Micro Dot anyone have one?
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 20,616
Likes: 4,440
From: anacoco, la
here's my take on it.
i just recently purchased 2 2019 road glide specials. dealer gave me a price, i countered, we agreed on an otd price for 2 bikes, 5 year esp, and 1000 mile service included. now at this point, there was no discussion of any other add ons. when i got the contract to sign, i was looking over it, and it included dealer prep (we know that dealer gets reimbursed for this from the moco), and the micro dot theft protection. BUT, the bottom line out the door price was what we had agreed upon. so, i didn't care, and signed the papers, and had the bikes delivered to the house.
if the dealer wanted to write it up as $1.00 for the bike, and $x amount for fees, as long as the out the door price is what we agreed on, then i don't care.
i just recently purchased 2 2019 road glide specials. dealer gave me a price, i countered, we agreed on an otd price for 2 bikes, 5 year esp, and 1000 mile service included. now at this point, there was no discussion of any other add ons. when i got the contract to sign, i was looking over it, and it included dealer prep (we know that dealer gets reimbursed for this from the moco), and the micro dot theft protection. BUT, the bottom line out the door price was what we had agreed upon. so, i didn't care, and signed the papers, and had the bikes delivered to the house.
if the dealer wanted to write it up as $1.00 for the bike, and $x amount for fees, as long as the out the door price is what we agreed on, then i don't care.
Novice
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 21
Likes: 31
From: Cottage Grove, OR
$300 might be a good deal if you wanted it. But given no choice it is a pretty lousy sales tactic.
When you say "Most of us dealers have to fight against" I am curious how serious an issue it is? I have never had a dealer before tell me that options were not an option. It reeks of desperation to make a sale.
When you say "Most of us dealers have to fight against" I am curious how serious an issue it is? I have never had a dealer before tell me that options were not an option. It reeks of desperation to make a sale.
Most people come to a dealer expecting to get ripped off thanks to dealers like this one taking advantage of people.
Club Member
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 7,618
Likes: 10,437
From: Des moines IA
I went with my daughter when she bought her last car. She wanted me to check it out with/for her. Worked out a deal with the salesman, wrote it up and then goes to the finance department. The deal comes back with paint protection and vin etching attached for an added charge.
My daughter caught it and asked about it. The guy tells her it's on all of their cars and trucks. She told him she didn't want either of them. He insisted it was required and the items were already done. I walked out to the car, no vin etching was done. He said all vehicles there have it done before they go on the lot. I showed it to the salesperson and told him to remove
the charges for it and paint protection. He just insisted that the etch will have to be done. I told him no sale then and we walked out of the office.
Before we could make it to my truck the manager shows and tells us he'll take the etching off the invoice since it wasn't done yet. I told him to take paint protection off also, to which he said it was already done, because all their vehicles have it done before they are up for sale. I told him we heard that about the etching too, but alas, it wasn't.
She got the car for the original agreed on price.
My daughter caught it and asked about it. The guy tells her it's on all of their cars and trucks. She told him she didn't want either of them. He insisted it was required and the items were already done. I walked out to the car, no vin etching was done. He said all vehicles there have it done before they go on the lot. I showed it to the salesperson and told him to remove
the charges for it and paint protection. He just insisted that the etch will have to be done. I told him no sale then and we walked out of the office.
Before we could make it to my truck the manager shows and tells us he'll take the etching off the invoice since it wasn't done yet. I told him to take paint protection off also, to which he said it was already done, because all their vehicles have it done before they are up for sale. I told him we heard that about the etching too, but alas, it wasn't.
She got the car for the original agreed on price.
