1381
Location: Fraser Valley, BC
UTC quote
igf1r wrote:
Are Vespa's in EU different from US or North America?
The software running the ecu is apparently different, as early UK gts scooters needed a software update while North American ones didn't.

North American scooters have the emissions canister.

Different places get different colours.

ABS is an option in some countries.
@masala avatar
UTC

Veni, Vidi, Posti
946
Joined: UTC
Posts: 6165
Location: Acworth, GA
 
Veni, Vidi, Posti
@masala avatar
946
Joined: UTC
Posts: 6165
Location: Acworth, GA
UTC quote
XLR8 wrote:
Within the last week, there was a new, 2008 GTS being sold by a Vespa dealer in PA on Ebay for a "buy it now price" of $5099. There were no additional setup or freight fees that were to be added to the price. The retail list price on that scooter is $5999 and most dealers charge freight and setup fees totaling anywhere from $400-$700 that are added to the $5999. So, if margins are really as low as I've been lead to believe, how can a dealer sell for this kind of price and stay in business? This is not the first of these that I've seen in the last few months.
Also, over last winter, several people posted that they had bought new GTS models from dealers in various parts of the USA for $4500 and no freight or setup fees. So, are the margins really low or are these dealers so desperate that they've dumped new inventory just to get it off their floors and recover their cash or to get it off of their monthly floor plan interest charges? Makes me wonder?
That would be my guess. You've seen sales at other stores, right? Same concept... Different profit margin.
@masala avatar
UTC

Veni, Vidi, Posti
946
Joined: UTC
Posts: 6165
Location: Acworth, GA
 
Veni, Vidi, Posti
@masala avatar
946
Joined: UTC
Posts: 6165
Location: Acworth, GA
UTC quote
woodenhead wrote:
igf1r wrote:
Are Vespa's in EU different from US or North America?
The software running the ecu is apparently different, as early UK gts scooters needed a software update while North American ones didn't.

North American scooters have the emissions canister.

Different places get different colours.

ABS is an option in some countries.
Idle jet in LX/S 150 bikes is smaller in N.A. market vs. EU.
OP
UTC

Enthusiast
Joined: UTC
Posts: 76
Location: Bergen County, NJ USA
 
Enthusiast
Joined: UTC
Posts: 76
Location: Bergen County, NJ USA
UTC quote
No Pets sticker
When I saw that I was in shock...did people place their pets under the seat? Crazy.
@varaflame avatar
UTC

Hooked
S125
Joined: UTC
Posts: 414
Location: Reykjavik, iceland
 
Hooked
@varaflame avatar
S125
Joined: UTC
Posts: 414
Location: Reykjavik, iceland
UTC quote
igf1r wrote:
Are Vespa's in EU different from US or North America?
Yes, at least the S's and the LX's. Over here the S's and the LX's are 125cc. The US versions of those are 150cc.
Also, the US versions have reflectors on the sides and near the front wheel, a kill switch and a whole bunch of warning stickers (it took me a while to figure out what people meant when they wrote about "pet carriers"). I've also noticed that some of the S's in the USA and Canada have turn signals on the handlebars...I don't know if they all have those.
There are probably more differences that I don't know about.
DoubleGood Design banner

Modern Vespa is the premier site for modern Vespa and Piaggio scooters. Vespa GTS300, GTS250, GTV, GT200, LX150, LXS, ET4, ET2, MP3, Fuoco, Elettrica and more.

Buy Me A Coffee
 

Shop on Amazon with Modern Vespa

Modern Vespa is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com


All Content Copyright 2005-2025 by Modern Vespa.
All Rights Reserved.


[ Time: 0.0198s ][ Queries: 3 (0.0077s) ][ live ][ 323 ][ ThingOne ]