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How common is this?

2055 Views 52 Replies 15 Participants Last post by  RichLockyer, 
E
Ever since I ran my 500R into a dirt berm last June, I've started looking for a new bike...getting tired of riding/looking at my "Frankenstein's Monster" bike. So I've been looking for a used Z1000.

I found one on a dealership's website back in mid-August and when I still saw it listed in September, I called for a quote, "$6,499". It seemed like a lot of money back then but now my wife and I are in what bennice calls "a financial sweet spot" and decided that I would buy that bike. I called the dealership last Thursday and they said that they still had it. I told them that I would be in on Sunday to look at it. "Sunday? Okay, hope to see you then," said the salesman.

I take my wife with me and when we arrive I don't see a Z1000 anywhere--it's a small dealership--and ask the kid there if they, "...have any Z1000's for sale". The kid said, "I don't have any, but I can get you one". Confused I told my wife, "Let's go". And we walked out...

I started to drive away when I told my wife, "I want to go back and tell him that I'm looking for a used Z1000".

"Ohhhh...a used Z1000...yeah, I have it..." he replied and showed me some print-out that showed the bike's details. We were outside and he ran back inside for a second, returned and said, "I was off yesterday, I didn't know that the bike was sold," and he pointed to an empty spot in the line of bikes. "Let's go..." I told my wife.

Being really p!ssed-off that I took my pregnant wife 40 miles through LA traffic only to get jerked around, I decided that I would call again today (Monday) to see if they had the bike. The salesman said, "Oh yeah, it's pretty nice too, when do you think you can come and check it out?". A-holes. My only regret is that I didn't talk to the same person that I saw yesterday.

The **** bike is listed for over three months and they happen to sale it the day before I go to look at it? BS! This is the second weekend in-a-row that I've failed to obtain a good, used Z1000 so this scam definitely p!sses me off (the other was a private sale listed in CL that I believe to be a true sale to a buyer that was able to look at the bike before I could see it). I told my wife this morning, "F*ck it, I'm getting a new 650R in Kawi-Green from the only dealership that I ever should've considered doing business with". My wife is reluctant because she knows how much I want that Z1000; she feels that I won't be happy with a 650R even though I told her that I don't really need the power of the Z1000 or the higher insurance rate. She even told me to just buy an '08 Z1000 but I don't want to finance close to 10k when we have our daughter due in mid-April. The dealership that I'm going to tonight sales all of their bike's at invoice and they are great people so they have my business.

So tell me everyone, how common is it for a dealership to pull some BS like that? Please tell me that I'm not the only one that this has happened to. Needless to say, the BBB now has a complaint filed by me.
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F
I've been done like that by car dealers but not motorcycle dealers. I just haven't had that situation with a bike.
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A
Glad you filed the complaint. Maybe the OEM will start caring about who sells their bikes. I know where I worked at didn't give a rats patoot about their customers.
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A
I'm no help here. I've never bought a dealership bike. I never did like the bait and switch garbage either.
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D
sorry to hear it bud.
i hope you do find one you like.
i know that there are always a few that are for sale on riderforums.com
can't gurantee they are very local to you,but luck may be on your side.
i'll keep an ear out for you and i could always deliver.....in the spring.
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H
I have seen at car dealers never on bikes though
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R
Been there, done that with all sorts of stuff, including motorcycles. Bait and switch is alive and well. They have just learned that they can't pull the switch. They think if they get you there you will buy something else. I usually walk out. But don't get upset and buy something you don't want. As I always told my daughters when they got "new car fever", you really dont' have to have it right this second, sometime waiting is a good thing. I'm with your wife about the 650R. If the Z1000 is what you want just keep looking, and be sure to call right before you go to look at it.
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M
When my wife and I decided to buy a bigger bike, I looked at a Suzuki 500 3-cylinder. This was in 1974, and that was a good low-mileage used bike. I told the salesman I wanted it, and we went to the credit union and got the money. Walked in, and it was gone.

When I complained to the salesman that I had told him I was going to go get the money and be right back, he gave me this wise words:

"If every person who told me they'd be right back with the money for a bike had actually come back and bought it, I'd be a very wealthy man today."

