theklanchXL1200N
Active Member
:11:
Ok here is my Dealer story:
I decided I wanted to buy a HD for my 30th birthday in june after helping my buddy get his dad's bike running again (his dad passed a few years ago and it was in storage) He wanted me to ride it to "blow out the old gas" so I did, and I was hooked worse than heroin
Anyway I called HD of Miami FLA because of an ad in a motorcycle trader. I told them I wanted a Nightster and he said he didn't have one, but he could put me on a Street Bob. Well the conversation ended there as I don't really like the 'bob. But he got me approved on financing (which is kind of a problem after bankruptcy) and he told me that I could go to any dealer in the country to buy a bike with the loan approval. So I went to my local dealer (Zepka HD Johnstown PA) and much to my suprise they didn't have a Nightster either... But they were more than willing to sell me a Night Train. I went to their used bike showroom and they had a 06 883 with an 1200R gas tank on it with 91 miles on it. It was marked at $7995. I told the old timer that was working there that I wanted the bike and to hold it for me (glad I didn't write a check for the deposit at that time) I went home and checked what the bike was worth and it turned out to be worth $5200. The next morning I talked to Chas at Zepka's about the price I offered him the $5200 for the bike, he told me that I was crazy to even offer him that figure. He told me that he could knock $500 off the price but that was the best he could do, but he had to charge me $500 for set up and $500 for delivery ON A USED BIKE!!! So the final price would have been $500 OVER THE $7995! I told him to pound sand and I started calling HD dealers around Pittsburgh. I finally found one at Zanotti's in Butler PA and guess what, they didn't charge me set up or delivery and they knocked $500 off the price after I told them the story on the used 883.
Soooooo.......... I went up to Zepka's one day for a sissy bar (they were the only dealer around with a black sissy bar setup for my bike in stock) and I got nothing but attitude from the sales staff and the owners. (the parts guys are ok at Zepka's but I throw up in my mouth when I walk in there I hate handing them my hard earned money) These guys can't believe that I didn't pay the $2000 privelidge tax for buying a bike from them! I mean they actually were mean to me because I got what I wanted for a great price. Chas at Zepka's knew that my financing situation wasn't great and he really didn't want my business I guess. Mick at Zanotti's treated me like he wanted me to hand him $10,000, not like I owed him something.
So...........I was looking on Zepka's website and I saw an area for customer testimonials. I read them and there were nothing but how great Zepka's was and this and that and how they bought some poor stranded biker lunch one day. My experience(s) were the exact polar opposite of every testimonial. So I wrote my own testimonial telling this story. About a week later my buddy (aforementioned in post with the soft tail) who happened to go to high school with chas was confronted with MY testimonial on a piece of paper. He blew it off and told me how upset the whole staff was at zepka's and I should go up there to talk with them to see if they could "make it right" so I did. When I showed up (to spend another couple hundred) the owner/ manager asked me not to say anything about Zepka's if I didn't have anything nice to say. He asked me if there was anything he could do to remedy this for me. I told him to post the testimonial to show that his company can take criticism, he basically told me to go (edited) myself. I haven't spent another penny at that dealer's since.
Has anyone had this similar experience with Zepka's? Or any other dealer for that matter? I mean c'mon we are not buying a toaster, $10,000 is a lot of money in my world, I think if I am going to put out that kind of money I should at least feel good about it. I didn't want my (edited) kissed at all, I just wanted to feel like my business was appreciated.
Ok here is my Dealer story:
I decided I wanted to buy a HD for my 30th birthday in june after helping my buddy get his dad's bike running again (his dad passed a few years ago and it was in storage) He wanted me to ride it to "blow out the old gas" so I did, and I was hooked worse than heroin
Anyway I called HD of Miami FLA because of an ad in a motorcycle trader. I told them I wanted a Nightster and he said he didn't have one, but he could put me on a Street Bob. Well the conversation ended there as I don't really like the 'bob. But he got me approved on financing (which is kind of a problem after bankruptcy) and he told me that I could go to any dealer in the country to buy a bike with the loan approval. So I went to my local dealer (Zepka HD Johnstown PA) and much to my suprise they didn't have a Nightster either... But they were more than willing to sell me a Night Train. I went to their used bike showroom and they had a 06 883 with an 1200R gas tank on it with 91 miles on it. It was marked at $7995. I told the old timer that was working there that I wanted the bike and to hold it for me (glad I didn't write a check for the deposit at that time) I went home and checked what the bike was worth and it turned out to be worth $5200. The next morning I talked to Chas at Zepka's about the price I offered him the $5200 for the bike, he told me that I was crazy to even offer him that figure. He told me that he could knock $500 off the price but that was the best he could do, but he had to charge me $500 for set up and $500 for delivery ON A USED BIKE!!! So the final price would have been $500 OVER THE $7995! I told him to pound sand and I started calling HD dealers around Pittsburgh. I finally found one at Zanotti's in Butler PA and guess what, they didn't charge me set up or delivery and they knocked $500 off the price after I told them the story on the used 883. Soooooo.......... I went up to Zepka's one day for a sissy bar (they were the only dealer around with a black sissy bar setup for my bike in stock) and I got nothing but attitude from the sales staff and the owners. (the parts guys are ok at Zepka's but I throw up in my mouth when I walk in there I hate handing them my hard earned money) These guys can't believe that I didn't pay the $2000 privelidge tax for buying a bike from them! I mean they actually were mean to me because I got what I wanted for a great price. Chas at Zepka's knew that my financing situation wasn't great and he really didn't want my business I guess. Mick at Zanotti's treated me like he wanted me to hand him $10,000, not like I owed him something.
So...........I was looking on Zepka's website and I saw an area for customer testimonials. I read them and there were nothing but how great Zepka's was and this and that and how they bought some poor stranded biker lunch one day. My experience(s) were the exact polar opposite of every testimonial. So I wrote my own testimonial telling this story. About a week later my buddy (aforementioned in post with the soft tail) who happened to go to high school with chas was confronted with MY testimonial on a piece of paper. He blew it off and told me how upset the whole staff was at zepka's and I should go up there to talk with them to see if they could "make it right" so I did. When I showed up (to spend another couple hundred) the owner/ manager asked me not to say anything about Zepka's if I didn't have anything nice to say. He asked me if there was anything he could do to remedy this for me. I told him to post the testimonial to show that his company can take criticism, he basically told me to go (edited) myself. I haven't spent another penny at that dealer's since.
Has anyone had this similar experience with Zepka's? Or any other dealer for that matter? I mean c'mon we are not buying a toaster, $10,000 is a lot of money in my world, I think if I am going to put out that kind of money I should at least feel good about it. I didn't want my (edited) kissed at all, I just wanted to feel like my business was appreciated.
Last edited by a moderator:
