Harleys Discounted?
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WHM1
Junior Member
THANKS ALOT... Maybe I should go and buy that new 2009 Street Glide now.... no I can't ...no I can't.... no I can't
That's hard to say
:bigsmiley19:
Randall K. Wilson
Junior Member
In Indianapolis SouthSide Harley Davidson Sales and Service to my knowledge have charged only the MSRP for new Harleys. I do know last year later in the year a left over Ultra (07) the frieght and setup was deleted. At least that is what a tire kicker was told when I was in the showroom.
However for a number of years NOT Southside Harley, but the other Harley Dealer in Indianapolis would put chrome on the new bikes and charge for the new parts and labor (which to me stinks and I would not give them the pleasure), :small3d031
lus msrp. It seemed they had a take or leave it attitude. I don't think they are doing that so much since the sales have declined.
I remember as late at 1989 you could negotiate 1,000.00:newsmile093: off of a new Sportster in Indy. Then by 1991 all the new Harleys were sold before they came in...and then there were the waiting list for a new cycle.... The history of the supply and demand since then has been interesting.
Keeping my source confidential....It is my understanding that for the model year 2008, the factory restricted production to control the supply and demand scenario. The company fathers I assume did not want folk to have to wait to get a new cycle, but on the other hand did not want an excessive batch of cycles sitting around in the showrooms at the end of model run...hence to keep folk from coming in and haggling for lower prices. It seems to me here in Indy the H-D big-wigs plan worked as they wanted it to.
However for a number of years NOT Southside Harley, but the other Harley Dealer in Indianapolis would put chrome on the new bikes and charge for the new parts and labor (which to me stinks and I would not give them the pleasure), :small3d031
lus msrp. It seemed they had a take or leave it attitude. I don't think they are doing that so much since the sales have declined.I remember as late at 1989 you could negotiate 1,000.00:newsmile093: off of a new Sportster in Indy. Then by 1991 all the new Harleys were sold before they came in...and then there were the waiting list for a new cycle.... The history of the supply and demand since then has been interesting.
Keeping my source confidential....It is my understanding that for the model year 2008, the factory restricted production to control the supply and demand scenario. The company fathers I assume did not want folk to have to wait to get a new cycle, but on the other hand did not want an excessive batch of cycles sitting around in the showrooms at the end of model run...hence to keep folk from coming in and haggling for lower prices. It seems to me here in Indy the H-D big-wigs plan worked as they wanted it to.
I'm shopping for a new Harley. I am also a businessman and hold a degree in economics. (Yeah, I know, that and a dollar will get you a cup of java...). But hear me out on this...
The Harley market is fascinating and frustrating. Dealer add-ons (fees) are treated as gospel we should all expect and gladly pay. I think not. Here are some actual quotes that shed some interesting insight:
"We are required by Harley to charge shipping and set-up. The state requires us to charge the documentation fee to assure all the paperwork is correct." -- Saleswoman at a HD dealership
"Harley actually overshot its market in recent years, you know, overpricing their bikes. We're told they're capping MSRP's to try to fix that and shrink the gap between Harley and metric prices." -- Parts manager at a HD dealership who was helping me shop
"We have to charge shipping because shipping a bike is different from shipping any other inventory." -- Salesmen at two different HD dealerships in response to my question, "If I have to pay shipping for the bike, do I also have to pay shipping as an additional charge if I buy, say, a seat?"
"The set-up fee covers the cost of the guys in the shop uncrating and assembling the bike." -- Numerous HD salesmen
"Documentation fees cover the cost of the ladies who process your paperwork. We're required to charge that fee." -- Numerous HD salesman after my complaints regarding $150+ fees for entering my name and address into a computer, pushing a button and spitting out all the necessary documents.
"Frankly, we've pretty much got buyers trained to pay whatever we list on the price tag. Hardly anyone questions it. And if they do, salesman are trained to handle it. All that money falls into our account; well, my lake house, really! A Harley dealership is like a jewelry store for men; they check their brains at the door." -- Former HD dealership owner who is a fellow business school alumnus
Fellow HD lovers, PLEASE! Stop the madness!
