After eyeing one for ages, I bought a new Doherty cable oiler at Kempton from a stall which had several in plastic bags - the stallholder gave me the instruction sheet separately. Opened the oiler up to use it yesterday and found the neoprene pad which makes the seal around the cable outer is missing. Of course I'd no receipt to telephone the stallholder, and the next Kempton rally is in September.
So I rang the manufacturers MCA (Aston) Ltd to ask where I could buy a replacement.
Chap I was put through to there (let's call him 'X' ) told me in no uncertain terms that they only sold through dealers and even then they only sold complete oilers - not replacement pads, suggested I visit them, then on probing gave me tel. numbers of a couple of "major dealers" who he said might open one up and sell me the pad.
I tried both those he suggested - they told me that they only stocked complete oilers, and wouldnt open one up and sell me the essential bit, as I expected - that didnt make any sense, so I went to the internet. I found the MCA website which shows lots more dealers and in looking around saw they actually do show it as a spare part - P210/1!
Dave of Supreme Motorcycles Leicester was extremely helpful and offered to order it next month when they send in their order, didnt need a definite order from me (champion man and I will certainly get one from him if he gets it) Problem is he won't know until he gets the shipment and it would be nice to know if I will get my cables sorted, the clutch feels very tight.
So I emailed Peter Brown the MD of MCA (Aston) yesterday asking politely would the pad be available if it was ordered by a dealer but - and I think you're by now getting to feel my annoyance with MCA (Aston), - I've had no answer from him or anyone else. Perhaps I'm expecting too much for them to respond to an email from someone wanting to buy?
In case Dave at Supreme doesn't get one for me, does anyone have dimensions of the pad - thickness is probably the most important. And does anyone know where one buys small chunks of neoprene I could carve into shape? Not looking forward to this!
Thinks:
1. I must doublecheck what I get at autojumbles in future and ask for receipts, even if in a hurry. " X" at MCA told me that autojumbles sold seconds and should be avoided in favour of established dealers. Easy enough to do if one lived near a good bike parts shop - but also it suggests the question: where exactly do they get seconds from if not the manufacturer?.
2. It would have been friendly for "X" to refer me to the parts list and Peter Brown to reply to my (very polite) email on the availability of the part. I've tried the website's semi automated system today for directing one to an appropriate distributor, if I do get an useful reply I'll certainly acknowledge it
3. Marks for Customer service so far?
Stall at Kempton 0
MCA (Aston) Ltd 0
Supreme Motorcycles (Leicester) 10
So I rang the manufacturers MCA (Aston) Ltd to ask where I could buy a replacement.
Chap I was put through to there (let's call him 'X' ) told me in no uncertain terms that they only sold through dealers and even then they only sold complete oilers - not replacement pads, suggested I visit them, then on probing gave me tel. numbers of a couple of "major dealers" who he said might open one up and sell me the pad.
I tried both those he suggested - they told me that they only stocked complete oilers, and wouldnt open one up and sell me the essential bit, as I expected - that didnt make any sense, so I went to the internet. I found the MCA website which shows lots more dealers and in looking around saw they actually do show it as a spare part - P210/1!
Dave of Supreme Motorcycles Leicester was extremely helpful and offered to order it next month when they send in their order, didnt need a definite order from me (champion man and I will certainly get one from him if he gets it) Problem is he won't know until he gets the shipment and it would be nice to know if I will get my cables sorted, the clutch feels very tight.
So I emailed Peter Brown the MD of MCA (Aston) yesterday asking politely would the pad be available if it was ordered by a dealer but - and I think you're by now getting to feel my annoyance with MCA (Aston), - I've had no answer from him or anyone else. Perhaps I'm expecting too much for them to respond to an email from someone wanting to buy?
In case Dave at Supreme doesn't get one for me, does anyone have dimensions of the pad - thickness is probably the most important. And does anyone know where one buys small chunks of neoprene I could carve into shape? Not looking forward to this!
Thinks:
1. I must doublecheck what I get at autojumbles in future and ask for receipts, even if in a hurry. " X" at MCA told me that autojumbles sold seconds and should be avoided in favour of established dealers. Easy enough to do if one lived near a good bike parts shop - but also it suggests the question: where exactly do they get seconds from if not the manufacturer?.
2. It would have been friendly for "X" to refer me to the parts list and Peter Brown to reply to my (very polite) email on the availability of the part. I've tried the website's semi automated system today for directing one to an appropriate distributor, if I do get an useful reply I'll certainly acknowledge it
3. Marks for Customer service so far?
Stall at Kempton 0
MCA (Aston) Ltd 0
Supreme Motorcycles (Leicester) 10