My mistake was in not having him write it up and giving him a down payment.
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S
Hey Ed, you and your wife are expecting another baby? A huge CONGRATULATIONS to the both of you!!! :smile:

As for the dealership, that really stinks man. I have no stories of my own as the only time I ever bought a vehicle, it was my bike - I wanted it new, I went to the dealer and said "I want a 636, how much do you want for one?" He gave me his answer, and I bought it 2 days later :biggrin:

As for the bike, I agree with your wife and with Ruger. I know you've been longing for a Z for quite some time (since you're too **** stubborn to take the plunge and go for a 636 :biggrin:) and I think that if you went for a 650 R you would soon get tired of it. Worst of all, every time you'd see a Z cruising along down the street you would be staring at it with envy.

Hold out, man. Can't you hook up with the dealer you trust and wait for a deal? I would scan the net and hold out for a good offer... a few months more wait isn't gonna kill you but the satisfaction of parking a Z in your garage is going to be priceless :smile:
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E
Thanks stefano!...FYI though, this is our first child. And if I go by what my wife said when she was 6 weeks pregnant back in early August, our only one.:lol:

So here's an update: I called the dealership that I like and they said that they had a run on 650R's so all he has left is one red '08, but that he could get me a Kawi-Green one in two days. "Great," I thought to myself, "I can't even get my 'consolation' bike in the color that I want tonight". I went to the dealership with my wife (even against her protests of my not being happy on any level) only to find out that the owner/manager is on vacation 'til Friday and the fill-in salesman left early for a doctor's appointment. The Parts manager is a great person and he did everything that he could for me but in essence he couldn't do anything. I could tell he felt really bad that he couldn't help when I told him that "...I want to leave with that red 650R over there tonight...". The guy said that he'll have the salesman call me first thing this morning to talk to me.

I walked out telling my wife that not only could I not even find a new or used Z1000 in all of Southern California or even find a 650R in Kawi-Green but, I can't even buy a bike period.

When people ask me if I play Texas Hold 'em I say, "I try to...if you call inventing new ways to lose playing". People laugh until they see it happen to me...consistently. I now apply it to purchasing a bike: I'm inventing new ways to not get what I want and even more ways to get what I really don't want either.

stefano said:
Hey Ed, you and your wife are expecting another baby? A huge CONGRATULATIONS to the both of you!!! :smile:

As for the dealership, that really stinks man. I have no stories of my own as the only time I ever bought a vehicle, it was my bike - I wanted it new, I went to the dealer and said "I want a 636, how much do you want for one?" He gave me his answer, and I bought it 2 days later :biggrin:

As for the bike, I agree with your wife and with Ruger. I know you've been longing for a Z for quite some time (since you're too **** stubborn to take the plunge and go for a 636 :biggrin:) and I think that if you went for a 650 R you would soon get tired of it. Worst of all, every time you'd see a Z cruising along down the street you would be staring at it with envy.

Hold out, man. Can't you hook up with the dealer you trust and wait for a deal? I would scan the net and hold out for a good offer... a few months more wait isn't gonna kill you but the satisfaction of parking a Z in your garage is going to be priceless :smile:
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eidian said:
It seemed like a lot of money back then but now my wife and I are in what bennice calls "a financial sweet spot" and decided that I would buy that bike.
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:wink:


My advice, wait and get what you really want. Otherwise, you'll be unhappy with your purchase and be right back at the same point again before long, except you'll probably also be trying to sell the bike you really didn't want. It's the making of a really frustrating situation.
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I am in Sales and yes, we play games...I sold cars in college and we did the same thing...If you are financing, look around until you find one. If you are paying cash, find one on CL...However, I am sure you can find some left over Z1000s from 2007...Do not rush...I looked and looked until I found my 10R...I found a few places, but I made sure the dealership earned my business.

Your wife is smart...Why would you go from a 500 to 650? You might as well keep the 500...She also probably sees the big picture in a much clearer way since she is not tied to a CC/ HP topic like the way you are...She does not want to have you buy a bike that you will not own for X amount of time. You guys have other needs and this is just a side note...

