"JCAlan" (jcalan)
05/19/2018 at 19:40 • Filed to: None
3
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"JCAlan" (jcalan)
05/19/2018 at 19:40 • Filed to: None | 3
| 14 |
I’m interested in this bike (not this specific one, this is just a google image search representation). It’s a 2017 Yamah FZ-09. I’m interested in the 2017 because it’s the same bike as the 2018, but since it is a year old there is a rebate on it and dealers should be more motivated to sell. MSRP is $8999, the rebate is $750. There’s a couple dealers on Ebay with listings at $7999 and $8099, which I assume takes the rebate into account.
A dealership up north of me has them in every color. I bought my 4 wheeler there, and it was a pain in the ass to get anyone to communicate with me. Nevertheless, I found the gray one on their website on Wednesday, filled out their contact form, and sent this message:
Hello, can you please send me an itemized out the door price on this bike including all fees and incentives? The tax rate in my county is 6.75%. Repeat customer. If it looks good I can come up Friday. THANKS
It’s currently (looks at watch) SATURDAY, and I’ve not heard from them. At all. I’ve always gotten annoyed when I hear people whine “well I guess they just don’t want to sell me a car..” But in this case I can conclude nothing else. Clearly those leads go to someone’s email, and that person either doesn’t give a shit enough to check it, or didn’t want to bother answering my simple request.
So today I found one at a dealership down south, and sent the same request (minus the “repeat customer” bit). After only maybe 15 minutes, I got a response!
JCAlan, My name is Brandon and recently you requested information on a 2017 Yamaha FZ-09 Sport Matte Silver? I am just getting back with your request and would like you tounderstand that this is just a quote or estimate according to the current prices and msrp as well as the incentives. That said, I am at about $9792.87 out the door. Let me know, Thanks again. Brandon
So even though I asked for an exact price, Brandon wants me to understand that this is just a quote or estimate, and he doesn’t bother to tell me how he is arriving at this figure that I shouldn’t hold him to. But I spend all my days penciling car deals, so I have a pretty good idea how he got there. My response:
Thanks for a quick reply. So....full MSRP plus doc and you scoop the $750 rebate? Lol I’m shopping the wrong time of year I guess. Thanks anyway
His reply:
No sir, your shopping the correct time of year. As I stated in that email that is just a quote of what everyone is going to start with to open the floor up for negotiations? We do not just take the first quote and shoot it dead from the gate! What number do you think it should be around let us start from there?
B
Needless to say, I’m done with my man Brandon. What the actual fuck is he even talking about? I didn’t ask what everyone is going to start with, I asked what their price out the door is. What does shooting things at gates have to do with anything and what does that even mean? I do not want to make an offer or open up the floor to negotiations, I just want you to tell me what the price is. Honestly, I would be fine with MSRP minus the rebate plus tax and title, as long as there’s no BS dealership assembly fee or something. I’m not even asking for a discount.
So frustrating.
Sovande
> JCAlan
05/19/2018 at 19:51 |
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So you, random internet guy, emailed the dealer and asked what the cost for the bike was. The dealership, who is highly incentivized to sell the bike for as much as possible, replied quickly with a price. Further emails revealed that this was the opening volley in a negotiation process.
What’s the problem? Send him the price you want to spend and see what happens. He can’t read your mind.
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JCAlan
> Sovande
05/19/2018 at 20:03 |
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The problem is his quote was over retail price, and did not include incentives as stated. I shouldn’t have to start negotiating just to get the factory rebate.
Steve in Manhattan
> JCAlan
05/19/2018 at 20:33 |
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They can ignore an email, they can’t ignore a body in the showroom. Head north with a buddy and cash. You will get their attention.
jimz
> JCAlan
05/19/2018 at 21:07 |
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cripes, I have that bike and I didn’t go through that BS with the dealer. I knew what they were going for and what my trade was worth, and we met there. I’m guessing he’s playing the “let me give this guy a ‘go away’ price and we’ll see if he’s serious” game.
TFen
> JCAlan
05/19/2018 at 21:21 |
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Grow the fuck up lol. You obviously know this is how dealerships work.
If you’re serious in negotiating a deal and don’t have time to deal in-person then call the sales manager and do it over the phone like a normal person.
You’re not saving any time by emailing sales people who have no control over the numbers.
I guess “adulting is hard”...
Spoon II
> JCAlan
05/19/2018 at 21:23 |
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As far as the first email goes, I always find it best to pair an email with a phone call. It’s surprisingly easy for someone to miss an email or for it to get sorted to trash. Plus, you never know if someone critical is on vacation or something.
jminer
> JCAlan
05/19/2018 at 23:53 |
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Motorsport dealers vary pretty wildly in quality of their interactions. May is just about peak demand so they’re not going to likely drop the price too much.
Negotiations are pretty common in the industry, I’ve bought a few bikes and had to haggle every one of them. Also every dealer (everywhere) has a delivery fee, and most tack on an assembly/prep fee as well.
I’ve definitely walked away from a shop because of too high fees or shitty service though. I actually bought my last bike from a guy who I had talked to a couple months earlier and called me back when they dropped the price. I bought the bike 2 days later from him.
Where are you at? I have a few good places around St Louis I’d recommend.
CRider
> TFen
05/20/2018 at 04:10 |
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No, you grow the fuck up. It’s 2018, doing business via email is perfectly normal in 99% of cases, car/motorcycle salesmen are just scummy assholes most of the time. Just because “this is how dealerships work” doesn’t make it right.
Gerry197
> JCAlan
05/20/2018 at 06:54 |
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There are too many variables to buy a bike or even a car over email and expect the best deal.
Being in person makes a world of difference with negotiations, especially with a floor manager who is trying to make his daily quota.
They aren’t selling bikes for charity and they aren’t on your side to get you the best deal. It’s to make a profit. Some do this by getting as much as they can from each sale, others purely by volume. Sometimes you need to shop around to find that volume dealer.
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JCAlan
> jminer
05/20/2018 at 08:09 |
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The variance is the frustrating part. The same bike advertised at the same price could be 1500 dollars different out the door depending on how the dealer does business.
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JCAlan
> TFen
05/20/2018 at 08:17 |
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Lol I’m 40. There’s nothing wrong with asking for a price by utilizing a dealers “get a price quote” function on their own website. The point was to find out if this was a straight up dealer that doesnt tack on fees, sells at a market price, and passes rebates on to the customer (like I know the first place does, but I’m looking to fire them because their service is pretty crummy), or if they’re a “hey come on in and we’ll give you a ridiculous price on a bike that’s been sitting in our showroom for a year and a half and keep the rebates and maybe after 2 hours you’ll haggle us back down to reality but still pay too much” kind of dealer. I got my answer.
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JCAlan
> jimz
05/20/2018 at 08:19 |
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How do you like it? How long have you been riding bikes? Is the front end coming up too much, or is it loveable if you dont constantly goose it? I’m not into wheelies and I know this bike is torquey as hell.
E92M3
> JCAlan
05/20/2018 at 09:53 |
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This is where you email him back and say, “I only got $3000 CASH”.
Oh wait this isn’t craigslist.
Bikes are different than cars. Eventually some guy will walk in, and just have to have it. He won’t care that it’s a 2017, it’s the color he wants. His 3 friends already have motorcycles, and he wants to go ride with them tomorrow. Some people just want the bike so bad they’ll pay retail, plus fees AND at 15% APR.
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jimz
> JCAlan
05/20/2018 at 20:34 |
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I too am not even remotely interested in wheelies. I popped it into drive mode “B” (more gradual throttle curve) and left it there. totally civilized around town, but still damn zippy when you drop the hammer.