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[Kingspoke]

OK, so this morning I woke up with this brilliant idea and I called a local dealer and asked how flexible they were on the 2012 CVO Ultra.  The salesman predictably says "hey we're flexible come on down", which I do, an hour later.  

After going back and forth with the salesman, on a Wicked Sapphire (my choice) I tell him go ahead take the figure to the bossman and I'll sign if he agrees.  Naturally the Bossman counters (by a grand more) and we subsequently reach a stalemate of a paltry $308, with neither one of us willing to budge at that point.

I tell the Bossman I'll go outside and chew the fat on the situation. After 15 minutes, I again approach the Bossman and suggest to him, why not throw in a free 1st service and we'll call it a deal.  He says, No!  I say, how about you give me $308 in store credit, and predictably he says no, again.  

Frustrated, he has the salesman take the bike outside for me to inspect and look how brilliant the bike looks in the sun light, ostensibly to win me over, but nonetheless a nice gesture.  I take another break from the negotiation and talk to the salesman while we're outside and tell him, I think that a fair solution, since we are at a stalemate that perhaps the boss would consider splitting the difference ($154), and the salesman agrees that is reasonable suggestion.  I know, it sounds crazy on a $37k bike!

Neither the Bossman nor I lost our composure at any juncture during the negotiation.  I didn't accuse him of raking me over the coals and he didn't accuse me of asking him to "give the bike away".  I approach the Bossman and tell him I think the bike is very nice, I like their professionalism, and since we are at a stalemate, why don't we just split the difference and close the deal.  

He looks me the face, calmly without batting an eye, and casually says, No!  So, I walked!

Question:  A) Am I a hard head?, B) Is the dealer a hard head?, C) Are we both Knuckleheads in a Twinkie World?, or D) None of the above, that just how that tune goes sometimes?


  

[Landshark]

No I don't think you are being hard headed.  I can't believe they would let you walk for $154.  I would have done just what you did.  Good luck and let us know if they are smart enough to take your offer.

[SBB]

Question:  A) Am I a hard head?, B) Is the dealer a hard head?, C) Are we both Knuckleheads in a Twinkie World?, or D) None of the above, that just how that tune goes sometimes?


   

Walking away was the smart move.
They WILL call you back!
Be patient, cash is king and you have the cash.
A seller without a buyer is not a seller.
Did I mention being patient?

 

SBB

[Fatboy]

How much did he come down off of MSRP?

Any trade involved?

Cash deal or financing?

Extended Warranty in play?

All of the above can impact the final deal.

Is the bossman the Owner or the Sales Manager?

[JoeSDE]

Bunch of 2012 CVO Ultras here on the east coast. Some are priced to sell----1-2 thousand under msrp. Look around, you should find another, preferred color and discounted.      JoeS

[Sierramadre]

You showed remarkable restraint. Ridiculous for the dealership to haggle over that small amount of money. Tell them to pound sand.

[ultrafxr]

Since the dealer is local you will have to beat their deal by quite a bit to justify going out of area to get your bike.  I've bought two bikes from dealers who were several hundred miles away and going to get the bike involved long drives and overnight stays.  That adds considerably to the total cost.

So even if you can 'save' say a thousand bucks you could eat most or all of that getting the bike to your garage.  Just my $.02.

[catsnhogs]

Mr Kingspoke,

$154.00 on a 2012 model and 2013 models on the way. HMMM?  Go back and work the salesman and ask him to get creative.

[110tHunDer]

Since the dealer is local you will have to beat their deal by quite a bit to justify going out of area to get your bike.  I've bought two bikes from dealers who were several hundred miles away and going to get the bike involved long drives and overnight stays.  That adds considerably to the total cost.

So even if you can 'save' say a thousand bucks you could eat most or all of that getting the bike to your garage.  Just my $.02.

Some might see it as cutting off your nose to spite your face, but I would be willing to do just what you described if I thought I was getting f'd over for $154 by my local dealer.  You need to feel loved when you're dropping that kind of jack, IMO.

[2k]

He must have had another buyer in mind. If he calls you back, jump back to the $308 and stand firm!!!!

