Things Dealers tell Customers

[colodak]

When I was looking to purchase my first bike back in May, I spent nearly a month shopping around. Knew I wanted either a V-strom, Versys, or BMW G650 or F650.

Since I was working off some inheiritance money, I had upto $10,000 cash I could spend. But, there was a catch, 4 yr, 4 months earlier the wife and I had filed Chp. 13 bankruptcy, so I still cannot finance anything.

Walked into one Suzuki dealer, had one bike, sat on it, kicked the tires, salesman was beyond high pressure. Ended up buying a helmet from them, told them I would be back later to look at the bike more.

Next week, wife and I ended up at RPM Powersports (Suzuki, Polaris, CanAm dealer), only because they had a V-Strom 650 Adventurer ABS. Website said $9,500. Research showed the avg. price paid was just under $9,000 for the same. Cool, figured I would make a deal, since I was a cash buyer. All he wanted me to do was finance, when I told him I couldn't finance because of the ongoing bankruptcy, he suddenly became very judgemental. Telling that bikes are not guarenteed transportation in bankruptcy, and that none of their financing would touch me til the bankruptcy was 5 yrs beyond discharge. When I reminded him I was a cash buyer, he became even more indignant telling me I should give the cash to my creditors. I smiled and walked out.

Went next door to BMW/triumph. Discussed financing and cash purchases. They said if I wanted to finance, come back the day I received my BK discharge papers and they would finance me as long as I had 20% down. When I brought up a cash purchase, they were even happier, but didn't really have what I wanted at the time.

When I bought my Versys, looked at the bike one week, loved the color. Salesman had me believing the bike was used. Said I'd be back, two weeks later I stopped by again. Same bike still there, hmmm, looked it over, different salesman, fired it up, showed me it was brand new with 9 miles. Asked the price, told him I was a cash buyer and asked if they would deal (bike was 3 yrs old). He said maybe. 3 hrs later, wife and I went back, cash in hand. 45 minutes later, I was riding my new toy home, and for a price I was willing to pay.

[ak_diane]

The couple places I've been to have different service rates for owner supplied parts vs shop supplied parts - I understand and don't really mind.

Reminds me of another zinger:
"Tire change, off the bike - that will be about 2-3 weeks out..."

[Huzband]

Why the hell would you, as a cash buyer, tell a salesman you're in bankruptcy? That just makes no sense.

Oh, & if a saleman turns down a cash purchase, mayhaps he should find another line of work.

[Road Program]

Originally Posted by Yooper_Bob

The difference is, the diner actually has the food in the fridge and all ready to be cooked.

I hate buying stuff at a local dealer...they never carry anything, so I have to drive down there...wait while the parts guy digs thru several catalogs looking for the part I want...then, they have to order it, and say they'll have it in a week or so, so that means a second trip to pick up the part.

Why should I have to go thru all that hassle, when I can do a 5 minute search of the internet, order the part online, and 3 days later its sitting on my front step.

Whether I purchased the tires at the shop or not, the point is, they had the chance to do some paying work (I did not expect them to mount the tires for free), and could have potentially earned a new customer.

Business must so good that they don't need any extra work.

No shit!!! What is it with dealers and that damn Parts 411 catalog? Motorcycles are a hobby for me, not my business. I shouldn't know where and how to get better parts and accessories than the dealer can, and get them faster and cheaper. One of the sales guys is selling a [used] set of tires on the local rider forum for $10 less ($350) than the price of a new set from several online retailers and is saying they are a $600 set of tires. $600?! From where? I should tell him I'll sell him all the sets of these tires he wants for $500.

[trailwing]

I went into a Harley dealer one day to buy a bike I knew was assembled and freestanding in their warehouse (100 feet away). They refused to let me look at the bike. I was polite and everything.

Pissed... I went to another dealer, had the bike transferred and bought it from them.

[Huzband]

Can't confirm this story, but I'd like to think it's true somewhere. Heard it on the radio in the nineties.

