I've only owned new sports bikes (rice) and used Harley's.
I never wanted give my money to a company that intentionally limits production to get the maximum amount of money from people.
I don't mind paying for something, but I'm not going to give my money away.
So, I go to our dealer (both of ours are owned by one family-Adamec), and I'm looking at a black 2003 Fat Boy FI, saw it on thier web site, and it was impulsive.
I've researched the price, and after what I got off Harley-Davidson web site, they add set-up, this-up, that-up, and I can only surmise, a premium-up, but the saleman wanted my license, to make a copy of it, after I told him I wanted to pay cash, he tried to talk me out of it, saying '..we prefer if you finance.'
O.K., if they make a copy, they will start a file on me(he said), but it will give them access to my credit report, and possibly other personal info.
Financing, oohhhhh, they are given an APR, and if they can give it to you higher, they split the difference with the finance company.
But worst of all, he wouldn't even come down off the price.
On ricers, I've never paid sticker. And on regular cars, if they won't give it to me for 10% off sticker, out the door, I walk. So, WTF?
This is my only complaint against Harley, and the reason I have yet to buy a new one. I will check, maybe after the winter.
Don't pay "setup" either. it's their way of charging over sticker without acting like they are charging over sticker. "Oh there is the rustproofing, we put $2,500 vinyl saddlebags on it, the chrome grips were $900, and of course you will want the $2,000 warranty, the $500 tire warranty, the this, the that, and the everything else.
Screw that. Harley sales are *NOT* what they used to be, and dealers are *NOT* allowed to charge over sticker. I know plenty of dealers who were selling the VROD for STICKER right after it came out.
For a fatboy, you should be paying sticker at the absolute maximum, and probably something under sticker.
Thank you, maybe next year I'll try again, at another dealer, maybe cruise to Daytona, heard good things about them, just man, I don't get these dealers, I went and checked out some Ford Lightnings and S/C Cobras for a friend(no Fords for me, why is on another thread), and they are not supposed to be charging over sticker, per parent Ford, 44g's for Cobra, 47g's for Lightning, friends budget would only allow for 50g's, wanted a little goodies on it, bought a used C5, 03 coupe 3,000 miles, installed LPE s/c, under 50.
If you go to Daytona at bike week, lemme know cuz I'll be there too.
I don't know what dealer to contact because I'm not too clued into the harley market, but I do know a lot of guys with them that got them at sticker (out the door) and many of the guys I ride with got them for less than sticker - even VROD's (not many though).
gthomas,
Apparently you too live in Jacksonville...... as do I. Do not buy from Adamecs.... go to St. Augustine HD.... or to Gainesville HD.
Both of those dealerships deal like REAL people. I went in to Adamecs a few years ago intent on buying an HD.... their prices were $5,000 higher than Gainesville HD... so I asked why.
The response was "we include $5,000 worth of chrome accessories". I said I didn't want the accessories. They said "that's fine.... but the price includes the accessories... so you can have a credit in our parts department".
That salesman definitely got on my nerves, and I will never even go to Adamecs again.
Whenever I've gone to any other place, to make a CASH purchase, KACHING, discount, they'd rather have it paid for, than paid on.
I'll try again in March/April.
Thanks for the help.
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