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[Deep Blue Dives]

I have yet to hear from someone who has said "man I wish I would not have bought this beautiful new CVO"...

First it sounds like you did well by not pulling the trigger yet!  Salesman know that color sells, and why not toss out a high number and see if someone bites.  All they did is move one of the negotiables in the deal.  People buy on color more than any other thing.  With only 3 color schemes to chose from, it's a salesman's dream.

A salesman first asks you what color you want - commitment, and what do you want your monthly payment to be - opening your check book without knowing it.

Educate yourself and shop around - there is more than one hot citrus around.  One of the dealers I visited tried to tell me that they had the only citrus in TX presently available, and that only 7 were being delivered to my State.  Basically they were saying that this was the only one that there was, better jump on it.  That was BS, as I located another one within 3 days.  

MSRP is only MSRP if your know overall what you are paying.  If they are low balling you on the trade in, then an up charge on the new bike - that's maximizing profit.  That's good business practice for the way a HD dealership is set up to pay everyone from the salesman, to the manager, to the owner more profit.  If your in a big market you can do this.  If your not, then you will drive away customers.

I knew I couldn't get a CVO within 200 miles at MSRP, trust me I did my home work.  What I did find out was what the banks would loan on the resale of my bike, so I understood the real resale value of my bike.  I was able to negotiate a higher trade in value for my bike, and eat away all the additional mark up.

The NADA resale values are the max a bank will loan on a used bike, plain and simple.  Unless the new buyer tosses down extra cash, that be it.  Dealers again will use this number as a stake in the sand.

You can try selling your current bike on e-bay, cycle trader, craigslist if you want to reduce sales charges.  You lose out on sales tax savings with trading in, but can personally maximize your profit.  The dealer knows this and will use this to their advantage.  I had several offers to sell my bike outright, but the numbers didn't work as well as trading it in.  Again, I knew my numbers.

Once you know all the intangeables, you can understand the real purchase price of the bike.  You can negotiate down from $3K over MSRP, or upsell the value of your trade in - basically as one person responded, the dealership is trying to maximize profit, and unless you understand this profit margin, you are at the mercy of the dealership.  You can negotiate a better discount on extended warranty, parts added on and labor.  It's all negotiable.  Some things the dealer won't move on, others they will.

Now you can make a deal, or walk away.   In the end, you know what you are really paying for the bike, and whether or not you can live with the deal.  Once you are confident that you are getting the best price for the bike in the market area you live in, that's all that matters.  $3K is mouse nuts compared to what you are going to sink into the bike after you buy it.  You already know that.  

I tapped into 1% financing for 5 years - that was huge $'s over the life of the loan.  Only one dealer I visited was willing to offer me this, because this costs the dealership profit.

Once I was within my overall range....Trigger pulled, never looked back.

I would recommend that you get better educated on the numbers, find what you can live with, then look for the deal.  Don't be afraid to walk away.  You know if the 2012's run out, there will be 2013's - maybe with a bigger engine, and a color you like better.  Pull the trigger when you don't have any more questions yourself.  

Buyers remorse will only last as long as it takes to roll on the new bikes throttle.  Good Luck.

[CVOStreetglide]

To help complicate matters a little more, remember you will pay full sales tax on the new bike as opposed to the difference if you trade.  

Also, those fees are negotiable be sure to get the Sales Manager and the General Manager involved in your transaction.

The economy is tight as you know and if you're breathing and have good credit and a marketable trade they won't let you out the door unless it's on a new bike.

Good Luck

Jerry

[mark]

Whether to trade or not is a personal decision that's yours to make.  It's easy for me to say yes to trading a two year old bike in for one at above MSRP because it's not my $$.  Personally, I would not pay one dollar over MSRP.  However, if you do decide to trade, this is what I'd do:

Pull the numbers yourself on MSRP, destination charge, etc. and offer that and take the printouts with you.  This will counter some dealership BS, like "oh, the destination charges went up since the model was introduced, etc."  I'd also tell them I found a Citrus at MSRP at another dealer and they'll have to match.  I'd also inquire as to why they think the Citrus is worth more $$.  We know why - it's a more popular color and the dealer is greedy.  Remember, it's not the early 2000's when a dealer could shovel a price at us and we had to take it.  Buying a bike (or car) is a negotiation.  I've always done best by being well prepared and knowing ahead of time what's the most I'll pay.  Good luck.

[Pete]

Guys;
First of all thanks for the earnest replies. I appreciated the time all took to answer the question. This is a cash sale and there is no sales tax in my state. I believe the dealer is giving me 24k for my bike and selling the Black at MSRP. I have the 8 grand. But let's face it all of us here have 8 grand. Some of us may be more prudent (or less foolish than others regarding how they spend it).
After all of this I have decided the Black is not too bad a deal 24k trade for the 2010 net would be 24+8= 32 that's about MSRP.  The Orange like everybody here says is way overpriced at 3k more.  Buying a bike and especially a CVO color is important and I like my "Blue 2010, I don't feel a need to sell it unless it was for something a really had to have along with a resionably good deal that I could rationalize (allready had the wife story down pat) and I don't want to dis any man's Black 2012, the bike  is really very nice but as I said we have a black softail. I'll look around for a Citrus but in the meantime it not like I'm driving a chitbox.
Pete

[barefoot3zk5]

Hard to believe >>> seems as though Good Judgement may have prevailed ... LOL
at least for the time being .. stay tuned for further developments..

[bhtko]

Hard to believe >>> seems as though Good Judgement may have prevailed ... LOL
at least for the time being .. stay tuned for further developments..

Time, warm weather and thinking about the new bikes definitely have a way of wearing a guy down... lol