For the 864th time

DEALERS AND SALESMEN SUCK

 

This is a very tiresome topic. Either buy the bike from a dealer or don't. If sales go down, the price will drop, if it doesn't it won't. When I bought my Ultra I shopped around and bought the bike I had a few factors in mind, price, service, and attitude at the dealer when I was satisfied with all of these I bought the bike. I don't think selling a bike at above MSRP is gouging because no one needs a motorcycle. It is a luxury item.

If the dealer practices are too upsetting, find another dealer or go buy a Honda .

A couple of years ago I was buying a car. I walked over to look at a Corvette and right there on the sticker was a "Locality Fee" of 15,000.00. I believe Harley does the same thing they just don't have a sticker.

 

[quote]ORIGINAL: SanRico

Hello everyone,

I've debated posting this correspondence, but the riders are more important than the dealerships. This is from a couple of months back when I was purchasing a Softail Deluxe and was trying to find a good price.

When you walk into a car dealership, the sticker price (MSRP) is a figure that you would be crazy to pay. Usually, you try to bargain from the invoice and end up paying somewhere between invoice and sticker.

It seems crazy to me that Harley dealerships unapologetically charge riders ABOVE the MSRP, and there arecustomers lined out the door, willing to pay those prices, and thrilled to get financing at a ridiculous interest rate. Harley riders are being ripped off on a daily basis.

It's interesting to see this guy get defensive when I ask him WHY they are charging above MSRP. He just keeps asking me if I have a "better deal somewhere else." After I pressure him, he finally admits they aren't an MSRP dealership.

That is a fancy way of saying "we charge whatever the hell we want for this motorcycle, and you should be happy to pay it."

Read this correspondence from the bottom up to get the full story.


from: Mark C
to: Eric
date Jul 13, 2007 10:46 AM
subject RE: pricing on Deluxe/Classic

i have answer your question and the price of the bike is selling for $20,999.00 plus TT&L

there are nothing added to the bike it is stock!

we are not an m.s.r.p. dealer we selling the bike for what the owner put the prices at ! and that is $20,999.00

but we are not here to loose business so we try to get the offers that others will have and we try to win there business ...

so as for a break down in price there is not really one that is the price we been selling that bike for since 2005 when it came out. if it's black, color , or two-tone.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Eric
Sent: Friday, July 13, 2007 10:26 AM
To:Mark
Subject: Re: pricing on Deluxe/Classic

Mark,

You haven't answered my questions.

1. Are there additional fees on top of the asking price?
2. Are there additional accessories?
3. Why is it priced above MSRP?
4. What is the out-the-door price?

I'm dealing with your dealership, so what someone else can do the bike for is irrelevant.

Thanks,
Eric

----- Original Message -----
Sent: Friday, July 13, 2007 10:04 AM
Subject: RE: pricing on Deluxe/Classic

That is the starting price like I had said ….

But once again like I had ask you , if you have a purchase order that
you can get that bike lower and they have that bike I will see what I
can do to win your business.

If you don't then the price of the bike that we sell all year around
is $20,999.00 I am here to work to do a deal here but you have to tell
we and show me what some one else can do for you !

________________________________

From: Eric
Sent: Friday, July 13, 2007 9:56 AM
Subject: Re: pricing on Deluxe/Classic

I'm getting my numbers from the Harley Davidson website. I didn't add
in the two-tone option. Still, can you give me a breakdown on pricing?

$20,999 - $17980 = $3,019. What is the breakdown of the $3,019? And
are there additional fees (TTL) on top of it?

Thanks!

----- Original Message -----


To: Eric
Sent: Friday, July 13, 2007 9:48 AM
Subject: RE: pricing on Deluxe/Classic

Not sure where you got your numbers , but straight m.s.r.p is on a
two-tone bike is $17,980.00 plus fright , make ready, and deal prep.
In which that can change from deal to deal!

Like I said if you have a quote from some where else that is on paper
and they have the bike in stock (like we do) I will do everything I
can do to get your business.

_____________

 

I used to sell bikes for a metric dealer and very little consideration was given to e-mail enquiries. They are thought of as shotgun tactics and nothing else. Your salesman might have desplayed poor spelling and walked around the questions but I'll give him credit for atleast answering your inquiries. I don't think I would have responded after the first one.

 

Whaap has an excellent attitude for working at an "above MSRP" dealership.

I don't know if what they are doing is technically price gouging, but darn close.

All I can say is I won't shop at such a disrespectful merchant's store.

The Rocket Harley dealership is about five miles from my house and I drive 60 miles to Foster Harley in Tuscumbia Alabama for service and local purchases.

For example, the 1K service at Rocket was quoted at around $350. Foster charged actual labor time and parts for a total of approximately $150.

Another example, the 10K service on my nephews Softail was quoted at over $520 at Rocket. Again, Fostercharged actual labor time and parts for a total of approximately $170.

That, in my book, is gouging the local customer.

 

I think most people undrstand this. It's theFEW that think there is such a demand for HD and that they have to have instant gratfication that has caused the price gouging to happen to start with.

Bikes are a dime a dozen right now and any dealer thatis trying to get 2 or 3grand more than MSRP, and for a year old bike,should be passed by and the business go to someone that is trying to be fair. If you are not willing to shop around and travel a reasonable distance to get what you want, you are part of the reason that a few dealers are able to get away with these kinds oftactics.

If you are willing to let someone bend you over, charge outrageous prices and give sh!tty service, then don't come here b!tching about how you got screwed. With as many bikes as there are out there right now, any high demand is a false demand created by people that are too lazy to do a little leg work, and dealers that are taking advantage of their laziness.

I never paid more than MSRP for a HD, and I bought some in the lean years when there was a 6 month to one year waiting period.

Bill

 

I find it interesting that the same people that are outraged at the dealers for charging whatever they think they can get for a bike would have absolutely no problem doing the exact same thing if they were selling a bike on their own.

I'm sure these people would only sell their bike for KBB and not accept a penny more if they were offered it.

 

I'm not outraged at the dealers, butI am a little mistified at the stupid people that would that would pay these outrageous prices and drive the price up for everyone.

I am, however, outraged at dealers that charge the prices they do for service, and then give none, or very little. I have also noticed that these are the samedealers that try to charge the outrageous prices for bikes. My limited experience leads me to believe that gouging dealers are the same ones that have the most complaints about bad service.

Keep throwing your money at them, they will get the message and try to do better.

Bill

 

Exactly, if there weren't stupid people to pay these prices, they wouldn't be charging them. Ifpeople don't like the price, move on and findsomeone that sells cheaper. Getting pissed at the dealer for charging what he does is justsilly.

Agree 100%on the service side. You know why they get away with crappy service?Because stupid people allow them to. If enough people spoke up and took theirservice business elsewhere this problem would take care of itself. But there are too many people that are willing to except crappy service.

 

Agree 100%, Bill.