HD Price Markups revisited

[rajflyboy]

Has anyone bought a new HD Motorcycle lately and what kind of markup over MSRP did you experience?

[chornbe]

Those days are over.

[olderigetfasteriam]

You aren't going to try this again are you?

[FBRR]

I just bought a new Dyna superglide custom. They did not have what I wanted in stock, and the salesman said he would find one. They went to another state to pick up my bike and sold it to me for less than MSRP. They sold it for the same price as I could have purchased one they had in stock, but not the color I wanted. I thought they bent over backward. And additionally the bike I they found did not have Theft installed, like the one on the floor. They ordered and installed the harley theft unit for a little less than it would have cost as an option from the factory.
 I had discussed and almost bought the one on the floor w/theft and comparing that price with what I payed for the bike I wanted, even though they went out of their way to do the dealer trade and go pick up my bike, mine was around $200 less than the in stock bike! That cost was the difference in dealer installed theft unit ( the same as factory,just plug in and go) and the price of theft as an option from the factory!($345 option price, I payed $150 installed).
 Both bikes were custom color and that is extra, yet my "out the door" price (with TAX,title, plate tranfer)was less than a "BASIC" black bike MSRP, no set up or delivery fees were included.
Both of my last two Harleys have been under MSRP, and no "extra" fees for set up and delivery type charges.

I was suprised how far my dealer was willing to go to make a sale. I know times are tough, but they really went the extra mile to get the sale. ( I should add I also had a trade in, and Harley had a special deal to add $1000 for a "competitive" trade in. I traded in my bike for more than I thought I could sell it for myself! And used bikes are also very hard to move around here!!)

MSRP                  
Black                    $ 12,999  
Color                    
Two-Tone            $ 13,344  
Custom Color      $ 13,654    
Security               $ 345  
Wheel Option      $ 450  
 
Freight                $ 330  
   
   

[Playinthestreet]

A friend just bought a 2010 Street Glide.  $1500 under MSRP, extra $1000 in trade on a Suzuki he had (don't know the model) 20% discount on parts/acc no time limit.

[rajflyboy]

Some good news for HD buyers

I still haven't made a play on bike around home but i'm getting 1500 to 2000 added to a sportster from most dealerships

I just walk when I hear this bs

[chornbe]

Well, you just missed the chance to buy my kick-ass Sportster for thousands less than new and certainly less than it's worth in a normal economy. Oh well.... Snoozers lose.

[st ryder]

Some good news for HD buyers

I still haven't made a play on bike around home but i'm getting 1500 to 2000 added to a sportster from most dealerships

I just walk when I hear this bs

You talking freight/ prep and sales taxes on top of the msrp, or dealers asking for a price premium plus freight and prep and sales taxes, which I'd find hard to believe given the ecomomy/poor sales ?

[rajflyboy]

You talking freight/ prep and sales taxes on top of the msrp, or dealers asking for a price premium plus freight and prep and sales taxes, which I'd find hard to believe given the ecomomy/poor sales ?

freight, prep, paperwork (399 bucks for paperwork) and sometimes more

I did find a dealer today that would actually work closer to msrp.   The first HD dealer around town that I have found to do that.   Also the first time i have been in their shop.  

[st ryder]

freight, prep, paperwork (399 bucks for paperwork) and sometimes more

I did find a dealer today that would actually work closer to msrp.   The first HD dealer around town that I have found to do that.   Also the first time i have been in their shop.  

So the dealer is not marking the *price* up from msrp, he's adding freight, prep, admin etc. Not quite the same things, as most dealers do that after they discount a bike below msrp.  

[rajflyboy]

So the dealer is not marking the *price* up from msrp, he's adding freight, prep, admin etc. Not quite the same things, as most dealers do that after they discount a bike below msrp.  

thats all the stuff that a Dealer should not be charging a potential customer >>  unless the customer is STUPID

[falconati]

That's your opinion, as a consumer.  

I prefer not to pay those things too, but let's not confuse things.

[rajflyboy]

That's your opinion, as a consumer.  

I prefer not to pay those things too, but let's not confuse things.

I'm not confused.   I know that I'm not paying extra for this stuff >> when I don't have too!

