Vespa Brooklyn — Local services in New York

I brought in my scooter (Which I purchased at VB) after experiencing sporadic power loss. Chris told me that’s it’s most probably some cracked valve and should be covered by warranty. I call in two days later and Chris notifies me that “IT’S NOT WHAT [HE] THOUGHT IT IS BUT IT’S SOMETHING WITH THE TRANSMISSION AND WOULD HAVE TO BE DONE AS PART OF A MAJOR SERVICE FOR $360, NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY.” I was very skeptical about it since it didn’t feel like a transmission problem but rather a fuel problem. However I was too busy to further investigate the matter so gave in and told Chris to do the service for $360.

A couple of days later I call in to inquire about the scooter. It was right before closing, Chris wasn’t there, and another guy picked up who told me that “[they] STILL WAITING FOR THE PART TO ARRIVE. So basically the issue was indeed covered by warranty but Chris lied to me and managed to squeeze out $360. I told that guy what happened and that I DON’T need the service. He told me that I misunderstood and that the service was RECOMMENDED not required and that It was already done and I’ll have to pay Thankfully I had all the conversations recorded. They were afraid of me taking legal action so when I called back the next morning they pretended as if the service wasn’t done and they didn’t charge me for it.

I picked up the bike, and guess what, the problem was still there. I ended up taking it to Motorcycle Mall in NJ. They identified a minor issue with the carburetor and it was fixed within 3 days. No MAJOR SERVICE needed Now the only other time brought in my bike for repair VB ordered and installed the wrong part.. I’m not sure what kind of mechanics they employ.

Now to be clear there’s a MAJOR SERVICE recommended by Vespa but it’s at 7k and I was at 4.5k. And here’s where VB's overall dishonesty comes into the picture:

Their slogan is that “NEW YORK IS DIFFERENT” They will tell you that you need to do a particular service or oil change by 2k or so earlier than the manual due to the traffic and potholes of NYC. If you argue that the book says differently Chirs will swiftly tell you of ‘horror’ stories of people sticking to the manual and ruining their engine and therefore forfeiting their warranty. I believed them until I spoke to a mechanic at Vespa headquarters when I filed a complaint regarding the above story. He told me one thing: “ALWAYS FOLLOW WHAT IT SAYS IN THE MANUAL. THE MANUAL IS UNIVERSAL AND THE BIKE WAS DESIGNED FOR CITIES, NOT FOR COUNTRY ROADS.” In addition, VB told me to use 86 grade fuel in contrast to the manual which says 95 (equivalent to 93 in America). Perhaps they want to insure maximum issues with the engine so you visit them as often as possible? Who knows.. The mechanic at Vespa Headquarters told me to stick with 93 as it says in the manual.

Now, sadly VB is the only certified dealer in NYC at the moment. I you are thinking of buying a new bike, I’d suggest The Motorcycle Mall in NJ. They have more models in stuck and are a certified Vespa dealer.

If you still have your warranty and plan on doing repairs at VB here are some tips:

-Get everything in writing and always record the conversations (yes it’s legal as long as you're a party in the conversation and you don’t have to tell them that you are recording)

-Read every single paper before singing. (At some point Chris attempted to slip in a paper for me to sign which would authorize him to do some insurance work, even though I told him that I may just wanna take the cash and not do the work). I suggest you ask him to review it outside the shop so you don’t feel rushed and disturbed by him. (He’s an expert in making you feel that way).

-Finally, if you have an issue, call the Vespa headquarters. The are here to help their customers and make sure you continue to buy their products. Also, a complaint with the department of consumer affairs can go a along way.

-Follow the manual, I was assured by the Vespa headquarters that as long as you do the services as stated in the manual you’ll never forfeit your...

I can’t recommend Brooklyn Vespa more highly. I just got my bike back after fairly extensive repairs (someone backed over my parked scooter — not nice) and it came back like new in a much shorter time than I would have expected. Joseph is excellent, knowledgable, friendly. The repair, and work with the insurance company, went off without a hitch. Purchasing was also great. Arjun knows his stuff and it’s a no-pressure, easy process. I couldn’t be happier both with my bike and my experience with Brooklyn Vespa.

This next part isn’t directly related to Brooklyn Vespa but I wanted to say how much having a scooter has improved life in NYC these days. I commute easily to work, which makes a big difference to me because I work on weekends when subway service is not always great. Covid not an issue. It’s much easier to meet friends and run errands that you might have put off. Plus it’s just fun.

NYC is becoming a place for two-wheeled vehicles — and that’s mostly a good thing. Biking is normal now. The number of delivery people on small scooters or electric bikes can be irritating, even to a fellow motorcyclist, blowing lights and driving the wrong way down streets. It is also dangerous: 50 people died on motorcycles of all kinds in NYC last year.

Anyone thinking of getting a scooter really should do the following: get a motorcycle license and take safely courses; always wear protective gear; follow the rules of the road (will that blown light really get you there that much faster?); remember that any car out there (seems especially with out-of-state plates or expensive cars) wants to kill you. Ride assuming cars don’t see you — and often they don’t or just aren’t paying enough attention. There are no certainties to life but you can cut your risks. And the upside of riding in NYC, carefully, makes it very much...

Joe and James were some friendly people. Told me everything I needed to know to get Started. I'm enjoying my first ever scooter. Great purchase!!

UPDATE!!!

Unfortunately, I had a disappointing experience with this Vespa dealership. Initially, they told me that the service intervals for my Vespa were every 2,000 miles after the first service at 600 miles. However, according to the manual, the service intervals are actually every 3,000 miles after first service at 600 miles. This discrepancy will lead to unnecessary additional services, costing close to at least extra $1,300 by 12,000 miles.

When I confronted them about this inconsistency, they claimed that I was reading the manual in kilometers, which was not the case. Upon checking reviews, I found others who had similar complaints about service intervals.

As there aren't many Vespa dealers around, they seem to take advantage of this by setting arbitrary prices for services. I was charged $900 for a 3-hour repair, and I received different quotes from various employees about samething, suggesting inconsistent pricing practices.

Additionally, they provided misleading information about performing oil changes on my own without voiding the warranty so they can grab more money out of you. Although the staff was friendly, I believe they were trained to prioritize profits over customer satisfaction. Whoever running the dealership is simply evil, period.

Additionally, if you encounter a situation where a broken part needs to be ordered from Italy, be prepared to forget about it. I ordered a fender six months ago, and it still hasn't arrived. They keeping changing the ETA.

I hope my experience serves as a cautionary tale for potential customers. Make sure to double-check service intervals and clarify warranty conditions before making any...