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Thank you Tank. The iPad is a great device, but has some limitations.
Dealers You Wouldn't Recommend.
- Thread starter glider.
- Start date
Thank you Tank. The iPad is a great device, but has some limitations.
Arrowhead Harley Davidson, Peoria, Arizona.
Even as far back as in the early 2000's, some people warned me off of ever doing business with this place; said they ran it like a "car dealership".
But rumors are rumors, and not always the most pure form of information; people exaggerate. Best to judge for myself.
But then I started paying some visits in recent years.....not really impressed by the salesmen's approach; sometimes bragging how much more they sell than the "so-and-so" dealership can be annoying and not impressive at all.
But after some shopping at five different Harley dealers here in AZ, I found a bike that I wanted and Arrowhead was selling it for the lowest price.
Now I will admit some culpability here; it comes down to a certain "fee" that was a line item, and even though I hesitated.....I signed on the dotted line.
However.....
A sales manager said to me at this dealership here in AZ, he said that I had a 15 day period to try the bike out, and that if I discovered it wasn't for me, then I could return it, shred the paperwork, no questions asked.
When I went in for a face-to-face visit, I told him I was having some second-thoughts, some doubt. And, I asked if it mattered what the reason was, whether it would have any bearing on the outcome of my situation; he said no.
My doubts were not because of the bike itself; the bike is fine. It's because of a line item fee that they call a "UVC" fee, which is a "Used Vehicle Certification" inspection of the bike, since this cycle I purchased was previously-owned.
This fee is $550.00
So....if they can't somehow readjust my bill, then I would like to invoke that 15 day trial period.
Then he tells me.........he never quite said that.
He "claims" that the 15 day thing is this guarantee they have that within 15 days or 500 miles (whichever comes first), if the bike fails or breaks down, I can bring it back.
I told him that he said to me that in 15 days or 500 miles, I was told that I could return it, shred the paperwork.....no questions asked.
I even remember remarking out-loud when he originally told me this when the bill of sale was drawn up, that I probably would not need 500 miles to decide, but that 15 days was sufficient.
He tells me what he said was.....I have 15 miles or 15 minutes to do what they term an "acceptance ride" to discover whether the bike is for me (since they don't allow test rides there).
My wife was with me when we were there the other week drawing up the paperwork, and I asked her what she remembered him saying; my wife said, "15 days"......not miles.
The "15 day / 500 mile" thing is in the written contract/ paperwork.
They freely admit that the 15 mile "acceptance ride" is not in the paperwork. They say they only do that as a nicety or courtesy for the customers since they don't allow test rides there.
15 days? 15 miles? Gee, what a coincidence that they both have the number 15!! Think they do this deliberately?!
And back when we were originally filling out the paperwork and I remarked out-loud that I wouldn't need 500 miles and that 15 days would be sufficient before deciding that the bike was or was not for me......well, then why didn't he correct me on this if I "misheard" him? I don't whisper nor do I mumble when I talk; if anything, my wife tells me I'm too loud.
All's I wanted was to get some credit back to my finances because of this "faux" UVC fee.
I even tried to invoke a little sympathy or camaraderie by telling them that this was my very first Harley Davidson after many years (30+) of driving Japanese bikes (and one Italian), and that this was starting to sour my experience.
My wife and I are no slouches financially-speaking. They ran a credit check on us and (bragging rights) we've got credit scores of 820 and 850; we're solid, financially sound consumers.
The bike seems to be a fine machine.
This dealership is lacking something....
I know. I signed on the dotted line. Shame on me. But they knew as well as I did that I am not the first customer in the world to experience some buyer's remorse.
You'd think they'd want to try and work with me somehow given that I am a first-time customer with them, and, my first Harley to boot.
And if you think about it, this "UVC fee"? It's basically a form of double-dipping.
When the dealership bought this previously-owned cycle from the owner, they must have offered what they thought was a "fair price" as a trade-in, with varied factors affecting the offering price like if the cycle is in "mint" condition, "good" condition, "fair" condition, "poor" condition.........
My point being: They (the dealership) have now made their money; this is all part of doing business. If the bike was "lacking" upon trade-in (bike needed new tires.....brake-pad lining was low....), then the dealership absorbs these costs as part of doing business. And remember, they already offered the previous owner a "fair price" for the trade-in.
But then to turn around and pass this "fee" onto the next customer who's purchasing it? Double-dipping :newsmile055:
Then something else came up.
You know how you get a temporary plate/ tags (made of paper/ cardboard) at first? Well, I had to get my plate/ tags/ owner's card through the dealership (couldn't do it outside of them), and, of course, they charged a fee for this on the bill-of-sale.
