Wow, Aprilias have 4 year warranties!!!

[keystonejenks]

Who knew! I found out this little fact accidently by ready an article on the RSV in TWO magazine. Don't search for it on the Aprilia site because you cannot find it. I don't know why they wouldn't make that common knowledge.

I know. I've been spending too much time in this area already!  

[thatguy]

Yeah just come out of the closet and buy the damn thing.

[kendenton]

Who knew! I found out this little fact accidently by ready an article on the RSV in TWO magazine. Don't search for it on the Aprilia site because you cannot find it. I don't know why they wouldn't make that common knowledge.

I know. I've been spending too much time in this area already!  

Is that for the US?  TWO is a brit rag, IIRC.

[keystonejenks]

Is that for the US?  TWO is a brit rag, IIRC.

I posted this info on the Aprilia forum and the US guys confirmed it is for US too.  

[kendenton]

They balance the long warranty by not having any dealers  

Could be worse - could be Guzzi.

[basco]

They balance the long warranty by not having any dealers  

That and not making Futuras anymore.

[UFO]

That and not making Futuras anymore.

What are they making anymore (for the street)?  RSV, Tuono, and Caponord?

I remember when they also had a cruiser (I think), Falco, Futura, and some sort of 125 racer.

I think the last Aprilia I actually saw on the road was in 2003 at the first National.

[keystonejenks]

Got some additional info on how the warranty works from a member of Aprilia Forum:

This started in 2006 (for us in the U.S. 07 & 07.5 model bikes). You get 2 years and must follow all recomeded maintenance services. Also they must be performed by your dealer. Then at the end of your first 2 year period you will recieve a 2 year extension from Aprilia by mail I believe. You must register your bike on the Aprilia web site to be eligible. See this link:

http://www.aprilia.com//enjoyme/index.asp?lin=eng

[Boxerdawg]

What are they making anymore (for the street)?  RSV, Tuono, and Caponord?

I remember when they also had a cruiser (I think), Falco, Futura, and some sort of 125 racer.

I think the last Aprilia I actually saw on the road was in 2003 at the first National.

The Caponord is now history as is the Futura and Falco.  They still got a lot of scooters  New, but not yet available is the Shiver 750 [where did they get that name?] http://www.apriliashiver.com/ Pretty cool-looking actually.
They are supposed to be coming out with a V-4 soon.

[kendenton]

The Caponord is now history as is the Futura and Falco.  They still got a lot of scooters  New, but not yet available is the Shiver 750 [where did they get that name?] http://www.apriliashiver.com/ Pretty cool-looking actually.
They are supposed to be coming out with a V-4 soon.

Where did you hear the Caponord is history?  Aprilia still lists it on their US site, but not the Falco or Futura.

[keystonejenks]

Where did you hear the Caponord is history?  Aprilia still lists it on their US site, but not the Falco or Futura.

I'd like to know that too. Maybe it's just no longer going to be shipped to the U.S. because it sells well overseas.

[MisterSmooth]

What are they making anymore (for the street)?  RSV, Tuono, and Caponord?

I remember when they also had a cruiser (I think), Falco, Futura, and some sort of 125 racer.

I think the last Aprilia I actually saw on the road was in 2003 at the first National.

Yeah, I have yet to see another '07 Tuono actually being ridden on the road.  Or parked, for that matter.  Anywhere.    

I guess that's sorta cool from an exclusivity standpoint, but they're great bikes and should be better represented out there.

[Mookie]

I see them all the time, course I live just down 99 from the only Aprilia dealer in the state.  But I still see plenty of Falcos, Milles and Futuras all over.

[nanbil]

Got some additional info on how the warranty works from a member of Aprilia Forum:
Quote
This started in 2006 (for us in the U.S. 07 & 07.5 model bikes). You get 2 years and must follow all recomeded maintenance services. Also they must be performed by your dealer. Then at the end of your first 2 year period you will recieve a 2 year extension from Aprilia by mail I believe. You must register your bike on the Aprilia web site to be eligible. See this link:

http://www.aprilia.com//enjoyme/index.asp?lin=eng

I do not think that this is legal in the US.  A company cannot make service at a dealership a requirement to keep a vehicle in warranty service.  This must be some sort of a service contract or extended warranty being provided by Aprilia.

[MilleArp]

As of a week ago... My local Aprilia dealer had not heard of any 4yr warranty for USA.  

