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Why Blame The Dealers

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Fossil

Active Member
I have been on here awhile and hear a lot of complaining about dealers. When you buy a car you go to the salesman and make the deal with him. You order what accessories and warranty extras you want. The deal is done and you get your car and drive off. If there is a problem you take it to the service department. The only thing a car dealer owes you is good waranty service. Most of the time you never see the car dealer. Buy a Harley and you start (EDIT) the moment you sign the papers. The dealer charged too much. Did you buy it from the dealer or a salesman and how did he make you pay too much? Have a problem and you run to the dealer. Why not the service department? If there is a non resolution then have the dealer or yourself call the MoCo. I know to be a dealer you have to be an excentric (EDIT). You don't like your dealer then go some where else. Think the dealer owes you some thing for buying a bike from him? Why? Just a thought to get you to think about the other side of the counter who is there to make a living and isn't a hobby shop. Fossil

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You don't hear me crying about the dealers. When I do go back to the dealership, its only to visit the parts counter and its on rare occasions... The Dealers/Salesmen are a necessary evil if you want to buy new. :small3d014:
 
Fossil said:
I have been on here awhile and hear a lot of complaining about dealers. When you buy a car you go to the salesman and make the deal with him. You order what accessories and warranty extras you want. The deal is done and you get your car and drive off. If there is a problem you take it to the service department. The only thing a car dealer owes you is good waranty service. Most of the time you never see the car dealer. Buy a Harley and you start bitching the moment you sign the papers. The dealer charged too much. Did you buy it from the dealer or a salesman and how did he make you pay too much? Have a problem and you run to the dealer. Why not the service department? If there is a non resolution then have the dealer or yourself call the MoCo. I know to be a dealer you have to be an excentric SOB. You don't like your dealer then go some where else. Think the dealer owes you some thing for buying a bike from him? Why? Just a thought to get you to think about the other side of the counter who is there to make a living and isn't a hobby shop. Fossil
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Buy a car and have problems?Take it to the Service Dept, and in all reality,you'll probably get it fixed.Buy a Harley and have problems?Take it to the Service Dept,and you'll probably get a load of nonsense.

I bought a Honda Civic Sport (i KNOW it's an oxymoron) and a Deluxe in 2008.Both around $40k AUD on the road.The Honda has been back a couple of times for minor stuff that wasn't even warranty related.Fixed with a smile and courtesy.The Harley with around 1000 klms went back on a flat bed truck -that I had to organise- with electrical issues and i copped a load of utter tripe and garbage from the Service Dept.
To be somewhat "fair" to Harley,i've found this to be the prevailling attitude from most Motorcycle dealers.Customer service seems to be a concept utterly alien to this industry as a whole.This has been my experience at Japanese,English,Italian and now American dealerships.

I really think the bike industry could,and should take a leaf from the auto industry and treat it's clientele with something other than contempt.I'm willing to bet the reason so many people complain to the Dealer principal is because they get no satisfaction from the Service Dept.

And again,i also realize there exists Dealerships that do treat consumers correctly;and that some customers are total jerks.

But most of us aren't!
 
Me and the wife r on our first HDs 09 Heritage/09 Nightster and r Dealer (Manchester HD)has been great from day one,extra discounts,courtesy bikes while servicing,free pick-up and delivery(80mile round trip)while bike had some winter mods this Dec,to be fare had Honda's b4 that and never had any issues with dealerships.We have found the opposite,more problems with car salesmen,dealers not wanting to carry out repairs covered under warranty,enough bitching,ITS XMAS TOMOZ,ENJOY !!!!!!!!
 
We have two dealers in close proximity. One good and one not. The difference is like night and day. I think that the Harley Davidson motorcycle business has been on a high until last year, so much so that people didn't care about HD cycles or motorcycles in general, got into the business just to make a killing. Now that business has had a down turn, they cut corners and never did care about customer satisfaction. If you didn't come back, ah well, there were new customers waiting at the door to get in. The good ones are the ones that care about these customers and understands that these people are the ones that comes back and makes their business strong. It shows when you do business with them. It's nice when you walk into a dealer and you are acknowledged with a smile or wave. Also, when you have a problem or question, they have whatever time it takes to take care of you. FYI, my good dealer is Baxters HD in Bidwell, Ohio.
 
It is the $149. oil change that the the dealer buy me advertise as "service special"...extra if you want the technologically advanced Syn3... that is another $20...that's special all right...let's see...4qts of dyno..$20...filter $11...1/2 hr of labor... $40...+ tax...$80...would be more than fair...I know they are in the business to make money...but $149??? that is just a gun away from armed robbery!...The day when they quit selling the service manual...we are all in trouble!
 
rkrdr2 said:
It is the $149. oil change that the the dealer buy me advertise as "service special"...extra if you want the technologically advanced Syn3... that is another $20...that's special all right...let's see...4qts of dyno..$20...filter $11...1/2 hr of labor... $40...+ tax...$80...would be more than fair...I know they are in the business to make money...but $149??? that is just a gun away from armed robbery!...The day when they quit selling the service manual...we are all in trouble!
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Yes, thank heavens for the sevice manual! :s
 
Gotta agree; no one twisted my arm to buy the bike or to use their service department after I purchased it. I use a local independent for my service and repairs (after being unsatisfied with some work I had the local dealer do) that I don't/can't do myself but he is by no means any cheaper than the dealer's service department.
 
Fossil; In your post your use the term "Dealer" as the MAN that owns the business. You differentiate between Dealer, salesman and service dept. Most times when using the term "dealer" on the forum, we're talking about the Business, not the owner himself.
Most of the people on forums, care to know about thier bikes. There are a lot more that just OWN a HARLEY, and are satisfied to fork over whatever amount of money is required to have the nicest bike without having to do anything except PAY. That is why the "Dealers" have the attitudes they do. And that is why we complain about high prices and low customer satisfaction.
 
I guess I'm pretty lucky up here in Maine. I've had nothing but good service from the dealers. I always am greeted and treated like an old friend when I walk into a dealership. Not just my local shop North Country in Augusta but every one around.
All of them.
Big Moose in Portland
Central Maine in Bangor
LA Harley in Lewiston
Seacoast in Hampton NH
Laconia Harley in Meridith NH
White mountain in Conway NH
McDermots in Fort Ann NY

Or, maybe it's not the dealership or employees, Maybe it's (oops, can't say that here):newsmile055:
 
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