Things Dealers tell Customers

[Noone]

Originally Posted by ttpete

Having worked in dealerships, I'll give you an analogy: Suppose you walked into a diner with all of the fixin's for breakfast in a sack and asked them to cook your breakfast for you using them. Would you feel put out if they refused?

Like it or not, the shop usually covers the cost of opening the doors each day. It's up to sales to make a profit, and you bought over the internet instead of the dealer.

Now, there are independent places who will mount your tires for a fee. I have one nearby that charges 30 bucks if you bring the wheel to them, and it's cheaper if you buy the tire there.

How about this analogy: I bought my bike elsewhere so you must not want the service business.

Smart business people take every opportunity to gain new customers and to provide a good service. Foolish business people take every opportunity to lose potential customers. Over $5 per tire installation cost ($5 extra if I bring the tire) the local independent lost my business. I used to take the used tires home and he has to pay $2 per tire disposal. So, for $3 per tire (4 tires per year on average) he lost $140 in business. He must have been in congress.

[Barry]

Agree with the above. Cost and profit to mount and balance a tire are the same if a tire comes from down the street, or from the sales floor. Gouging me makes no sense. Applying that logic, there should be labor rates for bikes purchased at the shop, and higher rates for bikes purchased elsewhere.

Dealers are almost uniformly the Devil. Hence the horror stories and assinine comments relayed in this thread.

It is my observation that almost all rules, regulations, and policies at dealerships are designed to unreasonably and unethically separate customers from their money. Hence, customers run to non-stealerships, the internet, or friends to not only purchase items, but to have their bikes worked on.

Barry

[Contevita]

Originally Posted by Barry

Agree with the above. Cost and profit to mount and balance a tire are the same if a tire comes from down the street, or from the sales floor. Gouging me makes no sense. Applying that logic, there should be labor rates for bikes purchased at the shop, and higher rates for bikes purchased elsewhere.

Dealers are almost uniformly the Devil. Hence the horror stories and assinine comments relayed in this thread.

It is my observation that almost all rules, regulations, and policies at dealerships are designed to unreasonably and unethically separate customers from their money. Hence, customers run to non-stealerships, the internet, or friends to not only purchase items, but to have their bikes worked on.

Barry

I agree but when you're in a bind and need something done now, i.e. while traveling, a dealership comes in handy. You may not like the prices and/or services but it beats being stranded. Sometimes you forget that one tiny thing and no one else has it but the dealership..........and you needed it yesterday.

[Barry]

Originally Posted by Contevita

I agree but when you're in a bind and need something done now, i.e. while traveling, a dealership comes in handy. You may not like the prices and/or services but it beats being stranded. Sometimes you forget that one tiny thing and no one else has it but the dealership..........and you needed it yesterday.

Can't dispute that one bit. But it doesn't contradict my above statement. That said, I have come across dealers that are more than reasonable in their approach to business, and they remain profitable, viable businesses.

Been dealing with one of those dealers for probably near 15 years.

Barry

[YOUNZ]

Originally Posted by ttpete

I didn't mean for free. The point was that if the dealer didn't sell the tire, he didn't make a profit on it, and anything he charged went to overhead, which is usually a non-profit area.

The dealer could have charged a nominal fee to pay the mechanic and most likely secured a good customer in the future, or maybe even that day. The dealer missed a great opportunity.

[WVhillbilly]

Went into the local Harley and (formerly) Buell dealer twice to look at Buells.

Both times a sales guy comes over and greet us, when I tell him I'm interested in a Buell he just looses interest.

Says he will go get the "Buell guy" who never shows.

When I ask a sales manager I'm told "we don't really sell many of those"

Well no shit, because you don't care if you sell any.

When in Miami this past spring I go into a BMW dealer to look at a GS. After walking around for about 15 minutes or so I just walk out.

No greeting, no offer to help, nothing. So they told me they didn't want to sell me a bike, without saying a word.

Several sales guys on the floor, place wasn't busy. Had a couple look up and then go back to playing with their phones.
Think they would be a bit more interested in selling a $20K motorcycle.

