Sad Times in Santa Cruz
Big Kahuna HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 23,881
Likes: 34
From: USA
This will effect all types of dealerships of anything from Autos to Lawnmowers to Harley's. You will see metric dealers closing as well. Credit & financing are their life blood. Once you cut that off they are dead in the water as "cash only" buyers are pretty scarce today...General Motors expects to eliminate 1/3 of their dealerships in the US through consolidation. We have lost 6 GM dealers here in Cleveland in the last 18 months. In my office building the automotive finance company here laid off everyone in 1 hour and put a sign on the door to forward everything to their office in Dallas. They provided financing to 80% of the auto dealers here....they all just left and left the computers on their desks still on with the screen savers going. Been that way for 4 weeks now. They aren't coming back from what I understand.
This is some serious $hit. Lots of people will get hurt this time.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 3,364
Likes: 33
From: So Cal The Golden State
Isn't this so strange, it almost sounds surreal. GM & Ford flat on their backs, layoffs mounting nation wide and most likely globally as well and for what? A monetary policy shaped and crafted in Washington to keep the country running , all the while we have been de industrializing ourselves for free trade and trying to make the world like us!
Here in Vegas the dealership opened a new second large store this month, and I wish them success, but they are still trying to get 4-5k over msrp and while I wish them luck, I would rather pay msrp and get a new bike, and buy 4-5k in custom parts, but they want it all, too bad, I will not buy from them.
We are all in deep **** here and with no leadership at the helm for the last 8 years, I hope the new kid will have a plan for us,.
We all need to help out were we can, but our business leaders and their greed have put us all in this pandora's box. ( I personally would like to see some jail time for a lot of these creeps) We will emerge, but I fear for us until that happens.
I plan on buying a new Chevy pickup ( the bargains on 2008 are great) and maybe a new Harley in the spring, I feel although I don't need them, I can make the payments and help my fellow Americans work.
Hopefully The Santa Cruz folks can resurrect if possible, but I can imagine what the Overhead is on 2 new stores and low sales.
This is not good
Here in Vegas the dealership opened a new second large store this month, and I wish them success, but they are still trying to get 4-5k over msrp and while I wish them luck, I would rather pay msrp and get a new bike, and buy 4-5k in custom parts, but they want it all, too bad, I will not buy from them.
We are all in deep **** here and with no leadership at the helm for the last 8 years, I hope the new kid will have a plan for us,.
We all need to help out were we can, but our business leaders and their greed have put us all in this pandora's box. ( I personally would like to see some jail time for a lot of these creeps) We will emerge, but I fear for us until that happens.
I plan on buying a new Chevy pickup ( the bargains on 2008 are great) and maybe a new Harley in the spring, I feel although I don't need them, I can make the payments and help my fellow Americans work.
Hopefully The Santa Cruz folks can resurrect if possible, but I can imagine what the Overhead is on 2 new stores and low sales.
This is not good
No leadership, since this reeks of a rant to start. But the Dems have had as much leadership if not more than GW. The change we are going to get is all the past Clintonites.
Relative to the stores on tough time can not comment on SC-HD but some of the SoCAL dealerships will be reaping what they sowed. And thats the way business goes. When times where good some of these bastards would not even get off their @sses to shake your hand.
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 13,402
Likes: 941
From: Illinois
I see you violated the Federal wage and hour rules on overtime quite often. Possibly this lack of ethics showed in other areas as many other HD dealers facing the same economy as you are doing fine.
Of course it is not too late for them to file a claim. You simply can not do the work on a voluntary basis that is the work that you do.
Of course it is not too late for them to file a claim. You simply can not do the work on a voluntary basis that is the work that you do.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 2,923
Likes: 13
From: Asscrackistan
Only two people know the real/true story! Most business fail do to poor managing. That said, dealerships retain dealership status by meeting sales quotas/volume, if you have a bad rap in sales and service, your life is cut even shorter! Some dealers just plain need to go out of business. As with most all products sold today, are to high priced, plain and simple. If prices were reduced to a more realistic number, sales would be better. Grant it, today's economy isn't helping. It's good old American greed that always stands in the way, especially with the so called American made, over hyped over priced Harley! Our local stealer shouldn't be in business, to much attitude, unprofessionalism and just plain arrogant, especially one of the clowns in service. The other is just passive and walks with his tail between his legs! It's called Karma, it's finally getting to them, as deserved! I hope GM goes under too, they need to get a clue, file Chapter 11, reorganize and tell existing employees they have to re apply for their job. Then TELL them what pay and bennies are, NOT the Unions that create the higher prices do to ridiculous packages being negotiated!
Road Master
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 824
Likes: 3
Back to the original point of the thread, it's sad to see Santa Cruz Harley go. They were a fixture in Santa Cruz for about 80 years under several different owners. I shopped there and had service done there, and they had a fine shop. Just goes to show, in an economy like the one we enjoy now, no one is safe.
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Intermediate
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
From: Folsom CA
I hate to see them go. I bought my Harley from them and it was the owner's personal bike. It was a police bike and rebuilt from the ground up. I got a great deal and the service after was very good. Santa Cruz was always a nice destination. I hope someone reopens the place.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 6,235
Likes: 65
From: Joliet, Illinois
Certainly, there are no real experts saying that. What's going on now isn't even close to '29, and not at all similar.
Some "experts" are saying we're heading for worse economic times than 1929. I don't believe it but it's going to get worse before it gets better.