I posted the thread about the gouge at the dealer. In the article they mentioned the dealer I went to.
"That's a bargain compared to Monterey Peninsula Sports.
Located only a short drive from Ducati North America's headquarters, Jeff from this dealership knows a lot more than the OEM does. He informs us that the 1098 needs a three and a half hour service. When the one hour recommended service is pointed out to him, Jeff tells us that the people he's talked to at Ducati service say "you should check the belts" and that waiting to check them until the recommended 7500 miles is "too long" and that the 1098's he's checked have had loose belts already.
When we again tell him that DNA recommends one hour, he told us "Ducati says one hour but the reality is it takes longer" - at least two hours for the minimum service he points out.
Is this an issue of honesty, price gouging or simply a lack of education on the part of Ducati dealers? We're not sure - but from a consumer's standpoint it doesn't really matter. It comes down to this: when you're marketed a vehicle that requires less maintenance as a selling feature and you're told so repeatedly in marketing campaigns, what on Earth would prompt the OEM's dealer network to work to the contrary of this?"
I had heard good things about thier work in Monterey; which may have more to do with thier competency in the shop as opposed to the honesty of the managment. I don't think I'm going to wait to find out.
So I am now up in San Francisco and will try Munroe-again I heard good things so we'll see. I did stop by a few weeks ago at Munroe and asked for some prices on a sprocket/chain/and a carrier. The prices they gave me were lower or matched everything I found on the net, so that's a good sign.