After having the bike for a bit, my temp plate was about to expire. The dealership told me they would telephone me when the permanent plate (the metal one) came in. No phone call; no messages left, either.
Out of curiosity, I called the Arizona Department of Transportation (AZ DOT), gave them my bike's VIN, and they confirmed a date for me when the plate was processed and sent out to the dealership.
Guess what?
At that point, they had had it at the dealership for....a month.....and never called to tell me it was in.
They were supposed to telephone me to tell me it was in for me either to come in and pick it up, or, tell them to send it out to me.
My telephone number hadn't changed.....they had made other phone calls to me, so, they had the correct number.....no message was left.
I really wanted no more contact with this dealership, but, I called to find out what was up with my permanent plate/ tags. They said, "We have it". No kidding. They asked, "Didn't anyone call to let you know they were in?". Uhhh, no; you're supposed to do that, not me call you. I paid you a fee for this as a line item on the contract, remember?!
When I had made that return visit for a face-to-face to discuss that "UVC fee" (with no satisfaction), I made it clear as I left that they have lost me as a customer.
I will not return to do any business with them
- no future bikes
- no clothing
- no accessories
- no parts
- no customizations
- no mechanical service on my bike
There was potentially a lot more money to be made from me in future purchases.
Not now.
They made a sale from me.
They got a customer.
They are not keeping a customer.
There's a difference.
Pez
Even as far back as in the early 2000's, some people warned me off of ever doing business with this place; said they ran it like a "car dealership".
But rumors are rumors, and not always the most pure form of information; people exaggerate. Best to judge for myself.
But then I started paying some visits in recent years.....not really impressed by the salesmen's approach; sometimes bragging how much more they sell than the "so-and-so" dealership can be annoying and not impressive at all.
But after some shopping at five different Harley dealers here in AZ, I found a bike that I wanted and Arrowhead was selling it for the lowest price.
Now I will admit some culpability here; it comes down to a certain "fee" that was a line item, and even though I hesitated.....I signed on the dotted line.
However.....
A sales manager said to me at this dealership here in AZ, he said that I had a 15 day period to try the bike out, and that if I discovered it wasn't for me, then I could return it, shred the paperwork, no questions asked.
When I went in for a face-to-face visit, I told him I was having some second-thoughts, some doubt. And, I asked if it mattered what the reason was, whether it would have any bearing on the outcome of my situation; he said no.
My doubts were not because of the bike itself; the bike is fine. It's because of a line item fee that they call a "UVC" fee, which is a "Used Vehicle Certification" inspection of the bike, since this cycle I purchased was previously-owned.
This fee is $550.00
So....if they can't somehow readjust my bill, then I would like to invoke that 15 day trial period.
Then he tells me.........he never quite said that.
He "claims" that the 15 day thing is this guarantee they have that within 15 days or 500 miles (whichever comes first), if the bike fails or breaks down, I can bring it back.
I told him that he said to me that in 15 days or 500 miles, I was told that I could return it, shred the paperwork.....no questions asked.
I even remember remarking out-loud when he originally told me this when the bill of sale was drawn up, that I probably would not need 500 miles to decide, but that 15 days was sufficient.
He tells me what he said was.....I have 15 miles or 15 minutes to do what they term an "acceptance ride" to discover whether the bike is for me (since they don't allow test rides there).
My wife was with me when we were there the other week drawing up the paperwork, and I asked her what she remembered him saying; my wife said, "15 days"......not miles.
The "15 day / 500 mile" thing is in the written contract/ paperwork.
They freely admit that the 15 mile "acceptance ride" is not in the paperwork. They say they only do that as a nicety or courtesy for the customers since they don't allow test rides there.
15 days? 15 miles? Gee, what a coincidence that they both have the number 15!! Think they do this deliberately?!
And back when we were originally filling out the paperwork and I remarked out-loud that I wouldn't need 500 miles and that 15 days would be sufficient before deciding that the bike was or was not for me......well, then why didn't he correct me on this if I "misheard" him? I don't whisper nor do I mumble when I talk; if anything, my wife tells me I'm too loud.
All's I wanted was to get some credit back to my finances because of this "faux" UVC fee.
I even tried to invoke a little sympathy or camaraderie by telling them that this was my very first Harley Davidson after many years (30+) of driving Japanese bikes (and one Italian), and that this was starting to sour my experience.
My wife and I are no slouches financially-speaking. They ran a credit check on us and (bragging rights) we've got credit scores of 820 and 850; we're solid, financially sound consumers.
The bike seems to be a fine machine.
This dealership is lacking something....
I know. I signed on the dotted line. Shame on me. But they knew as well as I did that I am not the first customer in the world to experience some buyer's remorse.
You'd think they'd want to try and work with me somehow given that I am a first-time customer with them, and, my first Harley to boot.
