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Ever heard of this Harley Davidson rip off policy?
Josey1
Member Posts: 9,598 ✭✭
My son decided he wanted to purchase a 2004 Road King custom, but it seems his local HD dealer in NY wanted $2500 over suggested retail. After some comparison shopping he located the bike at another out of state Harley dealer for the $2500 cheaper retail price. Now you would figure the out of state shop would be happy to make the sale but not so fast. It turns out that dealers will not sell to out of state buyers because they will lose out on the lucrative maintenance/warrantee contracts. This particular dealer said he would be glad to sell him the bike if he agreed to purchase a minimum of $3000 in HD aftermarket items to make up for the lost maintenance contract.
Seems unbelievable but it is true and here is the kicker, my son then called the HD headquarters to complain about such tactics and they told him it IS AN ACCEPTED BUSINESS PRACTICE that HD allows from their dealers. So basically he has to either buy 3 grand worth of items he does not want or pay $2500 over retail to buy the bike he wants.
I don't know if all HD dealers are in on this scheme but as of 3 dealers called in the NY area, all have similar policies(give or take $500 on the accessories).
Has anyone else ever heard of this?
"If cowardly and dishonorable men sometimes shoot unarmed men with army pistols or guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary and gallows, and not by a general deprivation of a constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878<P>
Seems unbelievable but it is true and here is the kicker, my son then called the HD headquarters to complain about such tactics and they told him it IS AN ACCEPTED BUSINESS PRACTICE that HD allows from their dealers. So basically he has to either buy 3 grand worth of items he does not want or pay $2500 over retail to buy the bike he wants.
I don't know if all HD dealers are in on this scheme but as of 3 dealers called in the NY area, all have similar policies(give or take $500 on the accessories).
Has anyone else ever heard of this?
"If cowardly and dishonorable men sometimes shoot unarmed men with army pistols or guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary and gallows, and not by a general deprivation of a constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878<P>
Comments
A Harley-Davidson is nothing special, anyway; you're just paying for mediocre engineering and--mostly--a big, overhyped name.
Lord Lowrider the Loquacious.
Member:Secret Select Society of Suave Stylish Smoking Jackets
She was only a fisherman's daughter,
But when she saw my rod she reeled.
Lord Lowrider the Loquacious.
Member:Secret Select Society of Suave Stylish Smoking Jackets
She was only a fisherman's daughter,
But when she saw my rod she reeled.
Again I see someone that dont own a harley downgrading them. Dont ya really wish ya had one. come on admit it..ya know ya do, only its just a little beyond your reach, now thats a shame, but keep wishing and someday you to can ride a HARLEY DAVIDSON
"I dont care how thin you make a pancake, it still has two sides"
"A wise man is a man that realizes just how little he knows.
col elect1mike Illinois
volinters RRG
I am a man but I can change if I have to,I guess.
TOOLS
General TOOLS RRG
Don't go blaming the beer. Hank Hill
So much Ice, So much Beer. So little time. Shooter4
I don't have an anger problem. I have an idiot problem. Hank Hill
When I was a child, I thought as a child. But now that I am grown, I just wish I could act like a child and get away with it.
JC
Ted Kennedy's breath has killed more people than my car.
I bought a Harley once. I discovered that zipping down the road at 60 on a Harley was just like doing 60 on a Honda.
The Harley looked a lot better sitting in the parking lot though. People came up and said, "You must be really cool. You own a Harley."
Have him check out the Indian Chief. Its alot better bike and the Indian dealers will bend over backwards for you.
TOOLS
General TOOLS RRG
Don't go blaming the beer. Hank Hill
So much Ice, So much Beer. So little time. Shooter4
I don't have an anger problem. I have an idiot problem. Hank Hill
When I was a child, I thought as a child. But now that I am grown, I just wish I could act like a child and get away with it.
Err, Tools, Indian went under a ways back as in no more, kaput and C-ya.[:0]
JC
Ted Kennedy's breath has killed more people than my car.
Don't take that crap from Harley. Go buy a Honda or a used BMW.
I bought a Harley once. I discovered that zipping down the road at 60 on a Harley was just like doing 60 on a Honda.
The Harley looked a lot better sitting in the parking lot though. People came up and said, "You must be really cool. You own a Harley."
Now Allen, being a little faceituous are we?[;)]
JC
Ted Kennedy's breath has killed more people than my car.
Lord Lowrider the Loquacious.
Member:Secret Select Society of Suave Stylish Smoking Jackets
She was only a fisherman's daughter,
But when she saw my rod she reeled.
Lord Lowrider the Loquacious.
Member:Secret Select Society of Suave Stylish Smoking Jackets
She was only a fisherman's daughter,
But when she saw my rod she reeled.
As for any other motorcycle ,neither my son or myself(when I could still ride) would be caught dead on anything else because when you come right down to it,all those Jap cruisers are what one buys when they can't afford a Harley.
"If cowardly and dishonorable men sometimes shoot unarmed men with army pistols or guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary and gallows, and not by a general deprivation of a constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878<P>
Oh, wait. Never mind. I just remembered: Not being a bike rider, I'm too dumb to understand the engineering nuances which make the Harley the Undisputed King of Motorcycles. Dang, that's too bad. I was just dying to hear why Harleys are such a good deal at MSRP + $2K or more. Oh, well, I guess this is one archetypal Phillistine who will have to remain painfully uninformed....
Tell your boy to contact some HD dealers through the web. There are many that advertise they don't do that and in fact price their bikes at msrp.
Keep looking, he'll find one.
"the difference between the almost right word and the right word is like the difference between a lightning bug and a lightning bolt" - Mark Twain.
When I had a BMW people came up and said, "I didn't know they made motorcycles."
