This post may go more along with the Bad Dealer Experience Post posted on this site, but wanted to share.


Sure many can argue, and I will agree that selling outright is better on the pocket book than trading at the dealership, but there is the "convenience" of not having to go thru the process of selling your bike on your own. That's worth something if you can find a dealer who will treat you fairly.


Anyways, my local HD dealership (if you can call it local in SD) is sending a clear message that they don't want to deal with anything but Harley factory trikes now. In 2013 my wife had a trike built by another out of state HD dealership, who also sells all makes and models, plus sells/installs aftermarket trike kits. With HD's introduction of the M8, we decided to see about trading. We went and test drove a new TriGlide, and although not impressed with the handling vs. our bike/trike conversion asked about what our trike was worth on trade for a 17 TriGlide. Our 13 HD conversion had roughly 28k miles on it. The local HD dealership offered us $8000 for trade value. What a joke! I understand a dealership needs to make money too, but I'm not a fan of being raped. Especially when it appears trikes are the latest/hottest thing flying off dealership floors or being snatched up off websites like CycleTrader.


We went back to the HD dealer who built our 13 conversion and was offered $25k on trade.


Again what a joke.

 

Who is your "local" dealer?

 

Dealer in SE corner of SD

 

As always with this sort of thread my advice remains....Put up a few million dollars of your own money for a franchise, facilities, special tools, parts, etc. and you can offer yourself whatever trade in value you deem appropriate.

I am continually amazed at folks who rip a dealer for offering a trade in value they don't like. If it's unacceptable move on...if you went to WalMart and didn't like the price of an item would ya take the time to find the store manager and throw a fit? Of course not...you just wouldn't buy the item.

 

Yep, I hear you, and them, moved right on to another dealer.

 

And the 25 the other dealer offered can be made up in financing.

No vehicle is an investment.

I've never heard of a vehicle that actually held its value, rather it may depriciate slower than others.

I would think your after market kit decreased the value faster.

 

Perhaps the SE SD dealer does not want to have to absorb the warranty costs of the conversion and is leaving themselves ample room for the possibility of lower value (since it is not a stock HD nor a factory built trike) and also any work that may require them to farm it out to the dealer you had do the conversion in the first place (or some other shop).

 

That is exactly how I got my ultra. I had been thinking about adding a road couch to the garage, mostly for the OL. Looked at quite a few used machines. Anyway, I saw this one the day he posted it on cycletrader and he was pretty close to me. Went and looked at it, and it is nice. Asked the guy why so cheap, as I couldn't find anything major wrong with it. He proceeded to tell me how the dealer tried to bend him over. I got it well under book and slightly higher than trade in, and we both left happy.
I have heard that the trade in process is quite a racket. I wouldn't no, when I trade something in it is dead. I expected to get nothing more than scrap price.
But then again, motorcycles and toys of that nature once procured never leave me.

 

There are wide variances between what each dealership will offer on a trade. If you get a really low offer that is usually telling you they don't think they can resell the vehicle quickly and they will probably wholesale it. Of course they could be being greedy. Your best bet is to try several dealerships or try to sell it wholesale yourself if you don't want to find a buyer.

 

Then you've never heard of "Vincents" as they are appreciating in value. ALL of them.
Don't watch one of those "car auction" shows either. You're going to flip.
40 years ago, nobody paid 40 large for a mustang. But they will for that 40 year old mustang, today.

Really though, google Vincent motorcycle values. You better sit down first...