And if you think about it, this "UVC fee"? It's basically a form of double-dipping.
When the dealership bought this previously-owned cycle from the owner, they must have offered what they thought was a "fair price" as a trade-in, with varied factors affecting the offering price like if the cycle is in "mint" condition, "good" condition, "fair" condition, "poor" condition.........
My point being: They (the dealership) have now made their money; this is all part of doing business. If the bike was "lacking" upon trade-in (bike needed new tires.....brake-pad lining was low....), then the dealership absorbs these costs as part of doing business. And remember, they already offered the previous owner a "fair price" for the trade-in.
But then to turn around and pass this "fee" onto the next customer who's purchasing it? Double-dipping :newsmile055:
Then something else came up.
You know how you get a temporary plate/ tags (made of paper/ cardboard) at first? Well, I had to get my plate/ tags/ owner's card through the dealership (couldn't do it outside of them), and, of course, they charged a fee for this on the bill-of-sale.
After having the bike for a bit, my temp plate was about to expire. The dealership told me they would telephone me when the permanent plate (the metal one) came in. No phone call; no messages left, either.
Out of curiosity, I called the Arizona Department of Transportation (AZ DOT), gave them my bike's VIN, and they confirmed a date for me when the plate was processed and sent out to the dealership.
Guess what?
At that point, they had had it at the dealership for....a month.....and never called to tell me it was in.
They were supposed to telephone me to tell me it was in for me either to come in and pick it up, or, tell them to send it out to me.
My telephone number hadn't changed.....they had made other phone calls to me, so, they had the correct number.....no message was left.
I really wanted no more contact with this dealership, but, I called to find out what was up with my permanent plate/ tags. They said, "We have it". No kidding. They asked, "Didn't anyone call to let you know they were in?". Uhhh, no; you're supposed to do that, not me call you. I paid you a fee for this as a line item on the contract, remember?!
When I had made that return visit for a face-to-face to discuss that "UVC fee" (with no satisfaction), I made it clear as I left that they have lost me as a customer.
I will not return to do any business with them
- no future bikes
- no clothing
- no accessories
- no parts
- no customizations
- no mechanical service on my bike
There was potentially a lot more money to be made from me in future purchases.
Not now.
They made a sale from me.
They got a customer.
They are not keeping a customer.
There's a difference.
Pez
First hello from Suwannee, Fl. Second I'm glad you have a Harley and seem to be satisfied with it. Third your write up is one of the most through I have seen. Sorry about the dealer and how he/she made you feel about your purchase. Not all dealers have this mindset but some seem to think that no matter what everyone will keep coming back. Check the Dealers you would recommend thread and see if there is one in your area that people have had good experiences with. Put some miles on the bike and it will take the bad taste the dealer put in there out. Don
Motoresultat
Member
Hello from St-Petersburg, Russia. If by any chance you will be here do not try to find any spares at local dealer. They have almost no stock. When you place order to buy some it takes them month and after that they easy can say: Sorry we ordered wrong part! Can you wait another month? Better use some privet shops and garages
Lawdog314
Active Member
I to have had nothing but grief from North Country's service department. Tried to get them to fix my front brakes on my 2006 RK. The front brakes would "pulse" causing the front end to dive and then release. It felt something like ABS though the bike did not have it. I know the rotors were warped. Service manager said they were within tolerance and it was caused because of the big V twin engine. I asked him if he ever had anyone buy that line of (EDIT). Never did get them to fix em. Since have bought the service manual and do all the maintenance myself. Use a local bike shop for any heavy repairs.
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C&A out of Plain City / Dublin Ohio are wonderful. They treat you like family and they have one ofthe best techs working there. The only master tech in the state of Ohio. they fixed the issue I had which was the 6th gear light and cruise cutting out at the same time as well a rear tail light that would go off and on randomly. Took it to them and they found 3 exposed wires with towo of them shorting out on the bracing iside the fairing, and an unattached ground. He had it fixed within 24 hours.
A.D Farrow is strictly money driven they had my bike for the above electrical issue off and on for about 3 months trying to fix it.
They replaced the ECM, Clutch switch, TSSM and the neutral switch. After questioning them on wheather they checked all the wiring they said every inch. After a few emails back and forth, the last one we got from the service manager ended with "this is time that the dealership will never get back for my services." Translated we won't get paid.
Thats what you get for buying 3 bikes all the parts and all service for the 3 bikes from Farrow.
A.D Farrow is strictly money driven they had my bike for the above electrical issue off and on for about 3 months trying to fix it.
They replaced the ECM, Clutch switch, TSSM and the neutral switch. After questioning them on wheather they checked all the wiring they said every inch. After a few emails back and forth, the last one we got from the service manager ended with "this is time that the dealership will never get back for my services." Translated we won't get paid.
