[TheKing]

In less than a week I am going in to purchase my soon to be first bike (but not first riding expirience, I rode a friends ZX-6R for a couple months straight when he was in Europe, put over 2000 miles on it).

I'm going to get an '03 600RR on their financing plan (No payments for 90 days, then 6.9% financing). Now is where I have a couple questions...

Is it ok to try to haggle down the price on a bike that will be financed, or is that bad etiquite? Also, I would really like to be able to get a helmet and/or jacket out of them. How do you go about this?

Thanks guys, this is really important to me and I'm really excited, I'm looking forward to any advice you can give me on this.

 

[r1-superstar]

Haggling? I hate that word. How about coming to an agreement on a fair price for you and them. Now getting them to throw something in is fine if the price you are paying is not too low already.

i.e. That 600RR retails for $8599 +TTL. The invoice on that bike is around $7200. If you are getting it for close to retail, then a free helmet is in order. If you are getting it for around $7300, depending on the cost of the helmet, getting one for free may be difficult.

 

[KneeDragger77]

well, as the saying goes, you cant get something for nothing. Basically, if they "throw in" a helmet and jacket its just included in the sale price of the bike, in which case their commission would just be less the dealers cost of the items. Unless of course the dealer doesnt mind taking a loss on the items and just giving them to you.

Basically there isnt too much room to haggle on price. Sure they price it up so they can come down, because everyone likes to think they are getting a deal. In the end, they will most likely offer to come down a few hundred on the bike and include the helmet and jacket in on the financing for you at a discounted price.

 

[Southern118]

if you haggle the price down on the bike dont expect anything to be thrown in with it if you pay full you might be able to get them to throw in a cheap helment or soemthng but if you get the bike for the low low they will not give you anything because they are not making anything already and a jacket you are just really out of luck if you want a leather jacket they might throw in a cheap textile and no helment but you arent gong to get mroe then 150 dollars worth probably

 

[KneeDragger77]

if you haggle the price down on the bike dont expect anything to be thrown in with it if you pay full you might be able to get them to throw in a cheap helment or soemthng but if you get the bike for the low low they will not give you anything because they are not making anything already and a jacket you are just really out of luck if you want a leather jacket they might throw in a cheap textile and no helment but you arent gong to get mroe then 150 dollars worth probably

breathe man breathe! whew

 

[MR_GIXXER_MAN]

See the thing is if you haggle too much on the bike...why would they give you a 300 dollar helmet and a say 350 dollar jacket on top of that? It is a rare thing to get any dealer to throw in anything these days. If you are able to afford to buy a bike...you should be able to afford to buy the gear for it IMO. Work on the price on the bike...and maybe see if they will give you say 20% off your gear....that is reasonable. Good luck. :hellobye

 

[R6 Matt]

I advise against the 'no payment' plan. You lose out in the end. I mean, you don't pay for three months, therefore you still owe the full amount of your bike after it's three months old. Would you pay full price for a used bike?? I'd try and swing a lower intrest rate and drop the 'do not pay' crap. Someone else might have greater insight into this, but I view it as a rip (been there, done that)

EDIT: Just ask about a purchase of gear with the bike... you can usually get 10 - 20% discount. It can never hurt to ask.

 

[MR_GIXXER_MAN]

breathe man breathe! whew

:lol

 

[TheKing]

Ah ok, thank you guys very much. From the posts here and on other forums, I was under the impression that they often threw in a helmet/jacket as kind of a gift item.

Then my last question is, is it fair to try to get them down to near invoice price and still do financing (because, as I understand it, financing takes commission money away from the dealership?). If so, how exactly did YOU get your dealer to come down in price? I've heard of people pitting the dealerships against each other (getting prices from all the dealers in the area), but I don't really understand how that works... Wouldn't they all have roughly the same price?

 

[KneeDragger77]

best case scenerio. You come into the dealer. The bike retails for $8599. Dude, they have to make some money too, you have to realize that. So you want to offer them a fair price. You already have outside financing so you come in a lay a check on the table for $7700. Sure its a $900 off but they are still clearing $500. Depending on the market, they could take it or just simply choose to wait for the next guy willing to pay full retail.

