Modern Vespa

Could use some pointers on this one - just planning to do my own oil change on a 2006 LX150, but only to find out the dealer in SF doesn't sell oil filters (they can schedule a service though). Curious how others have tackled this problem? I suppose online shops + shipping is the only way to go then?

Call any one of the independent shops in SF - there are some really, really great places up there.

SF Moto
Scuderia West
San Francisco Scooter Centre
etc.

I wonder why sales are plummeting.

+1. Barry at SF Scooter Centre will almost certainly have them in stock. Probably SF Moto, too. Not sure about Scuderia.

Pity the dealer in SF is so unfriendly, greedy, pompous, arrogant......

The whole bunch could use some Dale Carnegie classes....

IMHO

R

8)

Seriously. I generally try to be supportive of dealers, but that one in particular has become downright hostile over the years.

You're joking right? No way.

Could always take a short drive to one of their Bay Area competitors.

Don't sell filters? Wow. That takes the cake.

They don't sell filters, but I'm sure that if you had them service your bike, the itemized bill would show they "sold" you a filter. Hope you find a better local supplier.

Scuderia should have them. The LX150 uses the same filter as the Aprilia Mojito 150, a line they carry. Nice people too!

I recall reading here in the past about a dealer or dealers who will not sell maintenance parts to discourage DIY. Not a good thing for customer relations.

Maybe they're doing a ZipCar concept and just renting them?

You can't just dispose of a rental car or oil filter just anywhere.

A dealer who doesn't have an oil filter should just close it's doors and go away. Honestly.

You miss the point....they have the filter, they just will not sell it to you.

Filter available during dealer service only....or any other part.

Not consumer friendly.

R

8)

http://www.powersportsuperstore.com/SearchResults.asp?Search=hf183&Search.x=0&Search.y=0

Try these people

SF is a great place to ride and own a Vespa. One of the best. But it's a goofy place in terms of Vespa dealers. First, there's only one fully authorized dealer -- SF Vespa -- and most people for many different reasons don't like dealing with them. Indeed, how hard should it be to buy an oil filter? In contrast, the dealers and people we all generally prefer -- Scuderia, SF Scooter Centre, SF Moto -- aren't full Vespa dealers. None are authorized to perform warranty work, and so people are left with difficult choices. I'm due in a couple weeks for my first (600 miles) service on my 300 Super. I'd prefer to take it somewhere else, but because I need warranty work, I've got no other options.

Here's hoping the rest of the Country has better luck with dealers.

Define warranty work - do you mean stuff that broke or should be 'free?' Yes you'd have to pay to have that kind of work done elsewhere, while the dealer will charge Piaggio Group America for it.

Maintenance work, oil changes etc., do not have to be done at the dealer to maintain your warranty. You can find 1 or 2 other threads on MV about the same issue. 1-2 hundred threads

Easy choice here - show Vespa SF how you feel by using your checkbook- allow them to do the warranty work, and give the maintenance $$ and work to one of the SF facilities that actually support the SF scooter community.

Thanks for all the pointers guys - wow i'm glad to hear i'm not the only one frustrated here! I wonder if what they are doing is even legal - i'll prolly write to Vespa and find out

TOPP we have a horrible dealer so your not alone. While they would sell you a filter and other limited stuff the mark up wouldn't be worth it. We get ours from MotorSport. One of the techs said to Jim when he brought his scooter in to be fixed after his accident "that his daddy would kick his ass if he ever saw him riding a vespa) It's a Harley and i think Kawasaki dealer plus some other brands of scooters also.

I got the point. My original statement still stands.

Judy, sounds like a real nice guy (threatening to kick your ass if you ride a Vespa). God, I love Hawaii. Love the Big Island, Lanai.

You could alway try Revolution Moto in Santa Rosa, They are a full vespa dealer and are super nice and helpful. If you don't want to make the drive, they will probably mail you one.

Or, instead of driving 50 miles, he can go to one of the 3 shops in the city that will sell it to him, support DIY, and deserve support

Yes, this.

They're a private enterprise - as long as they buy a certain number of bikes each year, PGA could care less. They're not doing anything wrong - 'reserve the right to refuse service to anyone.'

Would it have been better if they wanted $513 dollars for the filter, but they offer a $500 discount if you bought the bike there (Oh wait, they already have the preferred customer program) or how about a $500 discount on an oil change? No matter what - they're accomplishing the same thing.

I do a similar thing in my business - if I don't want to work for you or want to deal with your project, the rates go up, I'm busy until May, not doing it for your time of thing anymore....

I'll donate $50 to ScooterRelief.org, if you get more than a 'Thank you for your letter,' letter from Piaggio Group America.

Wait, Ritch, you work..?

lulz.

A little bit of happy update on this: on my way to my friend's place in the south bay, i picked up a few oil filters from Cal Moto in Mountain View (http://www.yelp.com/biz/california-bmw-triumph-motorcycles-mountain-view). Paul helped me bring out the genuine Piaggio filters and i was in and out of the place in no time (and no shipping charge)!

So if a fellow rider in San Francisco needs one, message me and I can sell it to you no extra charge ($16.95 + tax). Or maybe i can sell it to Vespa SF for $100 LOL

Now hoping for a sunny weekend to change the oil on my Vespa yay~

I got my (used) Vespa with a missing part. Took calling 5-6 dealers to find one that had the item in stock (technically they didn't but that's a different story). When calling San Francisco Vespa, the guy said "we don't have a parts department". I said, "yeah but you can order parts, right?" Guy says "it could take up to three months"... Me: "why is that?" guy: "well, you know those Italians" and left it at that.

Mountain View Vespa didn't have my part and said it'd take three weeks to get it, no explanation. San Jose Vespa mis-understood what I was asking for and said they had the part. I got there and they didn't have the part either, but made a special "executive decision" and got me the part (*and* my repeat business!). The guys there are super friendly *and* told me why its so hard to get parts- "Piaggo is the worst company to be in business with" he said. Apparently they won't take a parts order under $300, and "hard parts" (i.e. engines, etc.) are different than "soft parts" - mods, gear and accessories.

So if they have $200 in hard parts and $200 in soft parts, they *still* won't take an order. Don't know if that's true, but that's what the man said. And then he put 5 units of my missing part on his list, which put him right over the $300 mark.

Hopefully this provides some insight to the MV community and future parts seekers. I live closest to Mountain View; But if its a decision to drive to SF or SJ for anything Vespa related... well... you know the song.

scuderia west sells hiflo filter for half of what you paid. and works just as good

I ordered a speedo cable for my LX150 from Cal Moto Mountain View. They said it would take three weeks. It only took one! Plus I went in there when I rounded the nut on the shutoff valve of my disk brake when bleeding it. They didn't have the Vespa one in stock, but were able to find one for a BMW part that worked just fine for me (and cost a lot less). So I like them. Too bad I can't afford to buy a new vespa -- but if I could I'd give them the buisness. San Jose Vespa is excellent as well, but I live right down the street from Mountain View.

Too bad about SF Vespa. They were really great when they hosted that Vespa Maintenance Clinic a few years ago...

-Dan

-Dan

I'm guessing they showed you how to do an oil change. Did they tell you where to buy filters?

Funny! Well the workshop was run by some MV members who brought the oil and the filters. And in fact I offered my LX150 to be the "demo" scooter for the oil change, and SF Vespa ended up using their own oil and filters and it didn't cost me anything at all. Seems like times have changed...

No, you mis understood. They were willing to give you one for service done at their shop... but not sell you for work done elsewhere.