When I had a Honda they didn't say anything.
They were all the same at 60 mph, though. But the Honda was lots cheaper and rode a little smoother.
Have I been pleased with my dealership? Not all the time but thanks to free enterprise I shopped around within the state and have secured better deals with which I confront my dealership. The results have been a better seat at the table to negotiate a deal.
I have ridden other bikes. I have owned Hondas and one Suzuki. I was as proud of them as of my Harley. I drive a Silverado 4WD. When I see Cadi suv's I think to my self "Over classed yuppie Jeeps". In all honesty would I like to have one? A resounding YES but I just can't afford it.
"Save the Whalers, they need jobs too."
I have heard this from other individuals here in NY who wanted to buy a Harley. A good friend of mine wanted to buy one, but this practice caused him to go out and buy some jap crap wanabe Harley.
Back home in Texas, I used to do a lot of business with Stubbs Cycle Sales off Telephone road on the South East side of Houston. They were a very large bike dealer, who never did me wrong. They sold all brands, but Harley's were their main push.
I find it hard to believe that this practice is like that ay all over the place. When I finaly decide to break down and get another one, I am flying down to Houston, and pick one up there. I will then ride it back up to NY. I will not buy one up here.
Trinity +++
"Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it."(Proverbs 22:6)
Mudge the connected
I can't come to work today. The voices said, STAY HOME AND CLEAN THE GUNS!
Wait a few months,go back. Hopefully they will not recognize you by then. Start dealing but do not tell them you are from out of town. If you have to rent a PO box in town and give that as your mailing address. Make up a street address if you need one.
Or contact the better business bureau and drag one of their reps in with you.
or buy another make of bike, drive over to the dealer, ask if they remember you, ask if they work on commission, then point out your new bike and say "I guess you missed out on this one" and laugh all the way out the door.
Buy S&S engines direct from S&S for the same price as you can get them from any of the S&S dealers.
Lord Lowrider the Loquacious.
Member:Secret Select Society of Suave Stylish Smoking Jackets
She was only a fisherman's daughter,
But when she saw my rod she reeled.
"I dont care how thin you make a pancake, it still has two sides"
"A wise man is a man that realizes just how little he knows.
Josey1, if you want send me an e-mail and I will check with an HD dealership near me that is above board and honest as to price. Dave will tell me straight out.
"we are but men... no more, no less..."
I'm not a hippy!I'm a well groomed mountain man
Now Bambi Hunter, I still talk to ya[^] But I do get tired of the Bashing by people that have never had one, nor never will have one
*I know, I was teasin'*
You're right, I won't ever have one... But then again I won't ever have ANY streetbike. Up until a few years ago, I could have nearly ANY bike I wanted . My mom's husband ran a motorcycle shop and motorcycle salvage business and he was always trying to get me to ride streetbikes - to the point of almost giving me a bike. They had a bad accident in TX a few years ago and between that and his age (72) they went ahead and sold out the business and sold the majority of the stock.
Incidentally, many people talk about OWNING this or that. Ownership doesn't always mean that much. I've never owned a Compaq, HP, Packard Bell, etc yet I know lot more about those made in the last 10 years than thier owners do. I've also shot, field stripped, cleaned, and repaired guns I've never owned. For some of them I know the objects better than the owners...
I'll post a pic of thier shop/garage next time I go up there, he's got classic bikes that will make all you bikers drool! [^]
TOOLS
General TOOLS RRG
Don't go blaming the beer. Hank Hill
So much Ice, So much Beer. So little time. Shooter4
I don't have an anger problem. I have an idiot problem. Hank Hill
When I was a child, I thought as a child. But now that I am grown, I just wish I could act like a child and get away with it.
http://www.indianmotorcycles.com/
TOOLS
General TOOLS RRG
Don't go blaming the beer. Hank Hill
So much Ice, So much Beer. So little time. Shooter4
I don't have an anger problem. I have an idiot problem. Hank Hill
When I was a child, I thought as a child. But now that I am grown, I just wish I could act like a child and get away with it.
"The militia may be here destroyed by that method which has been practiced in other parts of the world before; that is, by rendering them useless - by disarming them."
"The militia may be here destroyed by that method which has been practiced in other parts of the world before; that is, by rendering them useless - by disarming them."
"I dont care how thin you make a pancake, it still has two sides"
"A wise man is a man that realizes just how little he knows.
JC
Ted Kennedy's breath has killed more people than my car.
"I dont care how thin you make a pancake, it still has two sides"
"A wise man is a man that realizes just how little he knows.
"Keep dangereous weapons out of the hands of fools-start with computers"
[8D]
I'm afraid that when the time comes,,,I am going to look the salesman, from my 'local' Harley Davidson dealership, in the eye and say "Is that the best ya can do?" and then take the plunge.
They have been good to me throughout the years.
Seems to me their prices weren't too out of line with the suggested retail prices on the HD website.
,,,sod
Harley probably saved a hundred bucks on each bike with the cheaper bags and STILL raised the price a grand. [:(!]
Lord Lowrider the Loquacious.
Member:Secret Select Society of Suave Stylish Smoking Jackets
She was only a fisherman's daughter,
But when she saw my rod she reeled.
How do ya like those bags, Sod? I looked at one the other day at the HD shop and I liked the old fiberglass, color-keyed bags better than the new ABS units.
Harley probably saved a hundred bucks on each bike with the cheaper bags and STILL raised the price a grand. [:(!]
Lord Lowrider the Loquacious.
Member:Secret Select Society of Suave Stylish Smoking Jackets
She was only a fisherman's daughter,
But when she saw my rod she reeled.
They are part of the bike so's I could live with 'em.
My first thought was they looked like a "'whitehead' zit with a black hair sticking out of it"[;)]
,,,[:D]sod