 

[R6 Matt]

The best thing I can say is think of a fair price you're willing to pay and start talking.... if he's not gonna come down at all, don't be afraid to walk away. Remember, they make bikes everyday.

 

[TheKing]

You already have outside financing so you come in a lay a check on the table for $7700.

I'm going to do the Honda financing, which I think is not an "outside" finance source?

 

[r1-superstar]

I'm going to do the Honda financing, which I think is not an "outside" finance source?

No big deal. Tell them what you are willing to pay and leave it at that. Haggling is for the birds and a waste of time. Profit is not a dirty word, Rape is.

And it is an outside source (through AMFC). Not to many dealers do in house financing.

I used to be the Asst. Sales MGR. at Honda/Suzuki of Salt Lake City. I'll suggest to you what you should pay for that 600RR. $7300 + TTL and no free lid. $7500 + TTL and a free lid. Oh yeah, and tell them that you refuse to pay the destination charge (freight).

 

[R1DER]

This is what I have found is the best way, get the deal sorted all the way to the final bits and peices and just before you sign the sheet hit him with it square in the jaw....

I bought a ZX7R the other day and I got:

Slightly over what my trade in bike was worth
Oil Change and Filter
New Brake pads

Not bad on a second hand bike purchase....

Your end line should be "ok you have a deal if you throw in a jacket and a helmet"

If he says no then go for just the helmet or jacket if that's a no go walk out and find a better dealer !

They can always drop a jacket in for sure...

 

[TheKing]

No big deal. Tell them what you are willing to pay and leave it at that. Haggling is for the birds and a waste of time. Profit is not a dirty word, Rape is.

And it is an outside source (through AMFC). Not to many dealers do in house financing.

I used to be the Asst. Sales MGR. at Honda/Suzuki of Salt Lake City. I'll suggest to you what you should pay for that 600RR. $7300 + TTL and no free lid. $7500 + TTL and a free lid. Oh yeah, and tell them that you refuse to pay the destination charge (freight).

Wow, awesome advice. Thank you very much. I have a couple more questions, for you. (I know, I know, I said that was the last one before)

I'm assuming TTL stands for tax, title, licensing. I know how much tax will be in my state, but, having never purchased a bike, I'm wondering how much title and licensing will be, roughly? (I live in Washington state if that matters).

Also, would the helmet a dealer would throw in be trash? Because I'd rather not skimp and get a trashy helmet.

 

[upur128]

If a dealership throws in a free helmet or jacket, its there way of saying "Here's a free helmet cuz I just ripped you off!"

A good price for the 04 600RR is $8800 out the door, so dont pay anymore than that for an 03. If ur in Socal, you can get the 04 600RR for $8800 OTD from LA Cyclesports, they give the best deals in Socal, they have a bad rap with other dealerships cuz they give such low prices.

 

[rdr4evr69]

FYI: Financing takes nothing away from the deal, No profit loss to the dealer by you useing the Honda financing, in fact they make money by you useing the financing. I own a Toyota Dealership, and am also included in the financing, I will assure you there is money made by the dealer on the honda financing.
S....

 

[Rockstar]

IF you do get a helmet they will more than likely give you a cheap helmet. (My dealer gave me a hard as Bell helmet)I have yet to see a dealer give away an Arai or Suomy. They may discount a shoei for you but I doubt they will give it away. And as far as a jacket you can forget about that.

 

[r1-superstar]

FYI: Financing takes nothing away from the deal, No profit loss to the dealer by you useing the Honda financing, in fact they make money by you useing the financing. I own a Toyota Dealership, and am also included in the financing, I will assure you there is money made by the dealer on the honda financing.
S....

:iamwithst

 

[korrupt1]

how to get a dealership

(because, as I understand it, financing takes commission money away from the dealership?).

thats not true--working for a dealership myself--actual cash stays away from them longer than financing--the whole 0 down 0 payments and 6.9% gets the dealer paid faster than real cash--i paid straight cash for my R1 and the boss said it took like two weeks to get paid--that whole zero down thing is good--just dont expect the interest rate to drop thats thru honda and they aint coming down any more---definietly try to get them to at least throw you 20% off af goods purchased and ask to speak with the GM--if he really wants to sell he may give you 20% off all the time to keep you coming back for service and parts!! think about it