Disappointed...

[bramfrank]

+150 for D&H

With all respect, unless the dealer REALLY goes the extra miles when the going gets rough he just doesn't deserve your exra hard-earned dollars.

He is selling a commodity, one manufactured by Yamaha and it just doesn't matter where you get it - THE MONEY YOU SAVE IS YOUR OWN.

If you really don't mind wasting dollars, FEEL FREE TO MAIL ME A CHECK.

 

[Frushlorton]

I don't know where you are in MD, but Fredericksburg Powersports has a brand new 09 on the floor. clicky

 

[fljab]

When I bought my '09, I found the best price in Florida, called and verified with all the details, then took that to my local shop and we had a deal within 15 minutes. The salesman called the owner and made the deal.

It sounds "suspect" that you have to wait until Monday to talk to the owner; even if he(she?)is in Mongolia, chances are there's cell phone coverage...

 

[wfooshee]

I've done the same thing with buying cars. The last new car I bought was a '95 Probe GT, bought it in St. Pertersburg for $2000 less than I could get a Concours for here at home. Less money, more car. Well worth the trip.

Dealers think you don't know that there are other dealers with the same product.

 

[Pirnie]

The owner isn't unavailable - the sales manager has instructed your salesman to say that to you hoping you'll make the emotional decision on Monday and pay their price.

It's a selling technique the dealers call "cooling the customer's heels." The theory is if you go a weekend wanting the bike really bad, you'll be less picky about the price after the weekend. If the weather has been good in your area, the dealer's chances of making the deal on Monday or Tuesday increases by 33%.

Unfortunately, your salesman IS a part of all this too. His commission will be larger with a sale for a higher price.

The internet has changed the buying/selling paradyme completely. Yet, many dealers pretend to ignore this. The simple truth to them is, if you walk out the door on a sale, there is only a 25% chance you will come back in.

Lastly - never believe it if you're told "We're losing money on this deal." If they were losing money, they wouldn't make the deal. Last time I was told that my reply was "I wouldn't want you to lose money on me" and I walked out. Got a phone call before I could get home - they'd lowered the price by another $500, if I'd come back right now!

Pay the price you think is fair. Shop around. But always be ready to walk.

I'll step down from my soap box now.

 

[nofreeride]

The owner isn't unavailable - the sales manager has instructed your salesman to say that to you hoping you'll make the emotional decision on Monday and pay their price.
It's a selling technique the dealers call "cooling the customer's heels." The theory is if you go a weekend wanting the bike really bad, you'll be less picky about the price after the weekend. If the weather has been good in your area, the dealer's chances of making the deal on Monday or Tuesday increases by 33%.

Unfortunately, your salesman IS a part of all this too. His commission will be larger with a sale for a higher price.

The internet has changed the buying/selling paradyme completely. Yet, many dealers pretend to ignore this. The simple truth to them is, if you walk out the door on a sale, there is only a 25% chance you will come back in.

Lastly - never believe it if you're told "We're losing money on this deal." If they were losing money, they wouldn't make the deal. Last time I was told that my reply was "I wouldn't want you to lose money on me" and I walked out. Got a phone call before I could get home - they'd lowered the price by another $500, if I'd come back right now!

Pay the price you think is fair. Shop around. But always be ready to walk.

I'll step down from my soap box now.

Now there's a great post. Excellent info and advice.

 

[johnny80s]

The owner isn't unavailable - the sales manager has instructed your salesman to say that to you hoping you'll make the emotional decision on Monday and pay their price.
It's a selling technique the dealers call "cooling the customer's heels." The theory is if you go a weekend wanting the bike really bad, you'll be less picky about the price after the weekend. If the weather has been good in your area, the dealer's chances of making the deal on Monday or Tuesday increases by 33%.

Unfortunately, your salesman IS a part of all this too. His commission will be larger with a sale for a higher price.

The internet has changed the buying/selling paradyme completely. Yet, many dealers pretend to ignore this. The simple truth to them is, if you walk out the door on a sale, there is only a 25% chance you will come back in.

Lastly - never believe it if you're told "We're losing money on this deal." If they were losing money, they wouldn't make the deal. Last time I was told that my reply was "I wouldn't want you to lose money on me" and I walked out. Got a phone call before I could get home - they'd lowered the price by another $500, if I'd come back right now!

Pay the price you think is fair. Shop around. But always be ready to walk.

I'll step down from my soap box now.

Now there's a great post. Excellent info and advice.

Perfectly stated. My advice is walk. Go somewhere else.

