I'm looking for a 2011 because of the heat/idle thing they now have (shuts off rear piston at idle by option) I figure that should help with the one and only complaint I hear about Harleys....

I won't be buying until about Jan-Feb (the wife's Malibu will be paid off) so we should be past the new model era and into a low seasonal selling time frame. I've financed 3 bikes so far through USAA Bank (Ret AF) and their rate is only 6.74%. They also pre-approve so I'll basically I will have cash in hand when I do the deal (last time I was approved for enough to get a CVO). I also have a list of the nearest 30 dealers to Sacramento. When I bought my second bike, I saved 8% and drove 82 miles to pick it up.
This is a ride I will keep for a long time and am willing to go through a lot of paces to get exactly what I want (2011 Road King in Black/Merrlot). I will have extras on it including cruise and the security package.

I'll be armed with a list of exactly and will start the formal bidding/searching process at about mid-December. The main thing I was looking for is are there folks out there that were able to get a swinging deal for as far as I'm concerned I'm on a mission from Divine Providence.

Thanks in advance!!!

 

I'm not asking anyone to give any details on what they got. That would be invasive. Many have told me you can't get a deal on a Harley and I'm too old to buy it. I was simply looking for is it done and how to approach which falls into what I plan to do. This will be th only post I'll do asking this question.

THANK YOU everyone for your imput. I know how to proceed from here...

 

You might want to also go to them and let them match the rate you can get from your bank.

This allows the dealer to make some money off the financing and gives them more room to work with the price.

 

sounds like you really do not need our help, but your dreamin if you think your going to get a screamin deal on a 2011 bagger good luck, again what do you consider a screamin deal

 

Paying cash hurts?

A dealer can make more profit from financing, but I've never seen a car or motorcycle dealer refuse a good offer when paying with cash.

Just listen to the tone in their voice when you talk bottom line for a financed deal vs. when you have your checkbook in your hand. (A friend of mine does it the Dave Ramsay way--he actually brings in cash! It just hypnotizes them, and he gets screamin' deals.)

A straight cash deal is simple for them, a lot less time and bother. They'll respond to the cash deal accordingly.

 

My local H/D dealer wasn't interested in that suggestion. As an earlier poster stated - Tier 1 - 5.99%

 

Yep. Paying cash hurts.

For the reasons already stated, ( they make more money) a dealer would prefer to put you on a finance plan.

 

If you are not trading one in, it simplifies the deal. If you are trading in, the trade can vary from one dealer to another. I bought a 2011 RGU last month and two dealers were nearly identical, while the third was nearly $2000 higher on the trade-in value.

Look at the Dealer Setup charges and doc fees. The dealers on the coast tend to be higher than those inland, as they build overhead costs into the Dealer Prep. My local dealer charges $650, House of Thunder just north of San Jose is $1199! Doc fees run $38 to $250 as well.

Chances of getting one below MSRP in California are about equal to winning the lottery on a single ticket. If a dealer is above MSRP, don't waste your time. Walk away.

As far as paying cash - the dealer can make substantially more if you finance it at a high interest rate. They sell the contract for a price more than you financed, so you can sometimes negotiate a better price if you finance, THEN pay it off without penalty.

If at all possible, buy local. If you can build a good relationship with your local dealer, it will pay off every time you need help, advice, parts, etc. The 2011s were released while we were on vacation, and I was very interested in the RGU. Shopped it on the way home, didn't get numbers that I could live with, and decided to wait until spring. Called the local dealer and told him I was going to wait. He said that was fine, but I was still welcome to come test-ride the bike. Rode the bike, visited with him for ~45 minutes about our vacation, some of the strange colors the MoCo is putting out, everything BUT buying a RGU. NO pressure whatsoever - half an hour before closing, I asked him to run the numbers. He did, and they were much, much better than the other dealers. Why? Because he knew my bike, knew me, and valued me as a customer.

That relationship takes time (and money!) to build, but it pays off every time I have contact with them. I ordered the Kury passenger footpegs that swing over the rear floorboards so that my grandson can ride on the back. They called last Thursday to say the parts had arrived, and then my father-in-law called to invite me on a ride to the coast Saturday. I was going to have the grandson with me, so...checked with his parents (who were fine with it AND told him) and hustled over Friday afternoon to get the parts. Oops - vendor shipped the wrong part and the new guy at the Parts Dept missed it when he received it. Mistakes happen, but grandson was going to be very disappointed. Parts Manager is called over by the new guy, and he says to hang on a minute. Goes in back and comes out with HD floorboard relocation brackets - they move the rear floorboard brackets up 2.5". Tells me to return them when the Kury stuff comes in. I liked then and cancelled the Kury stuff. Grandson got to ride to the coast Saturday and again Sunday - and he's already planning this weekend.... I called the Parts Manager Tuesday and thanked him again, and know I'll continue to get help when I need it.

Called Service yesterday and asked about getting on the dyno Saturday. He said they try to avoid Saturday dynos, but he knew I'd want to be there for it so....8 AM Saturday.

It's a whole different experience than car buying. At least in California, MSRP is the norm - and it's rare that a dealer will move off that on current model year bikes. Loyalty discounts won't happen on your first purchase from a dealer. Realize that good dealers will sell every touring bike they can get. Those that have a big supply left at the end of the year haven't been competitive.

 

I thought the rates were good at USAA also until I saw that I could get 2.84 or 3.84 at Service Credit Union depending if I decided to do Direct Deposit with them. I opted for 3.84 as I like the bank I'm with already.


EagleMark (HD Financing) came back with 9.25% Don't think so boys....

Check out SCU as a retired military member you may get a better rate than 6.74

 

I just bought a 2010 road glide and got a really good deal. The others are right they will really deal more on a 2010. I used a Victory Cross Country as my bargaining point. It really seemed to annoy them to be loosing business to Victory. The Victory sticker was $1000 less the the road glide and the victory dealer didn't add $1000 worth of fees to the deal like Harley does. They had like a $199 flat fee. When it was all said and done I got the bike I really wanted for the price of the one I compared it to.