Any tips on dealing with the dealership or what to watch out for?

 

Welcome to the H-D Forums from Idaho ! ENJOY !

 

Don't do what I did. I took one for a test ride and the dealer helped me figure out how to get it in my garage......

Welcome.

 

Welcome
This game plan has worked for me over the years:
Shop several dealerships
Have facts such as dealer cost, trade-in values & payment amount on APRs (available on several websites).
Negotiate price of new bike (Don't argue the dealer fees at this point & DO NOT mention a trade-in, if you have one).
If you get to an agreement on the new bike, bring up your trade-in.
Negotiate price of trade-in (if you got a decent discount on the new bike, you'll be more likely to get closer to trade-in value than a retail value for your trade-in)
If you finally get together on those prices, negotiate accessories.
If you agree on the above, go to the F/I office. This is where you can negotiate the 'dealer fees' and rates. If they "can't" remove the dealer fee, have them discount the bike the appropriate amount.
When done with F/I person, compare the "Out The Door" price to other dealers.


Some things I've learned in no particular order of importance:
I do not negotiate payments with the salesperson under any circumstances. There is a reason why payments are always brought up by the salesperson. Its called paying too much!
I follow the process and do not get emotional. Either they sell me a bike 'my way' or I'll buy somewhere else.
Everything is negotiable, including extended warranty and service plans (you may have to shop the internet after the sale on the extended warranty)
Accessories cost about half of retail.
Freight is a real charge on the dealer invoice & not included on seedealercost.com whose prices are on vivid black bikes.
$25 is not enough to pay for prep.
If the dealer accepts your first offer, you paid too much.
Be patient, be reasonable, negotiate from facts & make them do the same.
If you're reasonable its a fairly quick process with most dealers.


Btw, Road Glide Specials are one of those models that are hot sellers in some markets and dead in the water in other markets. Shop around.

 

Always ask for the Out the Door price and don't ask the dealer to tell you how he got there with his numbers - who cares if the Dealer is charging you $20k for dealer prep and $1.00 for the bike - you paying $20,001.00 for the bike is the only thing that matters, right...

 

The old "bait and switch" gimmick.

 

Good luck! The local HD dealer is listing a 2016 FLHXS in black candy paint for $27,444 and the HD web site list it for $26,199 ?? JC

 

And people wonder why Harley dealers can put up palaces. What, do you work for a dealer? I care, because if dealer A can sell me a bike for $20000 plus dealer fees of $500 and another dealer will sell me the same bike for $19500 plus dealer fees of $1000 (really the same deal), you can be sure I'm going hit up dealer A for the $19500 price + his normal fees. I may not get the whole $500 savings, but even a weak puppy will get some of it.

 

Different dealerships usually have different owners and different operating costs. OTD price is all that matters to me, and I'm not going to go back and forth between dealers like a ping pong ball after analyzing their price quotes. There are enough dealers in my area that they have to compete. I'm shopping for an ATV right now, and it's the same thing but on a smaller scale. In the end it comes down to how long and far do I want to drive, and how much haggling I want to do.
Good luck with your purchase, OP.

 

DO NOT approach the purchase from the, "how much can I afford a month" vantage. Negotiate the TOTAL out the door cost of the bike.