Total Motorcycle Community Forums

Scoutmedic wrote:The salesman at my local Honda/Suzuki dealership has been great.

Same with my guy Ron at my local Honda/Suzuki/Yamaha dealer.

I went to another dealer in Nashville and the first thing they said was the old used car salesman cliche - "what would it take to get you to buy this bike today?" The hard sell never works on me so we left.

Never pushed me towards things. Simply listened to what I had to say and showed me what they had that I was interested in. Poor guy put up with me changing my mind and sitting on bikes for the last 6 months.

LOL I was the same way but for "only" 3 months. Ron asked us what we were looking for and pointed us in exactly the right direction. I made it clear I wasn't buying right away and he still made time for me to ask all the questions I needed to ask.

Eventually, they had the model we wanted but not the color, so we walked away disappointed but happy with Ron.

2 weeks later he called me up and said the color had come in on a trade - only 2000 miles on the bike. We drove down immediately and it was "The One". He had held it for me (had already put the "Sold!" sign on it) because he knew it wouldn't be on the floor long.

The dealership made us a great deal and, because they treated us so well, when we wanted to get a bike for my wife, we didn't even shop around - we knew we'd get a fair deal from Ron. We walked out of the store with a brand new bike for my wife at payments we could make up out of the change in our couch.

Long story short, he's searching for an S50 for me to buy. I'd recommend Jay from Leisure Time Honda and Suzuki to anyone.

Bottom line is keeping shopping around. It's your money and you don't have to take any disrespect from any salesman. Good ones *are* out there.

Yea, that's pretty bad customer service.

I wear Harley shirts while riding my Suzuki. Oh the horror!

Luck of the draw man. If you go on the right day at the right time, you get good service. If you go when that great guy is available, they will be the best dealer in your mind. If you went and he was busy, you might feel different.

Kim wrote:I wear Harley shirts while riding my Suzuki. Oh the horror!

No worse than me wearing a Ural shirt while riding my Harley.

thanks everyone.

you know, i cant figure it out though...most of the time at the dealerships, those sales folks are just sitting around and doing nothing, unless its a weekend. It so very much sucks that many of them dont treat the buyer w/ some level of customer service.

i wonder if we did get crappy customer service and we were ready to buy on the spot, if complaining to the manager would warrent some added accessories or event some $$ off the price of the bike....

something tells me i shouldnt count on that happening.

Social Distortion wrote:i wonder if we did get crappy customer service and we were ready to buy on the spot, if complaining to the manager would warrent some added accessories or event some $$ off the price of the bike....

something tells me i shouldnt count on that happening.

Oh, I disagree. Letting the management know (politely) you aren't happy with the service is always a good thing. Telling them that you were ready to buy but probably won't because of said bad service will hit them in their pocketbook and they *should* bend over backwards to satisfy you.

If they don't, then they weren't a dealer you wanted to buy from anyways.

Remember, it's *your* money - you have every right to be treated with respect and, if you aren't, let them know, give them a chance to make it up to you and, if they don't, take your money elsewhere.

Once you are "in the know" you will find that most cities have dealerships that are good for buying a bike and others are good for service and maintainence.

In Los Angeles, one of the best dealerships in the city (in terms of price) has a terrible service department and a terrible sales team. You don't go there for advice. You don't go there for service. You just go there to buy a bike and leave and never go back.

If you want good service, you take it somewhere else.

It takes awhile to learn the "ins and outs" of the good places, but once you are around motorcycling long enough in your hometown, you start to figure some of it out.

Gummiente wrote:

Kim wrote:I wear Harley shirts while riding my Suzuki. Oh the horror!

No worse than me wearing a Ural shirt while riding my Harley.

I am going to start invoicing you for all the keyboards I have spilled coffee on.

PS does your Ural shirt have tassles on, I have this image of a Gummy Bear on a HD with a Ural shirt and tassles

sapaul wrote:PS does your Ural shirt have tassles on, I have this image of a Gummy Bear on a HD with a Ural shirt and tassles

Not a Gummi Bear, a Rubber Duck. Gummi = Rubber, Ente = Duck in German. And no, no tassles, but the Ural shirt has a cutout of the boxer twin on the front with all the key components identified in Russian lettering. REALLY messes up the RUB's at the local Harley dealer when I amble in wearing that one.

Whenever a sales guy starts trying to push me on something, I tell him I don't appreciate it and that I came here for this this and this reason. Now if he wants to tell me about something I'll listen, but when I say no- I mean no. I had one guy not believe me, asked to see another salesman ("they aren't as knowledgable as I am blah blah blah") so I asked to see the manager ("Yeah, I just want to talk to another salesman. This guy is on point but I want a different viewpoint."). I got another salesman, he either was good or was told by the manager to be good.

As for wearing harley jackets when riding a honda... well I'll admit that I once drank heineken while wearing a corona shirt and I'll tell you something. No one said a damned thing. It must have been because I looked hardcore by breaking the rules.