 

[Timberwolf]

I have found that Pete's is pretty good in holding up their end of a deal. Before I found my 04, Powersports east wanted 3000 more for a AE model than Pete's did. I told the sales guy sorry buddy that is way too much. Even if you say that is the invoice price. I just told the guy sorry I am out of here. Every time I have priced a bike Pete's has always had the better deal. My friend just bought a 09 concours from them and only paid like 10,600. So they should deal on the FJR

 

[twistedcricket]

My local dealer wasn't willing to do anything on the price of the '07 (new) and still wanted to charge $600 for a "set up fee" I seriously considered the deal from D&H until I went to a dealer an hour east of where I live.

I've been back their for the serious maintenance, most recently I returned home yesterday after putting $420 in their bank for the valve maintenance and a coolant flush. The first time I was in for one of the other more serious maintenance options and i bought tires through them. I think that was a little under $1000. I was in for both recalls (they still get paid for those). I was there for something else, but I don't remember right now. So I've spent, let's round-up to $1800 over 3 years at the dealer I bought the bike from. That's not much in the grand scheme, but it could have been $0.

Walk from the local dealer. Don't respond to calls or voicemails right away (call back if you must, but don't call back immediately)

let the boss sweat...the sales guy will find another deal on another bike to work in the meantime I'm sure.

Pirnie's advice is outstanding. Don't get emotional. If that bike sells out from under you, so what. D&H or other online sources still have them. I think my (new ownership) local dealer still has one... I didn't ask about it when I was there to get an air filter...but I could go back and talk with them.

 

[Deacon51]

Well another two hours at Pete's and I'm still not the owner of a FJR. Seems they found a 2008, asking $10,700 Plus tax. I think I'm going to walk on it too.

 

[rvnmaniac]

Well another two hours at Pete's and I'm still not the owner of a FJR. Seems they found a 2008, asking $10,700 Plus tax. I think I'm going to walk on it too.

Which Pete's are you dealing with in Md. I'm just a few miles from the one on Belair Rd inside the belway, just curious...

 

[Deacon51]

Well another two hours at Pete's and I'm still not the owner of a FJR. Seems they found a 2008, asking $10,700 Plus tax. I think I'm going to walk on it too.

Which Pete's are you dealing with in Md. I'm just a few miles from the one on Belair Rd inside the belway, just curious...

Severna Park

 

[smitty141]

I have bought a few bikes over the years... I was within a few hundred dollars of making a deal with the local stealer. Like I say, a few hundred bucks, the next words out of his mouth was "Your going to buy out of town for a couple hundred dollars??? I said, your going to let me for a couple hundred bucks?"

I buy out of town all the time... It is a adventure getting there and riding the new bike home.... And local dealerships whine about lack of sales....Ride by the local guy and throw him some cheese to go with the whine..

Smitty

 

[Big-B]

I was talking to my local dealer at B&B in Lancaster, PA and he said (paraphrased), "I only have a limited number of bikes coming from Yamaha and KTM. I have to sell them for full price or not make enough to support the business.'

He used the example of only getting 2 of one of the KTM 990 models. He can't sell those way under list if that is all he is going to get for the year. Yamaha is not making as many bikes as in the past, so his options are limited there a well.

Not defending him, just reporting the news. From his viewpoint, supply has dwindled so demand will increase.

I really like the service people at B&B, although I have not yet bought a bike from them. But guess what? I have had them perform service, tires and most everything else with them. They sold their FJRs at whatever they are able to sell them for, while I searched out ebay prices on the three FJRs that I have purchased ('04, '05, and '06 AE). But they are way ahead from if I had purchased the bike from them for what I considered a reasonable price.

Brian

 

[wheatonFJR]

I have bought a few bikes over the years... I was within a few hundred dollars of making a deal with the local stealer. Like I say, a few hundred bucks, the next words out of his mouth was "Your going to buy out of town for a couple hundred dollars??? I said, your going to let me for a couple hundred bucks?"
I buy out of town all the time... It is a adventure getting there and riding the new bike home.... And local dealerships whine about lack of sales....Ride by the local guy and throw him some cheese to go with the whine..

Smitty

 

[SwollenRaccoon]

QUOTE (Big-B @ Apr 26 2010, 08:29 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I was talking to my local dealer at B&B in Lancaster, PA and he said (paraphrased), "I only have a limited number of bikes coming from Yamaha and KTM. I have to sell them for full price or not make enough to support the business.'
He used the example of only getting 2 of one of the KTM 990 models. He can't sell those way under list if that is all he is going to get for the year. Yamaha is not making as many bikes as in the past, so his options are limited there a well.

