|
| Click Here for a printable copy. | Tips for Purchasing a Motorcycle
Created for you by Tibby’s Harley-Davidson
- MSRP: Ask for a copy of the Harley-Davidson literature. Compare the price of the bike to what the literature says the manufacturer’s suggested retail price should be including options. MSRP is also publically available on at www.h-d.com.
- Hang Tags: Does the bike have a hang tag clearly displaying all of the vehicles options, and the price of the bike, including an out the door price? If not, can you get a price from the salesperson with reasonable little effort, or will you be passed around to other staff? If you find yourself at a dealership with no tags, ask multiple times for the price to see if salespeople quote different amounts.
- Used Bikes: Has it been pre-inspected and repaired by the dealership? If so, are you responsible for those costs on top of your purchase price? At Tibby’s Harley-Davidson, we inspect bikes before we even consider taking them on trade, and all repairs are completed before they get to the showroom, so the price listed is your price, no surprises.
- Interest Rates/Monthly Payments: Interest rates and length of terms quoted vary dealer to dealer. Be sure that you are comparing bottom-line to bottom-line rather than being sold a monthly payment. You should be able to find a reasonable monthly payment AND a reasonable bottom-line price.
- Incentives / Hidden Fees: Some dealers offer no-payment and interest rate incentives that have a cost associated to the dealer, yet they pass the fee for the program onto the customer.
Always keep your eyes peeled for hidden fees. Charges such as freight, setup, and doc fees are customary, however, some dealers charge significantly more than others. Typically, you should see freight at $300 to $375 and setup from $200 to $375.00. Doc fees can run up to $250, you should feel free to ask what this amount is used towards.
- The Value of Your Trade: Beware of trade in offers that far exceed a normal market value. Some dealerships use a technique called “rolling negative equity into your trade”. What this means is that they will offer you a high amount for your trade, and make up for it by attaching the “extra” trade value to the total of your motorcycle loan. This creates a situation where the amount of the loan is far greater than what the asset is actually worth. This also increases what you are obligated to pay in sales tax. One way to combat this is to get everything in writing and review it carefully. Ask questions like: "What is the actual cash value of my trade?” and, “What is the price of the bike without my trade?" See for yourself what trade values are running by researching NADA, Kelly Blue Book, and the AMA Black Book.
- Proposal: When you are shopping for a Harley-Davidson always insist that the dealer provide you with a written sales quote for you to take home and review. If you sense reluctance or unwillingness, pay close attention to that. Insist that you want to see all the numbers and not just the monthly payment. You should be allowed to ask any questions, without being made to feel rushed or that you will “miss out on the bike”.
- Pre-Paid Maintenance packages: This is not a Harley-Davidson backed program. Many dealers offer packages that range in the thousands of dollars. Compare the prices of the services you would actually use, to the price of the package when making your decision. Are you truly saving money, or simply locking yourself into one dealership?
- Privacy and Respect: Some dealers use dedicated staff or call centers that employ full-time telemarketers to call you repeatedly. Showing a customer that you are interested in earning their business and being a nuisance are two different things.
|
|
|
|  
 | Loading Flash Player......
|  |
| |
|
|
|
|