Lady takes her Saab into a shop because it's running rough. Leaves it for a few days. They call her & say the car is fixed. She shows up & asks what was wrong. The guy says the GFUB unit was bad & had to be replaced. She asks what that is, & he reaches down beside the desk & pulls an oily part out of a pan. He says that's the unit & asks her if she wants to keep it. She recoils & declines. Then pays her bill & leaves.

His partner, whom witnesses this, asks what the hell is a GFUB unit. Guy responds, nothing. God Forsaken Ugly Broad. Nothing wrong with her car, but she was so ugly, I had to charge her for it.

[rocker59]

Back to the topic: "Things Dealers tell Customers"

- "They all do that"

- "You don't need the OEM recommended Agip 10w/60. We always use Castrol GTX..."

- "I can order that for you"

- "that will go on our next order.... Next Tuesday"

[trailwing]

Valve shim? For your tire? What's it look like?

[humvee]

Originally Posted by MacNoob

A local bike shop (parts/gear/accessories/service, not a dealer) has a big sign at the desk with the standard charges for a bunch of things.

including
TIRE MOUNT $25
NOT BOUGHT HERE $50

Really? Which one?

[duck]

Originally Posted by rocker59

Turning away carry-in tire mounting is cutting off your nose to spite your face.

No kidding. The "it's overhead so there's no profit" argument is complete bullshit. The guys in the shop are getting paid the same hourly wage whether they're mounting tires at $30 each or picking their nose in the lunchroom. So the dealer is pissing away $60 of income by not mounting "walk-in" tires.

Then again, if the dealer is chooses to operate that way then it is their business and their right to do so.

[henrymartin]

Me in Winchester, VA looking for a rear Anakee or MT90 for my 650GS on the way up from TN. Not a single dealer had one, or even a DS tire in my size in stock. One dealer suggested going "across the street" to the Harley shop. I roll over, ask the service department whether they had any DS tires in my size in stock. Answer is "yes". Great, my bike is the red BMW outside. Dealer: sorry, we cannot mount a tire on anything other than HD and Buell. Me: really? I can take the wheel off in your parking lot and bring you the rim. Dealer: Sorry, our insurance won't allow it. Me: But, I have a thousand more miles to get home and my rear tire is bold. Dealer: Well, good luck to you.


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.

I go for an oil change at a Suzuki/Honda dealer with my BMW. (was in a hurry somewhere, did not have the filter at home). When i get my bike back, I notice two of the fairing screws (Torx, stainless) are missing. I ask the service guy about it and he says they were missing when I pulled in. Really? I walk back to the tech area and ask a guy I know about missing screws. He goes back to check with the guy who worked on my bike, and when he comes back, he says that the screws were missing when I arrived, but that I'm in luck because the tech had some spare ones in his toolbox. Funny, I Loctite just about everything on a bike, and the "spare" screws the tech guy had had some left over dried Loctite on them. Who in a Suzuki/Honda shop would have spare stainless Torx BMW screws in their toolbox?

[duck]

Originally Posted by Huzband

Oh, & if a saleman turns down a cash purchase, mayhaps he should find another line of work.

Um, not really. The dealership and the sales rep make money on both the bike sale AND getting a few extra percentage points on selling the financing in most situations. He, and the dealership, make more if money if he can sell a financed bike.

[blk-betty]

Originally Posted by duck

Um, not really. The dealership and the sales rep make money on both the bike sale AND getting a few extra percentage points on selling the financing in most situations. He, and the dealership, make more if money if he can sell a financed bike.

Yep...Cash in hand is not as hot as it once was.

[filmfan]

Originally Posted by blk-betty

Yep...Cash in hand is not as hot as it once was.

Hard to say when it was ever hot, 20+ years ago, we were buying a new car with cash, none of the dealers we talked to were the least bit impresed.

In actuality it's a cash deal for the dealer, no matter what you do to obtain the money. And, as Duck points out, if they sell financing they make money on that too.

[ddavidv]

'Tis true. Just bought a new-ish Jeep a couple months ago and wanted to pay a little more than half in cash. They told us if we financed a little more they could do better for us. WTF do I care...we just wrote a big first month's payment check when the first one arrived anyway and wound up at the same place.

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!".