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DA40NG Frustrations

Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2022 3:49 am
by nickJG
So I live in Las Vegas and I'm in the market for an aircraft I'm very interested in an NG.
Unfortunately, it seems as though no one here has one I can look at (for sale or not) and Diamond don't seem to have much if any West Coast presence.
The major Diamond resellers seem less than interested in facilitating despite numerous phone calls. Their follow up is atrocious.

I'll throw this out there to the community - any ideas?

Re: DA40NG Frustrations

Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2022 3:58 am
by Boatguy
As you probably know, Lifestyle is the exclusive distributor in your area and presumably you have contacted them. Because of the exclusive territory, neither Premier or Steel is going to talk with you. They aren't being rude, it's just the way Diamond has setup their distribution.

I live north of San Francisco and will be selling my 40NG in the next few months to take delivery of a DA62. Send me a PM if you'd like to continue the discussion.

Re: DA40NG Frustrations

Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2022 4:02 am
by nickJG
Yes, I’ve spoken with Lifestyle and they don’t have a solution for me to see one. I won’t buy one without demo flight, sitting in one etc so they really can’t help. I’ll dm you.

Re: DA40NG Frustrations

Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2022 11:13 am
by georgebabu
@nick, Diamond's sales strategy is a poster child for what not to do. I share your frustration. A fellow Diamond aviator recently opted out of Diamond DA50/DA62 and went with a Cirrus SR22T primarily because the sales support was night and day different. All that to say...you're not alone. But the aircraft is amazing (I have 200h+ on my DA40NG to date), and worth the roadblocks Diamond enjoys putting in the path of owning one.

West Valley Flying Club in Palo Alto has a few Diamond aircraft (DA40 Diamondstar and DA42: https://wvfc.org/aircraft-rentals/training-aircraft/). Happy to intro you to my former flight instructor there to see if you can book a flight with him in a DA40 (if meeting up with Russ doesn't pan out). But I don’t believe they have a DA40NG.

PS: My first flight in a DA40NG was when the flight test I did when I picked up the plane! Fortunately, it worked out and I love my aircraft :D

PPS: Our dealer recently asked if he could show a potential DA40NG customer my aircraft, and I of course said yes given the aircraft shortages all around. I also recently got a TestFlight in a Piper M600 that belonged to another customer of our dealer. So maybe something for Lifestyle to try out.

Re: DA40NG Frustrations

Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2022 3:56 pm
by haykinson
Nick, my kid and I are likely to be in Vegas this Saturday with my airplane, so happy to have you sit and fly (I am not a CFI, so not left seat) in it for a bit. PM me to arrange, if you’d like!

Re: DA40NG Frustrations

Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2022 12:29 am
by nickJG
Boatguy wrote: Thu Sep 22, 2022 3:58 am As you probably know, Lifestyle is the exclusive distributor in your area and presumably you have contacted them. Because of the exclusive territory, neither Premier or Steel is going to talk with you. They aren't being rude, it's just the way Diamond has setup their distribution.

I live north of San Francisco and will be selling my 40NG in the next few months to take delivery of a DA62. Send me a PM if you'd like to continue the discussion.
Russ, thanks for the info and I would love to discuss your NG with you. - Nick

Re: DA40NG Frustrations

Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2022 12:30 am
by nickJG
haykinson wrote: Thu Sep 22, 2022 3:56 pm Nick, my kid and I are likely to be in Vegas this Saturday with my airplane, so happy to have you sit and fly (I am not a CFI, so not left seat) in it for a bit. PM me to arrange, if you’d like!
Brilliant! I've PM'd you - thanks so much

Re: DA40NG Frustrations

Posted: Sat Sep 24, 2022 11:28 pm
by nickJG
Ilya,

Thank you so much for letting me sit in and fly your beautiful NG. A wonderful aircraft! safe travels back to LA!

Re: DA40NG Frustrations

Posted: Sun Sep 25, 2022 1:58 am
by haykinson
Happy to have had you along, and hope you end up joining us in the land of Diamond aviators!