[st ryder]

I'm not confused.   I know that I'm not paying extra for this stuff >> when I don't have too!

Yes, you used confusing language to make it sound like the dealer was asking for a premium over the MSR/sticker price. That stuff you describe is not a dealer price mark up. It's typical added "costs" of delivering a vehicle to the buyer, but it's NOT a premium on the MSRP, and is not brand specific or motorcycle specific either for that matter.

Bottom line is, you wanna play, you gotta pay.

[Geoff]

If you find a dealer marking up prices over MSRP, walk away. Those days are over. In fact, some dealers offer certain models below MSRP.

[chornbe]

I'm not confused.   I know that I'm not paying extra for this stuff >> when I don't have too!

I agree that prep/freight is often overblown and in many cases can be negotiated out.

Taxes? Thank your state government; dealer can't (and shouldn't) do shit about that. Does the convenience store absorb the sales tax on your bottle of laundry soap? No. That's on you. As it should be on vehicles. Blindly expecting the dealer to roll it into the cost and not adding it on is dumb. You're asking him to, essentially, pay for you to buy the bike. Commerce doesn't work that way.

Likewise licensing fees and title fees, etc. Now if they're asking you to pay, say, $300 in doc fees when most notaries charge $25, then yeah, there's a problem.

As for the base price of the machine itself, NOTHING should be selling above MSRP at this point, and anyone looking to actually move product is free to sell at whatever price he wishes, even below cost if he thinks you're someone who will be back to use his dealership's other services, but again, it's flat out stupid to think they're not going to (rightfully) make some profit on the sale of the machine to you.

It's fully within your rights to seek and negotiate any deals you want, but it's also within the dealer's rights and NEEDS to make money in order to stay in business. Around here dealerships were dropping like flies over the last 2 years... I wonder how many of those people who beat up the dealerships on prices wish they were still open.


I really do urge everyone to be a business owner for a while and see how it works. Or worse, be the manager of an establishment and have the owner constantly wondering when you're going to bring him more profits. Or try to balance cost and service, all the while dealing with "I want it cheaper" people and "you scuffed my foot peg with your dirty boot so I want a new motorcycle" people.

Yeah, it's a real picnic. I sure to hope that mean dealership gets what's coming to him.  

[rajflyboy]

I agree that prep/freight is often overblown and in many cases can be negotiated out.

Taxes? Thank your state government; dealer can't (and shouldn't) do shit about that. Does the convenience store absorb the sales tax on your bottle of laundry soap? No. That's on you. As it should be on vehicles. Blindly expecting the dealer to roll it into the cost and not adding it on is dumb. You're asking him to, essentially, pay for you to buy the bike. Commerce doesn't work that way.

Likewise licensing fees and title fees, etc. Now if they're asking you to pay, say, $300 in doc fees when most notaries charge $25, then yeah, there's a problem.

As for the base price of the machine itself, NOTHING should be selling above MSRP at this point, and anyone looking to actually move product is free to sell at whatever price he wishes, even below cost if he thinks you're someone who will be back to use his dealership's other services, but again, it's flat out stupid to think they're not going to (rightfully) make some profit on the sale of the machine to you.

It's fully within your rights to seek and negotiate any deals you want, but it's also within the dealer's rights and NEEDS to make money in order to stay in business. Around here dealerships were dropping like flies over the last 2 years... I wonder how many of those people who beat up the dealerships on prices wish they were still open.


I really do urge everyone to be a business owner for a while and see how it works. Or worse, be the manager of an establishment and have the owner constantly wondering when you're going to bring him more profits. Or try to balance cost and service, all the while dealing with "I want it cheaper" people and "you scuffed my foot peg with your dirty boot so I want a new motorcycle" people.

Yeah, it's a real picnic. I sure to hope that mean dealership gets what's coming to him.  

I agree with you here  

[Geoff]

Fatboy (FLSTF) vivid black

1997 $14,300
1998 $14,595
1999 $14,835
2000 $15,280
2001 $15,495
2002 $15,795
2003 $16,195
2004 $16,245
2005 $16,445
2006 $16,645
2007 $17,095
2008 $17,195
2009 $15,999
2010 $15,999