It's called Free Enterprise......why someone is upset with that concept is beyond me. Maybe you would be happy if they all quoted you the same price....$880.00 because that's what would happen to the prices with your train of thought.

 

I could not have said it better if I THOUGHT about it!

 

i'm gonna disagree with you guys here. parts is at msrp. that shouldn't change (substantially) from dealer to dealer (though some do charge msrp+). the labor should be done at flat rate, x whatever the dealer charges for labor. that is usually within 10.00 of each other.

so the 1k service at dealer a should be about the same as at dealer b. or at least within a couple dollars.

so whats the incentive for the dealer to earn my money? do a good friggin job! clean up your damn smudges offa my tins, don't leave that to me. maybe even learn who i am so when i come in, you can treat me like a 'friend' as opposed to a wallet with feet.

i guarantee you that the dealer who treats his customers better, will always have the fuller service bays.

 

DaddyKnuck ; we need to have a beer sometime , great minds and all that

Said it before , you guys really need to get weened from the dealer tit , it's almost embarrassing sometimes reading all the whining .

 

The search for the best value is the American way. The thrill of the hunt and the score of the lowest price.

The accessory catalog lists the retail price. The shops post their labor rates. Just what is the mystery? The on line dealers that give 20% are well known. The independent parts places like J&P Cycles are well know.

I don't put much merit in your whining.

Start shining and stop whining.

 

Yeah; this "all over the place pricing" thing kills me. I go to Las Vegas HD and the 10k is like $600 I go to Kingman AZ and its mid $300's. Part/acc are no better. Locally its full list plus tax (8.1%). At any number of dealers its 20% off and often free shipping. Even if I pay shipping it almost always less than the tax. I should be able to go to a dealer and pay close to the same price for the same service/part

 

Great post! Two personal examples:

1. Several years ago I was looking for a front wheel that I could run tubeless on my '93 Sportster. I liked the HD LighteningStar wheel, but it listed for $635.00. The local 'stealer' wouldn't come off one damn dime on the price, so I looked around on the net. Found one on ebay being sold by a HD dealer up north .... for $315.00 SHIPPED! If the local 'stealer' had been a 'dealer' and come off a few bucks I might have bought there.

2. Now I have an '02 Heritage, and again I'm wanting to run tubeless tires. I'm needing a rear tire, so I"m looking at at HD Chrome Fatboy wheel. Retail is $449.95. Again, the local 'stealer' won't deal. And, I bet he didn't think that if he sold me the wheel, he might get to install it.. more money for him....NOOOOOO. I bought the wheel online at Chicago HD at a 20% discount and had it installed at an indy shop... where I also bought the tire!!!

 

Do mostly my own work, but, I have established relationships with people at local dealers so they always take care of me when I do go in.

 

+1 on doing my own work, at least what is within my ability. My bike hasn't seen the dealer for a x mile service since the 1K done 5 years ago and it now has 73K on the clock. I will be needing a top end done within the next year or so, and it will definitely be going to one of the local indy shops to be done. Most of the parts I buy are bought online from Chicago HD and installed myself. Zanotti's is usually a little less expensive, but after paying more for shipping, the total price is higher than CHD.

 

It's all about what the market will bear...nothing more...nothing less.