Back in November when the dealer and I made our deal, I gave them 500.00 deposit for them to order my bike. End of December, I find out they never ordered the bike and put the order through the day before I called (28th). I signed the paper saying we had a deal with all the numbers, my info, etc on it but never signed the actual deal paper because there is no bike or VIN yet. When I signed the paper they told me beginning of Feb they will have the bike. Called up last week (prior to HD talking about layoffs) and find out they are slating it for a March delivery. Another dealer 30 min from me has the exact bike in stock just with cruise added to it.

The question is:
Can I go to the dealer and ask for my 500 back and negate the deal or should I just hold tight and wait for one straight from the factory.

My situation is my company is possibly going to be going on strike due to a new union contract and I want to make sure I make the right choice both now and in the long run.

 

I would think that they would give you your deposit back, they kind of broke the verbal contract you had. If you are worried about a strike or layoff, i'm not sure, you know that situation best. You can however get the credit insurance on the HD loan, if thats how your paying, and it covers Involentary layoffs, i'm not sure a strike is covered by that though seeing as the workers chose. But layoffs are. I'm not sure I would buy a bike without it right now.
Good luck.

 

While I am not an attorney (thank God), I would say this:

If you have a piece of paper with the Dealer's logo, signature from a Dealer staff member and your signature, along with the details of the deal, you should be able to ask for the $500 back.

From what you posted, it sounds like they redirected the bike you were supposed to get to someone else OR they traded it to another dealer for a different bike to be sold.

That said, I'm sure there are others who will have better information / responses.

 

I don't know about you, but I'd be pretty po'd if I made a deal in November and found out they sat on the order until now. I'd be inclined to get my deposit back and visit the other local dealer - and I'd let them know why I was leaving.

As for the job situation, only you know if you're comfortable making that kind of financial decision.

 

Did you give them cash or a check? I would hope they would be able to give back your money then I would grab the bike down the road. Either way it's some kinda BS.

 

Friend...............If you can't pay cash for a bike today, then you really should reconsider totally for reasons listed below.

CONS:

A. your job is in question (Union can only protect you so much and for so long)
B. total economy is far from bottom yet and it will take years to really recover
C. financing is getting almost impossible at decent rates and worse by the time the scoot shows up
D. future of HD is truely at risk
E. it's fricking winter and you can't ride it anyway
F. the ground hog might see his shadow this Sunday(see E above)
G. the other dealer might have to eat that bike in the next 6 months and be willing to deal on it by then when you also might be thru with possible strike and the world will have a better picture of the true economic situation.

Pros:

A. none

As consolation, if you lived close I'd let you borrow one of my scoots till things softened up.

 

If it is a check, I would go in and go over the deal again and ask for my check back. If they refuse I would go to bank, stop payment, go get the bike elsewhere and then send an e-mail or letter to the dealer and let them know you will not be accepting delivery of their bike and that the check has been cancelled. In most cases I would think they would give it back to you. There is always someone else to sell the bike to when it comes in.

 

Get your money back in cash or store credit then wait till the strikes over and winter is gone. You'll probable find the same bikes on the floor in the spring.

 

You can definitely buy that same bike much cheaper now than back in November. You need to renegotiate the deal regardless. Even walking away from the $500 you can do better now most likely.

 

Nah, he doesn't have to forefeit his deposit because they can't deliver as agreed.....But you are correct that in the long runs he actually can afford to lose the 500 now and save 1 or 2 or more thousand later...I'd do both-get my deposit back and wait.

Folks need to understand that this is a 'buyers market' today.....no dealer will admit that, but you hold the power to prove it.