As some of you know, due to a close call with a black Lab puppy, I am in the process of trading my 08 Ultra for an 09 Ultra with ABS. Anyway, I’m getting some interesting information during the Quest process so I thought I’d share.

First off, I spent a frustrating 2 hours at the dealer yesterday trying to work a deal. Same dealer where I bought my 08. This was my exploratory test just to see where I am. I’ve already decided that my goal is trade or sell my bike and add $4K to get what I want. Unfortunately the salesmen I dealt with last year was no longer there. So the new guy tells me that as a valued repeat customer they would do everything humanly possible to earn my business and that I would get the VIP treatment.

When I arrived I was very encouraged to see that they had a used 08 Ultra, Black Pearl no stage 1, stock exhaust, hardly any add-ons, 10K miles for sale for $20,995.00.

To get to the point, they offered me $14,900 for my 08 Ultra, 3000 miles, Perfect Condition, Stage 1, Rinehart TD’s, PC3, Big Air Kit, Wheeldock center stand, and some other goodies and chrome. Then he told me that the price on the new 09 was $24,500 plus standard bend-over charges. So add the tax on the difference and they wanted my bike plus approx $11,000 to make the deal OTD. I wonder what the price would have been for a non-valued, non-repeat, regular non-VIP customer. I mean it’s just as if he walked into that office and said.. “Hey, are you a stupid f@#*ing idot?”

So once I finally stopped laughing and cleaned up the coffee that came through my nose, the sales guy looks me in the eye and says very seriously…. “Look, we paid $16,300 to the factory for your bike last year, so why would we pay you any more for a used one?”

So then I eloquently explained my thoughts on the Valued Customer / VIP theory and suggested that his offer should really have included some complimentary Vaseline. I told him I’d give him my bike plus $4,000. So then of course he says no way but that he will go and talk to his Mommy anyway. As you all know, they do this so you can see them through the window as they take turns acting concerned and writing on a piece of paper in what I am sure was a very exciting game of Tic-Tac-Toe. Finally, after a hard fought battle, he comes back with an offer of my bike plus $ 6,000. WOW, I just made 5K in 10 minutes. Now I have to admit that this offer was much better that the first “We’re Just Checking to See How Stupid You Are” offer. So I just told him my offer is firm and to respect that and to call me if he changes his mind and then I left the store and hung out in front to have a smoke before riding home. He didn’t come out and stop me from leaving the parking lot so I learned some valuable information. That information is this: A new 09 from this particular dealer will cost me my bike and somewhere between 4K and 6K. I won’t name the dealer because I don’t have anything good to say about them. I’m lucky that there are 9 dealers within 100 miles

BTW, I think the MSRP on my bike last year was about $21,800 so according to this guy the invoice on these bikes might be around $5,500 under MSRP. Now that’s valuable information.

So the Quest continues and I call Skagit Harley, Mt Vernon WA and talk to a real straight shooter named Dave. The salesmen up there are on salary, no commission. Plus the asking price on the 09 Ultra was slightly under MSRP which is unusual for a phone quote. He also gave me another valuable piece of information for any of you that are ever planning to trade. Some dealers, including his, will offer to broker the transfer if I can find my own buyer. The way it works is that I meet my buyer at the dealer and we have a service tech do the old 25 point safety and fluids check on the bike. I transfer the bike to the dealer and the buyer signs the liability forms and can take a test ride. The dealer then sells the bike to my buyer for the price that my buyer and I have already settled on. The buyer also pays any sales tax which he would have had to do anyway once he registered it after a private sale. Then that purchase amount becomes a trade in credit towards the new bike. The dealer charges me $200 to do the paperwork but it saves me $$ by getting more $$ for my bike and not having to pay the 9% sales tax on most of the new bike purchase. It also saves the buyer the hassle of going to the DMV for registration. Dave tells me that they will be happy to appraise my bike and make an offer but that I’ll do better if I can find my own buyer. Quite a different experience.

So the buyer transfer strategy may be the next step in The Quest for ABS.

