Dealer shenanigans or it's how things are done?

[metallyguitarded_imp]

There must be a hundred different factors to consider from the dealer's perspective...but in the end I guess it's sort of a gamble when it comes to pricing on a bike that isn't in strong demand. I was looking at lightly used '13s back in February. One in particular (which I ended up buying) was $7,750. At the time, a local dealer had a leftover new '13 listed at $9,000 (not including tax, tag, etc.). I'd have paid extra to have a brand-new bike, but wasn't prepared to pay $1250 extra, so I checked to see if they'd come down. Told them the situation, said I'd seriously consider their bike at $8,500. Nope...absolutely weren't gonna budge on that price.

So I thanked them for their time, said to let me know if they changed their mind, etc. Never heard back. The same bike is still sitting there, now listed at $7,500 going into the winter.

You're probably right. I'm sure there are considerations I'm just not aware of. It seems to me that the main consideration is and should be, make a profit while treating the customer right. Build a relationship with the customer so that he/she comes back. And, as we all know, motorcyclist tend to come back for new bikes over and over, long before our current bikes need to be replaced.

I'm going to decide upon an OTD price I'm willing to pay. I have time on my side. The '15's are right around the corner. This same dealership has '13's still on the showroom floor. I imagine the '14 I'm eyeing has been there for a while. They don't seem to be flying out the door around here. If they were, I'd understand the "additional dealer markup." Wouldn't like it, but I'd understand it. You want a hot commodity, you're going to have to pay more for it. Even more than mfg. suggested in some cases.
My thread is really negative, huh? Sorry about that. Didn't mean to inject that into the forum. Enough of me whining! I'm in love with the CB1100. it will be mine. Not sure when, but in the near future. Lesson learned on my part. Thanks for all the input.

I didn't think it was particularly negative. I'd have had the same reaction to being blindsided by a nearly $600 fee at the last minute.

Unrelated note, does anybody else find it odd that a dealer would install an aftermarket pipe on a brand-new bike?

I didn't think it was particularly negative. I'd have had the same reaction to being blindsided by a nearly $600 fee at the last minute.

Unrelated note, does anybody else find it odd that a dealer would install an aftermarket pipe on a brand-new bike?
Okay, cool. Let me keep whining then. Haha. Just kidding.

I thought the addition of the pipe was interesting too. When told it was included in the price, the sales person said it as if it was a common practice of theirs. Adding a Yoshimura slip-on at their cost is probably a smart move to set them apart from other dealers, plus they can always make up the cost with "additional dealer markup" fees! Oh, there I go again ...

[gossman_imp]

As far as the aftermarket pipe, the OEM pipe might have gotten bent in transit or somewhere and it might be cheaper to go aftermarket, the stock is pretty expensive.

Any motorcycle ads I see locally has an astrick next to the price stating + fees. In the past they often will reduce them or adjust but at least locally now they are no budging much. My local shop sells 200 bikes a month, lots of repeat customers, why change?

[DGShannon_imp]

There must be a hundred different factors to consider from the dealer's perspective...but in the end I guess it's sort of a gamble when it comes to pricing on a bike that isn't in strong demand. I was looking at lightly used '13s back in February. One in particular (which I ended up buying) was $7,750. At the time, a local dealer had a leftover new '13 listed at $9,000 (not including tax, tag, etc.). I'd have paid extra to have a brand-new bike, but wasn't prepared to pay $1250 extra, so I checked to see if they'd come down. Told them the situation, said I'd seriously consider their bike at $8,500. Nope...absolutely weren't gonna budge on that price.

So I thanked them for their time, said to let me know if they changed their mind, etc. Never heard back. The same bike is still sitting there, now listed at $7,500 going into the winter.

You're probably right. I'm sure there are considerations I'm just not aware of. It seems to me that the main consideration is and should be, make a profit while treating the customer right. Build a relationship with the customer so that he/she comes back. And, as we all know, motorcyclist tend to come back for new bikes over and over, long before our current bikes need to be replaced.

I'm going to decide upon an OTD price I'm willing to pay. I have time on my side. The '15's are right around the corner. This same dealership has '13's still on the showroom floor. I imagine the '14 I'm eyeing has been there for a while. They don't seem to be flying out the door around here. If they were, I'd understand the "additional dealer markup." Wouldn't like it, but I'd understand it. You want a hot commodity, you're going to have to pay more for it. Even more than mfg. suggested in some cases.
My thread is really negative, huh? Sorry about that. Didn't mean to inject that into the forum. Enough of me whining! I'm in love with the CB1100. it will be mine. Not sure when, but in the near future. Lesson learned on my part. Thanks for all the input.

I didn't think it was particularly negative. I'd have had the same reaction to being blindsided by a nearly $600 fee at the last minute.

Unrelated note, does anybody else find it odd that a dealer would install an aftermarket pipe on a brand-new bike?

