Instead of buying a bike today, I'm just watching the snow fall and waiting on a call back from the saleSman. This is my third less-than-positive experience with Harley dealerships.

The first one screwed me out a deal I had with a private party. It was a brand new 2013 that the seller claimed was a 'raffle bike'. I called the dealership where he said it came from to verify the details. The next day the seller said it was no longer for sale. The dealership bought the bike from under me.

The second dealership was the worst buying experience I've ever had. In November they offered $4k for my trade and a discounted price on an SGS. Now they explained that since the new year, my bike was worth $500 less and could only offer me $2500 and the bike was now straight MSRP since "we're in the riding season". During the sales conversation I said I was just trying to get the best deal I could and explained that I know that some dealerships do work on price. I said I knew of a guy that got a SGS for $19.5k OTD. He said there was no way in hell that happened. So I showed him a copy of bill of sale that was posted on the fourms here and he became furious. "That's completely fabricated!! That's below dealer invoice!!" Notice that he brought up dealer invoice first. I said No, that's not below dealer invoice and showed him the info from see http://www.seedealercost.com. He slammed the desk "THIS IS NOT A HONDA DEALERSHIP. I WILL NO DO BUSINESS WITH YOU." I took that as my clue that I would not be giving him my $27k.

The salesman at the third dealership is a great guy. I've also been talking with him since November. I stopped out on Tuesday and said I was ready to sign on the dotted line. Due to it being winter, he only works on Monday, Tuesday, and Saturday. On Tuesday he said he couldn't find any of my paperwork. I called on Friday and left a voicemail saying to get me the numbers and I would be out first thing on Saturday to buy the bike. I'm still waiting on a call back. I really give up.

Tinman265 gave me contact info for a dealership outside of Chicago. I will call them on Monday but the idea that I have to drive 7hours to Chicago to buy a bike is a bit extreme.

</rant>

 

Sounds as if you are being given the run-around, however when you get a deal go and complete it straight away. There's no point complaining three months later, if things are no longer the same!

 

Sell your scoot outright yourself and buy a garage queen from a private party.....and don't jerk them around for three months making up your mind.

 

I agree. If you're ready to "sign on the dotted line", put your money where your mouth is and complete the sale. If you wait, someone else will get it. Ask me how I know.

 

I called my salesman about 2 months ago to see what it would cost me to trade up my 14 Ultra for a 14 limited, haven't heard from him since.

 

Yea, it's true, when the new NADA books come out, used bike prices go down, it's a year older, fact of life and that happens just about everywhere. No big deal. You live in Pa, there are benefits to trading to a dealer that others dont get when selling privately. You will only pay sales tax on the difference between the trade and the new one. You sell it privately, you are gonna pay the entire sales tax. That alone can easily be worth hundreds of dollars. As for the dealer that screwed you out of the raffle bike, doesn't sound like the dealer screwed you at all, if a private party had the bike and HE sold it to the dealership, the private party screwed you not the dealer.

 

I found that HD dealers are like any other auto dealers. I look at it this way. A salesperson is there to make a living. If he/she dicks you around, they get no sale. If they treat you right, they get the sale. YOU are in control. Not them. Most buyers get sucked into the "this is the best one time only deal" black hole. There is ALWAYS another good or better deal out there. Also, I find that any salesperson will sell the bike out from under you if you go take a leak. If you are serious, put your money down immediately but only after it IS a good deal. You snooze. You lose. I don't even blame the sales people for that. It's a cutthroat business and if they don't sell them when they can, they don't eat.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus

 

How do you know?

 

give him 1500 over he will sell.

Mark

 

Have you had experience with M&S Harley in Chambersburg? I drove four hours from Richmond to by a used 2012 I saw on their website last year. My experience with them was great!

http://www.msharleydavidson.com/