Question about pricing.
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Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 97
Likes: 36
From: North Central Massachusetts
I was at a dealership recently that started negotiations at $2k over MSRP. I quickly got them to drop it to $1k under, but then it all came back in dealer charges, to the tune of $2,600 plus tax. I walked.
Road Master
Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 997
Likes: 489
From: Louisville, KY
I may never buy another new bike--too many almost new bikes for sale from individuals--but I have bought a number of new ones. I try to "set the tone" for negotiations. When I am ready to hear a price I tell John, or whoever it may be, "Go in the back and sharpen your pencil on this one. And besides TAX and LICENSING I only want to see ONE FINAL NUMBER. Don't show me ANYTHING on your paperwork that says prep fee, freight, document fee, paint protection, etc., etc. And if your dealership really has to has some kind of BS fee to cut a deal then you include whatever amount you have to have for that nonsense in the ONE and ONE ONLY number you are going to show me and we will talk about it (actually, no we won't talk about it LOL). I had a salesman once tell me it was a law they had to charge for a document fee. I pulled out a hundred dollar bill and said put your hundred up against this one then show me on the Internet the document fee law you think there is (and I know from the Internet that here in KY a vehicle dealer MAY charge a document fee but there is nothing that says they MUST--also, if they do want to charge a document fee there are no laws or guidance and they may charge whatever they want and think they can get away with). And once a salesman said to price it out for me he had to use the dealership forms and they already have entries for a number of fees where they just enter the dollar amount of each fee. Seems he was also admitting they may not charge everybody the same price for each fee? Anyway, I told him we could just draw some lines through the already printed entries on the form and act like they weren't there cause of course he wasn't going to put any dollar amount in there anyway cause he was only gonna show me ONE number which would represent everything except tax and registration.
And I never did ever pay for freight, dealer prep or any document fee.
And I never did ever pay for freight, dealer prep or any document fee.
Banned
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 7,960
Likes: 6,716
From: WI
Curious where in WI? I was talking numbers to a dealer a couple weekends ago. I walked. They think they can get MSRP for their bikes. Maybe they can, just not to me. It's like they think they are still doing me a favor by selling me a bike. In today's market, I need a stellar deal, or I walk. I'm not the one needing to sell a product that is on a decline to stay in business, nor am I a consumer that "needs" to buy a new bike. I think the days of all these dealers on every corner are going to be coming to an end.
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 240
Likes: 7
From: WI
jamala00
Road Warrior
The two stops I made were in Appleton and Green bay.
I'd probably pay MSRP + freight but these guys want $1000 at one and $696 at the other over that.
Yes, I know like many of you have said (negotiate the price down) it part of the process but I look at it as price gouging. If you convince them to do away with the fees they act like their giving you this great deal @ MSRP.
Why should we have to play those games. I could go on about this but I won't.
Then when they start sending the emails and text is all but Honesty, family, loyalty and customer service. Ha...
Road Warrior
The two stops I made were in Appleton and Green bay.
I'd probably pay MSRP + freight but these guys want $1000 at one and $696 at the other over that.
Yes, I know like many of you have said (negotiate the price down) it part of the process but I look at it as price gouging. If you convince them to do away with the fees they act like their giving you this great deal @ MSRP.
Why should we have to play those games. I could go on about this but I won't.
Then when they start sending the emails and text is all but Honesty, family, loyalty and customer service. Ha...
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 3,983
Likes: 2,144
From: Ohio
Here's how I ALWAYS buy a motorcycle. I find the bike I want, locate a salesman, TELL HIM what I will give him for the bike OTD. I always pay cash for my bikes. He either takes it or leaves it. No added fees, shipping, prep, local taxes...NONE of that....... "I will give you XX amount of dollars for that bike. You can write the numbers up any way you want."...... I usually get the "let me talk to my manager" line. Then they go away for 5 minutes and come back and tell me yes or no. If it's no, then I say OK, thank you, and walk out. That has happened twice. Within 24 hours they called me and took my offer. If a salesman tries to sit me down and "go over the numbers" I refuse to do that. I again tell them what I will give them, in cash, for the bike I want....... No haggling......... Anyway, that's the way I buy a bike, and it's worked well for me. I've bought several bikes from the same dealer. They know me now, and they know that's how I buy motorcycles, so it's gotten easier to buy. I've gotten to the point where now I just go straight to the sales manager and deal with him instead of going through a salesman. They know when I come in that I'm serious about buying and not just wasting their time. It's saved me a lot of time and money.