[Clive]

I do not think that this is legal in the US.  A company cannot make service at a dealership a requirement to keep a vehicle in warranty service.  This must be some sort of a service contract or extended warranty being provided by Aprilia.

That's not what they're doing, though.  You can take your two-year warranty and have your bike serviced anywhere -- no impact on the two-year standard warranty.  But you won't be eligible for the free two-year extension.

[keystonejenks]

As of a week ago... My local Aprilia dealer had not heard of any 4yr warranty for USA.  

It's on Aprilia's website.  

[nanbil]

That's not what they're doing, though.  You can take your two-year warranty and have your bike serviced anywhere -- no impact on the two-year standard warranty.  But you won't be eligible for the free two-year extension.

So by definition it is not a warranty; it is a service contract.  The only problem I could foresee is if one had to have the bike serviced at another dealer while traveling.  The Aprilia dealer network is not all that large.  Great idea, let's hope that others follow their lead.

[Clive]

So by definition it is not a warranty; it is a service contract.  The only problem I could foresee is if one had to have the bike serviced at another dealer while traveling.  The Aprilia dealer network is not all that large.  Great idea, let's hope that others follow their lead.

Realizing that neither of us has an Aprilia, so we're both talking out our butts ...

I don't think you're correct.  The first two years is a straight-up manufacturer's warranty, with the usual lack of restriction on where you have the service done.

The next two years is an extension of the warranty.  Manufacturers may set terms under which owners are eligible for the warranty extension.

[nanbil]

Realizing that neither of us has an Aprilia, so we're both talking out our butts ...

I don't think you're correct.  The first two years is a straight-up manufacturer's warranty, with the usual lack of restriction on where you have the service done.

The next two years is an extension of the warranty.  Manufacturers may set terms under which owners are eligible for the warranty extension.

You are correct about not owning an Aprilia—although I really like the Futura—but federal law clearly states that warranties, written or implied, may not be tied to service requirements at a particular dealership or service department.  

"1.The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act (15 U.S.C. 2302(C))

This federal law regulates warranties for the protection of consumers. The essence of the law concerning aftermarket auto parts is that a vehicle manufacturer may not condition a written or implied warranty on the consumers using parts or services which are identified by brand, trade, or corporate name (such as the vehicle maker's brand) unless the parts or service are provided free of charge. The law means that the use of an aftermarket part alone is not cause for denying the warranty. However, the law's protection does not extend to aftermarket parts in situations where such parts actually caused the damage being claimed under the warranty. Further, consumers are advised to be aware of any specific terms or conditions stated in the warranty which may result in its being voided. The law states in relevant part:

“No warrantor of a consumer product may condition his written or implied warranty of such product on the consumers using, in connection with such product, any article or service (other than article or service provided without charge under the terms of the warranty) which is identified by brand, trade or corporate name...” (15 U.S.C. 2302(C))."

So if Aprilia says that one must get the motorcycle serviced at an authorized Aprilia dealership to keep the additional two years of warranty service it is not an warranty but a service contract.  I would call this a great deal because I always get by bikes serviced at the dealership.

[nanbil]

Here is an even better explanation of the Magnuson–Moss law:

Magnuson-Moss
Of the handful of laws which most affect the motor vehicle trade, none has benefited the consumer as much as the Magnuson-Moss Warranty-Federal Trade Commission Improvement Act. Conceived by the late Warren Magnuson, the illustrious six-term Washington state senator who authored the Civil Rights Act and federalized public education, this comprehensive definition of what manufacturer’s warranties must and must not do was signed into law on January 4, 1975 by President Gerald Ford.

Magnuson-Moss "puts teeth into" state warranty law by establishing federal minimum standards for warranties. It doesn’t require warranties, only what is in them. For the most part, it puts a limit on the extent of the customer’s responsibility, establishes procedures by which manufacturers must remedy qualified defects, and puts controls on service contracts. In short, Magnuson-Moss lays down the rules all warranties must follow. For example, the law mandates the inclusion of the following statement in every warranty that makes any exclusions from coverage:

"Some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages, so the above limitation or exclusion may not apply to you."

The Act benefits consumers of all products, and although it was amended several times in its first few years and has been reinterpreted in recent times, the law’s comprehensiveness and applicability to the real-world needs of the customer make Magnuson-Moss, twenty-five years later, a lasting and still very relevant tribute to fair commerce.

