g'day everyone, 

 

i have decided i cant live without a bike so Im looking at buying a softail standard, origionaly i was going to get a second handbike but ive seen some 2012 runouts (silver engine rather then the new black) 103" with the abs. for around the 25k mark ride away. ive been hastleing my local dealer on getting the best deal and they dont seem to want to budge. being a young bloke i dont think alot of the harley guys take me seriously or would give me the same sort of deal as some of you older guys who have the cash to back you up. i know they are in bussiness to make money but im suprised that just because its a harley they dont want to knock anything off the price or throw in some parts to sweeten the deal. id sign the paperwork tomorrow if it included a nice set of full pipes, tuner and a breather.

 

i was just looking for some helpful tricks and tips and would love to hear your storys from when you bought your bikes (weather the dealer threw some pipes or extra parts in, or how much they knocked off the price to make a sale)

 

cheers,

 

GS

 

They should drop a grand off pretty easily or they used too , or maybe accessories , though not sure these days , when i traded my heritage up for the roadie 3 yrs ago , i had an offer of 26k , they offered me 26, 600 , plus a backrest and 4 point docking kit , still shop around and you might be surprised , just call a few over the phone till ya get something that you can`t refuse hey ?
Gotta say , the Roadking is a bit more bike for your bucks mate , all day i reckon hey , talk up the softy and then see if ya can get them to dangle the carrot on a roadie , maybe even a colour they`re having trouble movin and go for that , test ride a few first man ?

that never took long greasy?
take your old man with ya maybe that will show the dealer your for real.
pipes, tuner and air cleaner is probably asking to much, being the end of year run out they have already knocked the price down so i doubt they will go down any further.
unless its a current model then you may get a sweetener thrown in.
have a look at heavy duty motorcycles next door to gas ally they have some really nice second hand bikes with everything done already.

good luck with the bike hunting!

Try another dealer, let him know up front you are looking around for a good deal and want to have the bike in a few weeks if possible.Let him make the offer of what they throw in and then ask for a little more. Tell him you already know the Retail price. Good luck

Your other option is to look on the Bike sites and find one still under warranty, who knows you might save $3K or more.

 When I purchased my bike walked into the the dealer told the salesman I was here to buy today and I have cash…

I said I want a $1000 of the YOUR DISPLAYED PRICE.. he informed me that the boss would not do the deal ??? I told him firstly go and speak with him which he did...the manger said no full price only ?? I said would be walking out the door to purchase from this dealer who has agreed to take a $1000.00 off, he said cannot match the the deal?? ok i said well i am off to do the deal on the phone with the dealer who has offered me the price off I B4 I GOT TO THE DOOR THE MANAGER SAID OK BUT YOU NEED TO SIGN NOW..

I said that’s what I am here for… ps there is only one dealer in my city so you can deal with them just don’t play games with them and be prepared to walk out the door.. there will be a dealer who will do a deal with ya…

Some would say buy an Evo , deffinately worth tinkerin` about ?

Full pipes, tuner and air is asking a bit much.

Where abouts are you?

When i went in to buy mine, i said i am here to sign, this is what i want including all the xtra's (& later to add some more) & i had a price in mind & he came in under what i had in my head. He then said i will add the extra's no charge, I nearly fell off the bike!

It was pretty much where do i sign. SO there are deals to be done, just depends on where you are, what type of bike etc etc.. i suppose.

I work in the car industry & this astonished me.

Shop around;
buy at end of year run out just before the new models arrive - they want the floor space;
buy on the last friday end of month ;
make sure the price is on road and with a big discount;
also bargain for 25% or better off P&A. I got $500 knocked off a full stage 1 deal;
did I say shop around? the smaller dealers seem to be more hungry during model run outs-- worked for me.

Failing that , an Edward (Ned) Kelly style approach and headgear may be concidered an option ?
Now , Stand and Deliver or was it Such Is Life ?