The first thing dealers want to do to you is get you thinking about all the miscellaneous individual line items they want to put on the sales contract in order to distract you from the only thing that matters: The number at the bottom of the page.
This is not an accident. They have learned through decades of experience that if they make you feel good about "getting a deal" on some nonsensical line item ("I got them to give me half off the dealer prep charge!!"), they can give you one dry overall and you'll still tell all your friends how well you did. This is all pre-orchestrated on their part, but there is nothing that says you have to play along.
The bottom line is the only number that matters. Disregard all the noise and only talk about that one number: I get the bike, you get this many dollars.
Road Master
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 809
Likes: 570
From: Detroit Metro Area
Yes, as everyone here has sort of pointed out...I found out that those add ons are to keep the tire kickers at bay. Figure out what would be reasonable and offer less (allow you to negotiate up to what you want to pay). If you make them believe you are not wasting their time and are actually looking to buy you will get through that first door and things change. Look around the dealership...there are people milling about looking at everything and would just love to talk bikes and waste time. Those tags are to ward them off I believe. When I walked in and was serious they magically evaporated...but, be prepared to say no and walk if it is not what you want to pay. The dealer I bought my 2018 Limited from let me get all the way to the car door before they met my price (the 5th time I said no and tried to walk out).
By the way, I have read comments here that the 'specials', pretty much all of them as a collection, are selling the best at the moment.
By the way, I have read comments here that the 'specials', pretty much all of them as a collection, are selling the best at the moment.
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Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 15,793
Likes: 1,133
From: NorCal916
We just took delivery of a 2018 Ultra Limited from Iron Town HD in New Berlin, WI. Black in color. $26,999. Wasn't really planning on upgrading, however the dealership gave us a in house rebate check for $4800.00. Also traded in a 09 Cross Bones which they gave us $8300.00 for. They threw in a riders back rest and for $13899.00 we out the door. 4th HD, but first purchased new from a dealership. They were our best buddies for the entire time we were there. Stopped in 2 weeks later to check on our trade in (really loved the Cross Bones) and no one seemed to know who I was....... Oh well. I believe we got a good deal, perhaps not. If not, I'm sure you all will let us know.
Little C
Little C
Tourer
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 485
Likes: 84
From: Quincy, Ca
Here's how I ALWAYS buy a motorcycle. I find the bike I want, locate a salesman, TELL HIM what I will give him for the bike OTD. I always pay cash for my bikes. He either takes it or leaves it. No added fees, shipping, prep, local taxes...NONE of that....... "I will give you XX amount of dollars for that bike. You can write the numbers up any way you want."...... I usually get the "let me talk to my manager" line. Then they go away for 5 minutes and come back and tell me yes or no. If it's no, then I say OK, thank you, and walk out. That has happened twice. Within 24 hours they called me and took my offer. If a salesman tries to sit me down and "go over the numbers" I refuse to do that. I again tell them what I will give them, in cash, for the bike I want....... No haggling......... Anyway, that's the way I buy a bike, and it's worked well for me. I've bought several bikes from the same dealer. They know me now, and they know that's how I buy motorcycles, so it's gotten easier to buy. I've gotten to the point where now I just go straight to the sales manager and deal with him instead of going through a salesman. They know when I come in that I'm serious about buying and not just wasting their time. It's saved me a lot of time and money.
Funny thing last week I worked a deal on a used Ram for my son. It was at a dealership I had never been to. I was doing it because he had to work and didn't want it to get away. The advertised price was lower than other advertised trucks that were older with more mileage. We were going to pay the asking price but I casually mentioned if that was their best price. Salsman said yes that they were a no haggle dealer that is why it is priced less than the competition. It was a pleasant experience. I had told them that I was basically there to start the paperwork to hold it until we could come back to finish the deal and pick it up. I dreaded another trip as it was almost 4 hours away. The salesman said "you don't have to come back, we'll deliver it tomorrow". My jaw almost hit the floor. This was for a 4 year old truck that was not a top of the line either. If more dealers operated like this they would probably increase heir volume substantially.
kk