[JGNC]

Originally Posted by henrymartin

Wife and I walk to a local dealership to buy some parts. While there, I look over a used Monster Dark, and mentioned I always like that bike. A month later, we have a 10 year anniversary, and wife wants to surprise me with the Monster. She calls the dealer, ask whether he could deliver it on our anniversary day (January), and he says yes. She then says she wants to use her credit card because she does not me to know about the purchase (surprise and all). he tells her he does not make enough money on a used bike to accept a credit card on a $3k bike. Really????? Anyway, I never did get the Monster because when she told me about it, I refused to even consider getting it there.

So, they couldn't swing the $60 CC fee on a bike they probably gave $2,200 for on trade for a new bike. Sounds like the logic at my local Kawi dealer. If they can't get top dollar for something they refuse. Quick example, $180 for a $100 Fulmer helmet. Theirs even had scratches from being dropped in the show room. It's probably why they had to start selling mopeds, tractors, and weed eaters to keep their doors open.

[duck]

About ten years ago, at age 75, my dad wanted to buy me a little toy bike as a stocking stuffer for Xmas. He didn't know where to get a Beemer so he went to the HD dealer in Palm Springs. Being right before Xmas, the place was packed with pirates' loved ones buying t-shirts and novelty helmets and what-not for their relatives. (Must be easy to buy a gift for a pirate - just get anything with a HD logo on it.)

Anyhow, all of the sales personnel were pretty much ignoring him so he walked over to the gal at the parts counter and loudly proclaimed that he wanted to buy a motorcycle. THEN three or four sales guys came rushing over. At this point my dad held up his two index fingers about 6 inches apart and said "About this big." Everyone in the store had a good chuckle at the sales guys' expense.

(FYI: My dad doesn't know shit about motorcycles, he just has a good sense of humor.)

[shadowarrior]

Call up my local Kawasaki dealer to order some parts for my zrx. Some new girl picks up the call, and i ask for this guy who i have dealt with for the last three years. He knows me and all my bikes. But instead the girl gets all aggro and calls me sexist.

Her: "Why do you need to talk to him? Just because i am a girl you think i don't know about bikes?"
Me: "no, it's just because he knows me and have always ordered my parts through him"
Girl: "just tell me what you need.."
Me: "ok, i need a, b, c, x, y, z for my 2001 Kawasaki zrx 1200"
Girl: "you mean zx12r"
Me: "nope, zrx 1200s"
Girl: "you must be reading it wrong"
Me: "nope, i know my bike, it's a zrx, not a ninja"
Girl: "nah, check your bike, it should say the model number, or bring it over and we will identify the bike for you"
Me: (hangs up) (facepalm)

[RxZ]

Originally Posted by ddavidv

OT oddity: the F&I guy shockingly did not try to upsell us on anything, probably because (direct quote) "I've never seen a credit score that high!".

I got the same thing a few months back buying my wife's new Chrysler. He didn't try selling the normal gap, life insurance, etc... Just, "Here's your rate, here's where you sign."

Took about 10 minutes total.

[Dave in Wi]

Originally Posted by shadowarrior

Girl: "just tell me what you need.."
Me: "ok, i need a, b, c, x, y, z for my 2001 Kawasaki zrx 1200"
Girl: "you mean zx12r"
Me: "nope, zrx 1200s"
Girl: "you must be reading it wrong"
Me: "nope, i know my bike, it's a zrx, not a ninja"
Girl: "nah, check your bike, it should say the model number, or bring it over and we will identify the bike for you"
Me: (hangs up) (facepalm)

Common when trying to get parts for a ZRX. I've learned this also. You have to ask for parts for a ZR1200, or you'll get stuff for a ZX12.

I've kind of given up on getting parts (other than oil filters) from my closest Honda/Yamaha/Kawasaki/Suzuki dealer. They don't stock anything any more, so why should I bother making TWO trips there to get a part when I can get it delivered to my doorstep from Babbit's faster and for less cost? Then there was the time they couldn't get me a Honda valve adjustment tool, even though I gave them the part number. The dealer across town got it for me. At least they didn't tell me they don't want my business.

[Green Stainz]

Originally Posted by ttpete

Having worked in dealerships, I'll give you an analogy: Suppose you walked into a diner with all of the fixin's for breakfast in a sack and asked them to cook your breakfast for you using them. Would you feel put out if they refused?