Not defending him, just reporting the news. From his viewpoint, supply has dwindled so demand will increase.

I really like the service people at B&B, although I have not yet bought a bike from them. But guess what? I have had them perform service, tires and most everything else with them. They sold their FJRs at whatever they are able to sell them for, while I searched out ebay prices on the three FJRs that I have purchased ('04, '05, and '06 AE). But they are way ahead from if I had purchased the bike from them for what I considered a reasonable price.

Brian
If they have to sell them for full retail to support the business, then they have a poor business plan. They will either; 1) Disappear as a business, or 2) Be a very marginal shop, barely staying afloat. In 1998, I had a guy at a local Honda shop tell me that it (98 SuperHawk) was probably the only one they would get that year, so he barely budged from full retail. Seeya later. If I had bought that bike, he would have had another one on the floor before the ink was dry on my sales contract. I went to another dealer, bargained for a decent price, and was a happy customer.

Buy it where you can get the best price, period. The last two bikes I bought new were at dealers about an hour and a half away. There were several (4 or 5) dealers that were closer, but I went with the lowest price. By the way, the longer ride home on a brand-new bike from a dealer farther away is one of better rides you will ever take, regardless of roads or scenery. Snnniiifffff.........Aaaahhhhhh.....that new bike smell.........

 

[rockmurf]

QUOTE (Big-B @ Apr 26 2010, 09:29 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I was talking to my local dealer at B&B in Lancaster, PA and he said (paraphrased), "I only have a limited number of bikes coming from Yamaha and KTM. I have to sell them for full price or not make enough to support the business.'
He used the example of only getting 2 of one of the KTM 990 models. He can't sell those way under list if that is all he is going to get for the year. Yamaha is not making as many bikes as in the past, so his options are limited there a well.

Not defending him, just reporting the news. From his viewpoint, supply has dwindled so demand will increase.

I really like the service people at B&B, although I have not yet bought a bike from them. But guess what? I have had them perform service, tires and most everything else with them. They sold their FJRs at whatever they are able to sell them for, while I searched out ebay prices on the three FJRs that I have purchased ('04, '05, and '06 AE). But they are way ahead from if I had purchased the bike from them for what I considered a reasonable price.

Brian
As long as he can sell them more power to him but it is when the bike sits there month after month year after year you can't tell me he won't make more money on service and accessories and not even including what he loses on floor plan.

 

[Aasland]

In 1998, I had a guy at a local Honda shop tell me that it (98 SuperHawk) was probably the only one they would get that year, so he barely budged from full retail.

Cycle City?

When I tried to buy a VFR from them in 2000 they pulled the same crap. I ended up buying from Hopkins Honda, who got me a great deal despite there not being a VFR on the floor - had to ship it in from Seattle. And their price was still lower than CC's.

Then it happened again a year later to friend looking for an ST1100 ... who ended up buying it in Cannon Falls.

Let's not get started on why we used to go all the way to Trimble's in Austin for service .... (although we had good luck with Cycle Pro's later).

 

[200cs]

WALK!

I never play the BS game. Purchased my FJR in Oklahoma due to all the Dallas dealers I called wanting to play games. I found Altus Motorsports online and they beat everyone's prices by nearly two thousand dollars. That was worth a days drive to me.

Pick up the phone and call all the dealers within a days drive and get an out the door price quote. Make sure there are no additional fees and you want to know to the penny what the price will be and have it faxed or emailed to you. Then pick the best one and go buy it. There is a reason places like D&H, Altus Motorsports and others do a lot of internet and high-volume business. They want to sell bikes and know how to do it. You can make more money and more happy customers selling in volume rather than trying to make it all on a few sales.

good luck.

 

[SwollenRaccoon]

In 1998, I had a guy at a local Honda shop tell me that it (98 SuperHawk) was probably the only one they would get that year, so he barely budged from full retail.

Cycle City?

When I tried to buy a VFR from them in 2000 they pulled the same crap. I ended up buying from Hopkins Honda, who got me a great deal despite there not being a VFR on the floor - had to ship it in from Seattle. And their price was still lower than CC's.

Then it happened again a year later to friend looking for an ST1100 ... who ended up buying it in Cannon Falls.

Let's not get started on why we used to go all the way to Trimble's in Austin for service .... (although we had good luck with Cycle Pro's later).

Very good guesses.

It was Trimble's in Austin. I won't set foot in Cycle City (too many bad stories of my own, plus other riding buddy's to even count). I ended up buying my Honda from Hitching Post in South St. Paul in 1998, and my 2008 FJR from MotoPrimo in Lakeville. And yes, CyclePros are a decent private shop for service.