 

Greasy, business is business, so treat it as such.

Type up an email requesting price and availability stating exactly what you want, and how you're going to pay.

 

Head it, Quote to supply, and CC it to all the Harley Dealers in your State.

(make sure you send the mail in one so all the dealers see that it has gone to other dealers)

 Email it off to all of them and see what returns.

 

Let the ones that want to do business do the haggling work for you.

 

Be interesting to see what comes your way.

What has worked for me (Just did it again with a car) is to walk into the dealer and get them to give you their best price, and then when they do... say... "Ok great... well I am heading up to Sydney (or another capital city) to visit my brother. He has been looking at some bikes at the dealers up there, so I will have a poke around. I would prefer to buy it locally, but if it means the difference between having enough for a stage 1, then you know which way I have to go.... Just so we are sure.... Is that you best price?"

And watch them change it real quick!!

I just did this. Best price on the car was $44,000. Said that statement above (Less the stage 1 bit of course) and WOW... Now their best price miraculously changed to $41,500 AMAZING!!

Yeah to what everyone has said. I've tried a bunch of tactics, but what works the best for me:

-use the forums, gather the names of specific sales guys who have been helpful to others....contact them, say "hey I know such and such...you sold him blah....can we make a deal?"
-cash sales....finance means no deal usually...which I find odd, as its irrelevant to the dealer. They get the money in full from the finance company....bit I guess it's a kick back to the finance company for helping them out.
-if they won't budge, go elsewhere. Buy interstate, intercity....whatever. Use the dealer who won't budge on price for test rides....then use another dealer who wants to negotiate.

thanks for all the tips guys, its alot of food for thought.

i do like the ned kelly head-gear idea haha, i think ill go with that one.... hey i might even make it onto the telly!

i also really like the idea of emailing it to all my local dealers and seeing what they say, i think that might be the go.
ive just started back at work after 3 and a half months off after my crash and gone straight into overtime and weekends so ill be earning some good coin to save more and more . i think i might wait a few extra months before i go in and look for another bike so i can pay cash or damn close to it. works been real busy with the christmas/ new years rush so i guess it means more saving for me.


cheers.

Yep! Just remember - Nobody is going to save you money but YOU!!! Don't be scared to ask for a better price. All they can say is no - no harm done. But of you don't ask, they will never offer it.

Good luck mate, and keep us posted. There are lots of jealous bastards (myself included) that want to know what you get.

Hi all...I always get a minimum of 10% off.

I always have the cash lined up so no fucking around.

Never trade in.

I go to shop with a good deposit and tell them what i want and how much im going to pay.I show them the deposit so they know im fairdinkum.I tell them i will buy elsewhere if they dont come to the party.Let them know i can have the rest of the money by the days end.

You cant bargain any otherway IMHO.

I agree with most of the stuff that has been written, I shopped around and contacted deals in Qld, Vic and NSW. I got written quotes so when I went to the local dealer I could say I can get the same bike cheaper elsewhere. I ended up getting my bike from Sy's $4,500 off the price I could get it in Canberra plus it had the breather, V&N pipes, detachable luggage rack and passenger backrest, tuner plus it was registered. So in reality I probably saved over $7,000. The local HD dealer couldn't match it. So shop around and if needed be prepared to travel elsewhere if it's going to save you $$$

One last thing, wait until you find the right bike at the right price. Don't rush into it just because you have stars in your eyes :-)

 Haggling is all good and I enjoy it, but exercise caution and don't become the bastard, because later down the track, when you need a hand, the salesman will remember you. I've had good salesmen go out of there way to help me down the track, and if I'd pushed him for further discount he would have laughed at me, instead of sending me the parts over night to the middle of nowhere, free freight and not expecting payment until I returned to town three weeks later. Got me out of a jam, but generally, if you feel like your being ripped off, you probably are, pay what you're willing to and don't be a prick about the haggling.