[49445CVO]

I would have walked too.  I would wait and see if they call you back and seeing you guys were not yelling at each other. I don't think there was bad blood between you guys. Some pride may have been hurt but in a day or two you'll be fine.  They know they will make $$$$$$ off you in the future as well as at the time of the sale when you put some add ons into the deal. As long as they did not piss you off and make you feel stupid you might still be buying a bike from them in the near future.

As fat boy stated was there anything else in the deal....Trade in, extended warranty, and actual price?

Topper

[lilcoot]

Your profile says Northern Cali, which I assume means the Bay Area or Skankramento?  If that's the case, you have lots of options.  San Fran, Oakland, San Jose, Gilroy, Tracy, Sacramento, etc...

It would help to know what kind of a deal you've already made, but I'd tell that sales manager to take a hike.  I'm in SoCal, and I think there are dealers here who still have the Wicked Saphires available.  Shop around, and see if any of the other dealers will do a dealer trade. 

I hate dealing with people who think it's a privilege for you to buy from them.  That turned me off from many HD salesmen in the past.

Good luck and let us know what happens.

Dan

[rsberg]

Let me offer you my 2 cents, call Simi Valley Harley and talk to Michael Bonilla. I know its a little out of the way for you, but these boys will deal.

[Kingspoke]

Thanks for the input as sometimes you can't see the forest for the trees.  Just to clarify the Bossman is part owner so no enticement of the salesman is going to move the chains.

I really like the bike I have and it runs great, but (and here's the gigantic BUT), A) I never had a CVO and I'm not a youngster anymore ("times a wastin"), B) I planned on doing several upgrades on the current bike (if I keep it), but the upgrades I normally like are on the conservative side (like the CVO, nothing radical), and C) now is the juncture when I decide to pour more money into the current bike or just jump to the chase and get the CVO.  I don't need the CVO, and I'm very happy with the current bike but those damn CVO's have been calling me.

If I chrome my front end, change out the wheels, rotors, brake lines, step up the paint, clutch, paint inner fairing, add Boom audio, GPS, XM, IPOD, power locks, bigger motor, etc. etc., it is an awful lot of time, labor costs, & parts cash, so why not jump to the chase?  I will still want to change out the bars, add a tuner (TTS), V&H Propipe, shocks, a cam, LEDs & dyno tune when stepping to another bike at some point, but 90% of the modifications are already in place.

It's a lot of money, the price was good, but I think I'm gonna wait it out.  If the salesman calls me tomorrow, I'll talk but they would have to meet me half way. 

I understand their perspective as well.  If I don't buy it at that price someone else will and that's fine with me.  These bikes are like buses, wait long enough and another one will come along.  My timing could have been better at the end of the month anyhow.

For now I'll just be a lurker and occassionally salivate over my key board when you guys post picks of your CVO's.   I'll let you guys know if they call back.

[ultrarider123]

Kingspoke, instead of putting all that money into your current ride, may want to wait for that CVO.
I will tell you what I told my friend who just purchased and his SESG skunk this past May.  He was riding a '11 Dyna wide glide and wanted to move to the Road Glide.  The dealer (Smoky Mountain HD in Maryville, TN) had the skunk coming in but had a '12 Road Glide on the showroom floor with about $9,000 in extras on it.  It was black and all the extras were black so it really looked good on the showroom.  Rick still wanted to see the Skunk but was really leaning to the RG on the floor.
I tried to expain it like this.  If he purchased the '12 RG on the floor, if/when he went to trade it in a year or so, the dealer would look at the book on a standard RG and maybe give him 10% on the extras.  So that $9,000 put on the bike would, maybe, get him $800-$900 in trade so not only would he lose value on the RG, he would lose on the extras.
With the SERG, obviously he would be out a bit more than the standard RG with the extras (actually came out to around $4K difference with tax and all) but the extras are INCLUDED in the retail price of the CVO.  As an example, I showed him the Black Book trade price on a '11 RG Ultra and '11 SERGU.  No contest even if you took into account a theoretical addition of $9K extras on the '11 RGU of which you would only get that $800 to $900 trade allowance.  Plus he fell hard for that Skunk when he saw it...

Wait for the CVO, stand your ground with this or any dealer when it comes to a purchase.  Here's one for you...stick with the $154 difference but ask for 20% discount on all parts/accessories/service for the first year or two.  You save money, the dealer makes a sale and gets you back on parts and service....

Good luck and keep us informed on how this one develops...