 

Most dealers consider all add-ons and upgrades pretty much worthless on a trade in. Hopefully, you saved all your old parts to put back on before you sell/trade your bike. You can sell the parts that won't fit the '09 on Ebay for about 30-50% of what you paid for them. Better than nothing.

Good luck, and watch out fer them puppies!

John

 

Thanks for the post. I am shopping and learning and planning test rides (soon, but too cold still), so your info is helpful and instructive. Here in Canada, although the CDN $ is worth less (that's two words, BTW), H-D has been consistent in adjusting prices direct to the Canada - US $ exchange rate, even dropped the price three times in those lofty days of 2008 (didn't have the dough then).

Will watch with interest.

-Caper

 

Let's see...you have a bike that even you don't want and it has a bunch of stuff on it that's really not worth much of anything to anyone else either.

Personally, I think it takes a lot more then buying one bike and some accessories from any dealer to become a "VIP" customer. That classification, IMHO, is earned over a long period of time.

Unfortunately, the quote above is most likely how many dealers feel about many customers...

 

After reading this story another reason I'm glad I added ABS, and will ride my bike until the wheels fall off. Clint55, lets hope you find a decent deal and trade in offer soon.

 

Since the ABS is $800 they're basically offering you to trade from your 08 to an 09 for $5000 plus the price of ABS, sounds like a good deal. You realize that your bike has depreciated a lot since last year don't you?

I've got an 08 Classic with True duals, PCIII, Detachable tour pack, Mustang 3 piece seat, Painted inner fairing, spun aluminum gauges, and a chrome front end. If I were to sell it, I'd maybe get $15k for it. If you want to trade every year, you're going to pay the price.

 

I admit I am on the opposite coast and prices may be a little different, but I traded my 05 Road King Custom just 3 weeks ago. It had a stage 2 95 kit, Rinehart 2 into 1 and TM Auto Tune. I took OFF everything that I wanted, puit stock components back on ( Dead Center Fairing, Tour pak, aftermarket boards, LOTS of chrome, etc.) I got 12,700 for my trade. I sold all my take off stuff I couldn't use for $ 5500.00! Reused what I could and spent the rest buying new Tour Pak, lowers, etc. This bike was in excellent condition and had about 18000 miles on it. They sold it a week later for 15,300. I bought my 09 Road Glide for MSRP (decent cause all dealers in this area add at east a small premium cause they are selling bikes) , 20% off parts I bought at delivery and labor to install them. I feel like I got a decent deal because this dealer has always treated me and my family right and I get a lot of perks there during the year. SO I really feel you can do much better trading a newer Ultra and buying a new Ultra. You are wise to look around, I wouldn't give them another chance

 

I traded in my 07 Ultra for an 09 in late September. I got 17.5 for my bike, and 1K off the new one. I thought it was a pretty fair deal.

They still have the 07 on the floor. I'm not sure what they would really sell it for, but used bikes aren't worth much right now.

eBay is a pretty good indicator of what your bike will bring on the open market. Take a look and see what the 08's are selling for. The dealer will need to make at least 2K on top of that, plus he'll have to clean and inspect.

 

When I was looking for my Ultra, I sent e-mails to all the local dealers for a quote. Out of the 5 I sent, two never answered, one said "If you were serious, you would come down and talk to us" That dealer is 60 miles away (120 round trip) and I wasn't going to waist a trip without at least a ballpark figure. One said he would beat any price, but wouldn't give me a quote, and one actually gave me a quote that was below MSRP. Well, I went down to the one that actually gave me the info I requested and that's where I bought my bike. When I asked about my trade, they asked what I was looking for, so not to insult me with there numbers.
The sale was easy, as for the service dept, that was another story and I already told them the bike would never go back there for any kind of service, even for free.

 

SInce the MSRP on a 2009 Ultra in black, is 22,700 and that INCLUDES shipping, ABS, and the wheel option, and the California Emmisions...I'd say he is trying to screw ya, and I definatly would not go back for any reason.

As for the Trade, I got more than they offered yiou on my 06 ultra when I traded it last year for the 08. and I had 38K on the clock.

Its no wonder we call them STEALERS