Thats what you get for buying 3 bikes all the parts and all service for the 3 bikes from Farrow.
Mongo1958
Junior Member
Cycle City (metric dealer) is by far the worst dealer I've ever been to.
Location: Newnan GA
Why? While we trust your judgement, a few details would be nice.
Mongo1958
Junior Member
1) I spent a few hours sanding down and polishing the rear wheel of my Goldwing. Man, it looked GOOD! I placed the wheel and the new tire in the back of my wife’s car (PT Cruiser). Nothing in there but a wheel and a tire. My wife took the wheel and the tire to the Dealer (1/2 mile away) to have the tire mounted and balanced. They came out and got the wheel and tire from her car. When I went to the dealer to pick up the wheel, I found a 1/2-inch gouge on the wheel. Kind of like someone hit it with an ax. The dealer blamed me.
Now I install my tires on my own.
2) I took my Kaw Voyager that was having ECU issues. They had the bike for a couple of weeks. When I went in the pick up the bike I found a 2-inch scratch on the saddlebag. It also looked like they attempted to sand down and buff out the scratch. It looked really bad. They blamed me and the bike still did not run well.
There were other things too but these were the last straw.
I don't like being lied to and blamed for something that I did not do.
I have friends that have had similar experiences with the same dealer.
I traded the Voyager in for a Harley that week.
softail41
Active Member
I was advised to stay away from Harley Davidson of Dothan, Alabama, for several reasons.
1.) A friend took his ultra glide in for a service, picked it up two days later and while going down the road someone (in a cage) motioned for him to pull over. What he found was one of the saddle bag (boxes) had came loose and was about to come completly off the bike. He took it back to the dealership and explained the situation. They said it was a recall item and that he should have brought it in. He reminded them that he had just picked it up from having a service done. The service manager stated that they would take care to the recall but the box repair (scratches and dents) was on him.
2.) The price of the bike depends on which salesman you talk to. No hang tags.
Being the curious type, I decided to give them a try last year while looking for a FLSTC. What I found was this:
What few bikes they had in stock where tagged... MSRP + $330 Set Up fee + $300 delivery fee + $200 Doc fee. I was immediately approached by a salesman (that followed me around the showroom for the entire 40+ minutes I was there as if I were a criminal....never more than arms reach away - strange)! I advised him I was going to buy a bike and asked for his best deal, at which he replied "Its on the tag." No negotiation at all. He said that was their policy and that the dealership website stated this fact and that I should have read it. He was correct...it does state their firm MSRP policy on their website. Suits me. I bought elsewere for $1000 LESS!
On a good note, the motor clothes girls were great! Very knowledgable and nice to deal with, however, there leather goods were $10 more than what is stated as MSRP on the HD website! By the way, the kookie salesman even followed me to the motor clothes dept.!
This dealership is not the closest to my residence so, I do not need to visit there again...nor will I. I have nothing against a business making money, however, I do believe it is the customers right to choose where he/she will spend their hard earned money. I have visited many dealerships around the country and this place was the highest prices I have seen.
1.) A friend took his ultra glide in for a service, picked it up two days later and while going down the road someone (in a cage) motioned for him to pull over. What he found was one of the saddle bag (boxes) had came loose and was about to come completly off the bike. He took it back to the dealership and explained the situation. They said it was a recall item and that he should have brought it in. He reminded them that he had just picked it up from having a service done. The service manager stated that they would take care to the recall but the box repair (scratches and dents) was on him.
2.) The price of the bike depends on which salesman you talk to. No hang tags.
Being the curious type, I decided to give them a try last year while looking for a FLSTC. What I found was this:
What few bikes they had in stock where tagged... MSRP + $330 Set Up fee + $300 delivery fee + $200 Doc fee. I was immediately approached by a salesman (that followed me around the showroom for the entire 40+ minutes I was there as if I were a criminal....never more than arms reach away - strange)! I advised him I was going to buy a bike and asked for his best deal, at which he replied "Its on the tag." No negotiation at all. He said that was their policy and that the dealership website stated this fact and that I should have read it. He was correct...it does state their firm MSRP policy on their website. Suits me. I bought elsewere for $1000 LESS!
On a good note, the motor clothes girls were great! Very knowledgable and nice to deal with, however, there leather goods were $10 more than what is stated as MSRP on the HD website! By the way, the kookie salesman even followed me to the motor clothes dept.!
This dealership is not the closest to my residence so, I do not need to visit there again...nor will I. I have nothing against a business making money, however, I do believe it is the customers right to choose where he/she will spend their hard earned money. I have visited many dealerships around the country and this place was the highest prices I have seen.