Like it or not, the shop usually covers the cost of opening the doors each day. It's up to sales to make a profit, and you bought over the internet instead of the dealer.

Now, there are independent places who will mount your tires for a fee. I have one nearby that charges 30 bucks if you bring the wheel to them, and it's cheaper if you buy the tire there.

Don't like the analogy. If you walked into my restaurant with your own food and wanted me to cook it, no problem. Do it in a heartbeat and depending on the day might even do it for free. I would have a new customer. And probably for life. As many people mentioned I will take new customers and revenue any day of the week. Times are tough and being creative in our economy is the one of many ways to be competitive

[ZaethDekar]

Originally Posted by Green Stainz

Don't like the analogy. If you walked into my restaurant with your own food and wanted me to cook it, no problem. Do it in a heartbeat and depending on the day might even do it for free. I would have a new customer. And probably for life. As many people mentioned I will take new customers and revenue any day of the week. Times are tough and being creative in our economy is the one of many ways to be competitive

Where is your restaurant? I would be tempted to see what you make me with my ingredients and I'll pay regardless.

[der_saeufer]

Originally Posted by Contevita

I agree but when you're in a bind and need something done now, i.e. while traveling, a dealership comes in handy. You may not like the prices and/or services but it beats being stranded. Sometimes you forget that one tiny thing and no one else has it but the dealership..........and you needed it yesterday.

I don't know what kind of dealerships you go to, but my experience with Japanese-brand dealers here in California is that the majority have almost no parts in stock and lengthy waiting lists for service at hourly rates similar to the BMW dealer.

I have literally *never* bought parts for any of my Japanese bikes at a dealer--the answer is always the same "we can order it and have it next week", well guess what, so can I, for less money. It's not as if KLRs are a rare bike only made for a couple years; one would think that common parts would be in stock.

My old local BMW dealer (A&S), on the other hand, while they were very proud of their bikes and their techs' time, had literally everything in stock or available next day, and prices were within 5% of what I could order parts for. I bought almost every part I needed from them when I had a BMW, including valve shims for my "K75", which are currently under the cams in my KLR after SIX Kawi dealers couldn't come up with them. It's cool, they were way cheaper from BMW anyway.

Also, tires... none of the dealers around Sac would mount tires they didn't sell, and the markup was obscene if they even carried the tire I wanted. I bought some spoons and I just do them myself now.

[trailwing]

Originally Posted by der_saeufer

I don't know what kind of dealerships you go to, but my experience with Japanese-brand dealers here in California is that the majority have almost no parts in stock and lengthy waiting lists for service at hourly rates similar to the BMW dealer.

I have literally *never* bought parts for any of my Japanese bikes at a dealer--the answer is always the same "we can order it and have it next week", well guess what, so can I, for less money. It's not as if KLRs are a rare bike only made for a couple years; one would think that common parts would be in stock.

My old local BMW dealer (A&S), on the other hand, while they were very proud of their bikes and their techs' time, had literally everything in stock or available next day, and prices were within 5% of what I could order parts for. I bought almost every part I needed from them when I had a BMW, including valve shims for my "K75", which are currently under the cams in my KLR after SIX Kawi dealers couldn't come up with them. It's cool, they were way cheaper from BMW anyway.

Also, tires... none of the dealers around Sac would mount tires they didn't sell, and the markup was obscene if they even carried the tire I wanted. I bought some spoons and I just do them myself now.

I agree. Dealers should be able to provide customer service and parts. If not, then they need to find another line of work. I owe absolutely nothing to the dealers who screw people on bike purchases and then fail pursue the maintenance of those bikes. If better dealers (who sell online) garner the market share, then so be it. I'll be damned if I ever have to physically drive to a dealer again, provide them the part number and then drive back days later to pay a premium for something I did all the homework on.

Furthermore... I'm pissed a greedy dealers who drive up sales prices and fees. This hurts both the consumers and the manufacturers as it reduces the market share and makes it harder for companies to provide new/innovative products. Hard working engineers and manufactures are penalized because of fat, lazy american salesman.

Rant off.