For the motor trade, three outcomes of the Act so profoundly affect the consumer-producer relationship that people on both sides of the counter need to be aware of them. First, Magnuson-Moss prohibits a manufacturer or his representative from conditioning warranty benefits on adherence to the use of factory authorized service or parts. All that is required is that the consumer make "reasonable and necessary maintenance" efforts, which in practical terms means keeping receipts for purchases of oil and spark plugs. Second, the law makes illegal the policy of some dealers who refuse to do legitimate warranty work on a customer’s machine merely because it was purchased from another dealer. Third, the law makes warranties (which though voluntary on the part of the manufacturer, once offered must follow federal guidelines) so much a part of the sale of a vehicle that manufacturers now compete heavily on the basis of those warranty provisions, adding another dimension to the purchase of a motor vehicle. These three effects of the law make it definitive, watershed regulation and help illustrate the importance of the Act’s provisions to the consumer.

Please note the bold...

[Clive]

Let me try again: IT'S NOT A FOUR-YEAR WARRANTY.  It's a two-year warranty, and Aprilia asks owners if they'd like to register for the scheme that makes them eligible for a two-year extension of that TWO-YEAR WARRANTY.  Aprilia US says:

Exhaustive duration testing throughout development has created a motorcycle that is totally reliable in every single component. That is why Aprilia is happy to offer the Tuono 1000 R Factory for sale under the “ENJOY ME” scheme, which provides a 2+2 year warranty to preserve the value of your investment. Registration for the scheme is optional and linked to a maintenance programme that extends the duration of the warranty to four years.

FWIW, an offer from the manufacturer to extend a warranty is not itself a "warranty benefit" under Magnuson-Moss.

[nanbil]

I do not think that this is legal in the US.  A company cannot make service at a dealership a requirement to keep a vehicle in warranty service.  This must be some sort of a service contract or extended warranty being provided by Aprilia.

That's not what they're doing, though.  You can take your two-year warranty and have your bike serviced anywhere -- no impact on the two-year standard warranty.  But you won't be eligible for the free two-year extension.

So by definition it is not a warranty; it is a service contract.  The only problem I could foresee is if one had to have the bike serviced at another dealer while traveling.  The Aprilia dealer network is not all that large.  Great idea, let's hope that others follow their lead.

Let me try again: IT'S NOT A FOUR-YEAR WARRANTY.  It's a two-year warranty, and Aprilia asks owners if they'd like to register for the scheme that makes them eligible for a two-year extension of that TWO-YEAR WARRANTY.

We are speaking the same language just using different words.  

Service Contracts or Extended Warranties (whatever you want to call them) by themselves do not alter a manufacture’s standard warranty.   What Aprilia is doing is offering its customers an Extended Warranty/Service Contract that is paid for by requiring that all required service during both the two-year standard warranty and the two-year extended warranty/service contract be done at an authorized Aprilia dealership.  This is certainly not a free extended warranty as you suggest (dealers tend to more expensive that private shops) but represents a very good deal anyway.  If I were buying an Aprilia I would definitely take them up on the offer.  

[Clive]

We are speaking the same language just using different words.

Good to know.  

This is certainly not a free extended warranty as you suggest (dealers tend to more expensive that private shops) but represents a very good deal anyway.  If I were buying an Aprilia I would definitely take them up on the offer.

Sorry if I seemed to suggest it was free.  It is "free" only in the sense that the owner isn't asked to pay directly for it; he WILL pay indirectly through the cost of dealer servicing v. independent or self-serve.  (I'd say "self-servicing", but that provokes an unsettling mental image.)

I used to do my own routine maintenance, but these days, I work too many hours to want to do that in lieu of other things.  I'd take that deal, too, if I pull the trigger on a Tuono R.

[nanbil]

...I'd say "self-servicing", but that provokes an unsettling mental image...

 

[keystonejenks]

I do not think that this is legal in the US.  A company cannot make service at a dealership a requirement to keep a vehicle in warranty service.  This must be some sort of a service contract or extended warranty being provided by Aprilia.

I thought of your comment whilie I was at a Mazda dealer. It appears it is legal. This Mazda dealership has a deal with Castrol. If you use Castrol oil ONLY and have your oil changed every 5,000 miles (you cannot change it yourself - a dealer or independent shop can change it, it just NEEDS to be documented) your warranty is extended to 12 years and 400,000 miles. This even covers turbo bearings for cars with turbo engines.