Thread Starter
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 5,023
Likes: 1,352
From: Virginia
here's my take on it.
i just recently purchased 2 2019 road glide specials. dealer gave me a price, i countered, we agreed on an otd price for 2 bikes, 5 year esp, and 1000 mile service included. now at this point, there was no discussion of any other add ons. when i got the contract to sign, i was looking over it, and it included dealer prep (we know that dealer gets reimbursed for this from the moco), and the micro dot theft protection. BUT, the bottom line out the door price was what we had agreed upon. so, i didn't care, and signed the papers, and had the bikes delivered to the house.
if the dealer wanted to write it up as $1.00 for the bike, and $x amount for fees, as long as the out the door price is what we agreed on, then i don't care.
i just recently purchased 2 2019 road glide specials. dealer gave me a price, i countered, we agreed on an otd price for 2 bikes, 5 year esp, and 1000 mile service included. now at this point, there was no discussion of any other add ons. when i got the contract to sign, i was looking over it, and it included dealer prep (we know that dealer gets reimbursed for this from the moco), and the micro dot theft protection. BUT, the bottom line out the door price was what we had agreed upon. so, i didn't care, and signed the papers, and had the bikes delivered to the house.
if the dealer wanted to write it up as $1.00 for the bike, and $x amount for fees, as long as the out the door price is what we agreed on, then i don't care.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 2,627
Likes: 1,348
From:
You know, this really pisses me off! Me, and a lot of others here really want H-D to succeed and continue to make, service and support the bikes we love but - this type of crap does not make it easy.
Between the problems with the M8s, the MoCo not doing the right thing when things go wrong, $40 tee-shirts and the shenanigans of the STEALERships (there, I said it - not sorry) the other brands are looking better and better.
Can you imagine a business model where customer service was top priority - followed very closely behind by customer relations? Can you say mom and pop dealerships? I don't want your stinkin' free coffee; I want coffee and a relationship with the dealership - a relationship based upon and centered upon my satisfaction with the machine and the experience - not some fake, phony profit motovated smile (or was it a smirk?). I want to look at the metrics and other brands who have to deal with car dealership thinking for their brand choice while I enjoy a favorable experience with retailers who share my passion for the brand and the experience. I can wish upon a star - but it's becoming more and more obvious that it just ain't happening.
I sold my HOG stock back when it was HDI - glad I did. I own two Harleys with a third inbound and am really trying to feel good about it. Trying to hope I didn't make a mistake doubling down on the M8 platform.
BTW: Negotiating an Out The Door price is the only way to do. They can charge me $80 to sniff the exhaust and $396 for adding 78% nitrogen to my tire air for all I care - just gimme the the OTD price agreed upon.
BTW: Good on you for walking out; more folks should do exactly that.
Between the problems with the M8s, the MoCo not doing the right thing when things go wrong, $40 tee-shirts and the shenanigans of the STEALERships (there, I said it - not sorry) the other brands are looking better and better.
Can you imagine a business model where customer service was top priority - followed very closely behind by customer relations? Can you say mom and pop dealerships? I don't want your stinkin' free coffee; I want coffee and a relationship with the dealership - a relationship based upon and centered upon my satisfaction with the machine and the experience - not some fake, phony profit motovated smile (or was it a smirk?). I want to look at the metrics and other brands who have to deal with car dealership thinking for their brand choice while I enjoy a favorable experience with retailers who share my passion for the brand and the experience. I can wish upon a star - but it's becoming more and more obvious that it just ain't happening.
I sold my HOG stock back when it was HDI - glad I did. I own two Harleys with a third inbound and am really trying to feel good about it. Trying to hope I didn't make a mistake doubling down on the M8 platform.
BTW: Negotiating an Out The Door price is the only way to do. They can charge me $80 to sniff the exhaust and $396 for adding 78% nitrogen to my tire air for all I care - just gimme the the OTD price agreed upon.
BTW: Good on you for walking out; more folks should do exactly that.
Last edited by Jehu; May 27, 2019 at 05:08 PM.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 35,824
Likes: 38,688
From: Post Falls, ID
It's dealer profit, cops don't use or have the technology to read "microdots" in the field.
I was at Ram dealer in Las Vegas a few weeks ago and the dealer wanted $299 for a flashing CHMSL . No thanks, what if I didn't want it? Sorry, mandatory dealer installed accessory.
In other words, mandatory dealer profit for a $10 flasher.
I was at Ram dealer in Las Vegas a few weeks ago and the dealer wanted $299 for a flashing CHMSL . No thanks, what if I didn't want it? Sorry, mandatory dealer installed accessory.
In other words, mandatory dealer profit for a $10 flasher.
Last edited by upflying; May 27, 2019 at 05:08 PM.
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