When I went to pick mine up, the dealer had a new 2013 with a Yoshimura pipe on it. Seems that while rolling the bikes around they backed one into the CB's exhaust, and dented it. Dealer cost for a new one was $1,000 bucks. So, they decided that a much cheaper aftermarket was the solution.

[pechorin75_imp]

I guess that's good if you wanted the pipe anyway. Not wanting an aftermarket exhaust, guess I'd have had to fight them on it (I'd already made a deal on the bike).

[ClassicVW_imp]

I guess the aftermarket pipe would be a plus and attract a buyer that intended to go that route anyway.

Continuing with my "No sympathy for lame and dishonest dealer rant"....I wish someone would ride on their newly purchased CB up to the dealer that had the bike for $1000 higher with no movement on price and show them that the selling dealer was not a bait and switch.

I've bought and sold quite a few bikes in the past 15 years, almost all private sales, and I've learned to take a couple hundred dollars less than I started out asking to move the bike out of my garage, rather than continuing to pay registration and insurance on it, risk plowing the snow blower or lawn mower into it, and also risk maybe not seeing another serious buyer come along for another 3 months. Dealers should have the same thoughts about their inventory, but some just don't want to be reasonable. Maybe they figure like a used car dealer used to tell me- "There's an a** for every seat", and some other a** will come by and pay their price.

[The Spaceman_imp]

I guess I'm jaded because I never believe anything a car, bike, or boat dealer advertises. I have to laugh when I see TeeVee ads claiming you can "lease an S-Class Mercedes for only $499 a month," or "get on the water on a 38' twin engine center console for $235 a month." It's utter bullcrap, and anyone with half a gram of sense should know that before they get in the car and head out to the dealer. They've got so many caveats built into that "offer" that Jesus Christ couldn't qualify for it if God co-signed.

Do I think it should be that way? Of course not. But for some reason, we've managed to make buying cars, bikes, and a few other things a humiliating experience for the buyer AND the seller. I have no idea why we do that; we don't haggle over the price of corn down at the grocer like they do in the souks in Saudi Arabia. I hope Tesla and Musk get their way and are allowed to open their "car stores;" bypassing all the dealership crap. Maybe if they do and start eating Bob Dunce Dodge's lunch every day, the dealership "sales model" will change. Nobody ever thought Detroit would eat sushi...

[Randy B]

I guess I'm jaded because I never believe anything a car, bike, or boat dealer advertises. I have to laugh when I see TeeVee ads claiming you can "lease an S-Class Mercedes for only $499 a month," or "get on the water on a 38' twin engine center console for $235 a month." It's utter bullcrap, and anyone with half a gram of sense should know that before they get in the car and head out to the dealer. They've got so many caveats built into that "offer" that Jesus Christ couldn't qualify for it if God co-signed.

Do I think it should be that way? Of course not. But for some reason, we've managed to make buying cars, bikes, and a few other things a humiliating experience for the buyer AND the seller. I have no idea why we do that; we don't haggle over the price of corn down at the grocer like they do in the souks in Saudi Arabia. I hope Tesla and Musk get their way and are allowed to open their "car stores;" bypassing all the dealership crap. Maybe if they do and start eating Bob Dunce Dodge's lunch every day, the dealership "sales model" will change. Nobody ever thought Detroit would eat sushi...

Ok.....I'm stealing that!!

[AzBob_imp]

I guess I'm jaded because I never believe anything a car, bike, or boat dealer advertises. I have to laugh when I see TeeVee ads claiming you can "lease an S-Class Mercedes for only $499 a month," or "get on the water on a 38' twin engine center console for $235 a month." It's utter bullcrap, and anyone with half a gram of sense should know that before they get in the car and head out to the dealer. They've got so many caveats built into that "offer" that Jesus Christ couldn't qualify for it if God co-signed.

Do I think it should be that way? Of course not. But for some reason, we've managed to make buying cars, bikes, and a few other things a humiliating experience for the buyer AND the seller. I have no idea why we do that; we don't haggle over the price of corn down at the grocer like they do in the souks in Saudi Arabia. I hope Tesla and Musk get their way and are allowed to open their "car stores;" bypassing all the dealership crap. Maybe if they do and start eating Bob Dunce Dodge's lunch every day, the dealership "sales model" will change. Nobody ever thought Detroit would eat sushi...

I've been hoping dealerships would go away for many decades. Unfortunately, almost every state has laws protecting automobile dealerships and it's not changing any time soon. The guy that started carsdirect.com almost lost his mind trying to make it so people could buy a new car online, without a dealership (which is why he started truecar.com -- he figured if he couldn't make it so people could buy the car directly, maybe they should be able to get a fair deal via participating dealers).

[rboe]

If Amazon sold cars I'd probably buy from them to avoid dealers.

[kDiqq_imp]

If Amazon sold cars I'd probably buy from them to avoid dealers.

But they do!!!

Sorta...

They were selling Nissan Versas as part of a promo.

http:// [url=http://autoweek.com/article...mazon-sort[/URL]