Look, I want HD to make a profit and do very well. I want dealerships to do well and make a profit. Otherwise, we can't get the machines we enjoy so much.
BUT......
PLEASE stop paying these absurd add-on fees. Just don't buy the darn bike. It'll be there next week. Or the week after. And you'll save about $800. Believe me: Harley will build and delivery a bike to everyone who wants to buy one.
Here's the last dealer pricing trick: Asking a particular HD dealer for an out-the-door price, she added up the MSRP with the dealer fees...and then added tax. Jeez. In my state (at least) you cannot tax "services" like shipping, assembly or documentation fees. But the dealer tries to slip in a little home-cookin' 'rithmatic to pad his wallet with a few more bucks.
I was born at night -- but not last night.
The Harley market is fascinating and frustrating. Dealer add-ons (fees) are treated as gospel we should all expect and gladly pay. I think not. Here are some actual quotes that shed some interesting insight:
"We are required by Harley to charge shipping and set-up. The state requires us to charge the documentation fee to assure all the paperwork is correct." -- Saleswoman at a HD dealership
"Harley actually overshot its market in recent years, you know, overpricing their bikes. We're told they're capping MSRP's to try to fix that and shrink the gap between Harley and metric prices." -- Parts manager at a HD dealership who was helping me shop
"We have to charge shipping because shipping a bike is different from shipping any other inventory." -- Salesmen at two different HD dealerships in response to my question, "If I have to pay shipping for the bike, do I also have to pay shipping as an additional charge if I buy, say, a seat?"
"The set-up fee covers the cost of the guys in the shop uncrating and assembling the bike." -- Numerous HD salesmen
"Documentation fees cover the cost of the ladies who process your paperwork. We're required to charge that fee." -- Numerous HD salesman after my complaints regarding $150+ fees for entering my name and address into a computer, pushing a button and spitting out all the necessary documents.
"Frankly, we've pretty much got buyers trained to pay whatever we list on the price tag. Hardly anyone questions it. And if they do, salesman are trained to handle it. All that money falls into our account; well, my lake house, really! A Harley dealership is like a jewelry store for men; they check their brains at the door." -- Former HD dealership owner who is a fellow business school alumnus
Fellow HD lovers, PLEASE! Stop the madness!
Look, I want HD to make a profit and do very well. I want dealerships to do well and make a profit. Otherwise, we can't get the machines we enjoy so much.
BUT......
PLEASE stop paying these absurd add-on fees. Just don't buy the darn bike. It'll be there next week. Or the week after. And you'll save about $800. Believe me: Harley will build and delivery a bike to everyone who wants to buy one.
Here's the last dealer pricing trick: Asking a particular HD dealer for an out-the-door price, she added up the MSRP with the dealer fees...and then added tax. Jeez. In my state (at least) you cannot tax "services" like shipping, assembly or documentation fees. But the dealer tries to slip in a little home-cookin' 'rithmatic to pad his wallet with a few more bucks.
I was born at night -- but not last night.
Randall K. Wilson
Junior Member
OK, You say "stop the madness". How do you propose to do that? How much would HD have to discount a cycle to make you a happy camper...I mean biker?
I'm happy to pay MSRP plus tax and title fee. Anything beyond that is a price gouge manufactured to sound like a legit "fee" by dealers. Dealers make about $3,000, on average, on a bike. [see note below]
Like I said, I want them to make money and prosper. But all the extra gouging is insulting, frankly.
NOTE: This is from research of Harley-Davidson from my b-school's (very) extensive library of company data analysts and investors use to evaluate financial performance.
Randall K. Wilson
Junior Member
I read an old account on the net where a gent in I think Missouri owned three Harley Davidson dealerships. One for sure in a major city. Anyway according to this interview his totals sales in 2002 was $38,000.000.00 (thirty eight million). Now for the sake of this discussion, I must wonder how much of that ended up being his profit after all expenses were paid out for the year? Is there a "textbook" answer for that?