How long have you owned your 500? If you have logged enough time and miles, move up brother...Who cares about CC/ HP...Now it is GETTING WHAT YOU WANT...She sees that and you might not. My wife saw that as well...She said why are you getting another small bike...Because if you do, I do not want to hear you want another one after a year or two...I said you are right...I see no need to get another bike until this bike turns 3.

All I'll say is this...If you are unsure about getting a 650 now, you probably might want to just get the Z1000 now. Remember, I was in the same position in July...I wanted to get a new 6R or 750 but ended up getting a 10R instead...I was ready to move up but knew the pitfalls...I made the move and have NO regrets. Free yourself of the CC/ HP issue and you will be fine. You know who you are and your wife does as well.

Good luck bro and I hope you make the right decision for both of you.

eidian said:
Ever since I ran my 500R into a dirt berm last June, I've started looking for a new bike...getting tired of riding/looking at my "Frankenstein's Monster" bike. So I've been looking for a used Z1000.

I found one on a dealership's website back in mid-August and when I still saw it listed in September, I called for a quote, "$6,499". It seemed like a lot of money back then but now my wife and I are in what bennice calls "a financial sweet spot" and decided that I would buy that bike. I called the dealership last Thursday and they said that they still had it. I told them that I would be in on Sunday to look at it. "Sunday? Okay, hope to see you then," said the salesman.

I take my wife with me and when we arrive I don't see a Z1000 anywhere--it's a small dealership--and ask the kid there if they, "...have any Z1000's for sale". The kid said, "I don't have any, but I can get you one". Confused I told my wife, "Let's go". And we walked out...

I started to drive away when I told my wife, "I want to go back and tell him that I'm looking for a used Z1000".

"Ohhhh...a used Z1000...yeah, I have it..." he replied and showed me some print-out that showed the bike's details. We were outside and he ran back inside for a second, returned and said, "I was off yesterday, I didn't know that the bike was sold," and he pointed to an empty spot in the line of bikes. "Let's go..." I told my wife.

Being really p!ssed-off that I took my pregnant wife 40 miles through LA traffic only to get jerked around, I decided that I would call again today (Monday) to see if they had the bike. The salesman said, "Oh yeah, it's pretty nice too, when do you think you can come and check it out?". A-holes. My only regret is that I didn't talk to the same person that I saw yesterday.

The **** bike is listed for over three months and they happen to sale it the day before I go to look at it? BS! This is the second weekend in-a-row that I've failed to obtain a good, used Z1000 so this scam definitely p!sses me off (the other was a private sale listed in CL that I believe to be a true sale to a buyer that was able to look at the bike before I could see it). I told my wife this morning, "F*ck it, I'm getting a new 650R in Kawi-Green from the only dealership that I ever should've considered doing business with". My wife is reluctant because she knows how much I want that Z1000; she feels that I won't be happy with a 650R even though I told her that I don't really need the power of the Z1000 or the higher insurance rate. She even told me to just buy an '08 Z1000 but I don't want to finance close to 10k when we have our daughter due in mid-April. The dealership that I'm going to tonight sales all of their bike's at invoice and they are great people so they have my business.

So tell me everyone, how common is it for a dealership to pull some BS like that? Please tell me that I'm not the only one that this has happened to. Needless to say, the BBB now has a complaint filed by me.
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Ruger said:
Been there, done that with all sorts of stuff, including motorcycles. Bait and switch is alive and well. They have just learned that they can't pull the switch. They think if they get you there you will buy something else. I usually walk out. But don't get upset and buy something you don't want. As I always told my daughters when they got "new car fever", you really dont' have to have it right this second, sometime waiting is a good thing. I'm with your wife about the 650R. If the Z1000 is what you want just keep looking, and be sure to call right before you go to look at it.
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+1!!!!
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By the way, congrats on the child...Many great wishes to you and your little family! God bless you all.
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eidian said:
Thanks stefano!...FYI though, this is our first child. And if I go by what my wife said when she was 6 weeks pregnant back in early August, our only one.:lol:
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Oops! I remembered seeing pics of you with little ones, but I remember now those were your nieces :smile:

Trust your Kawasaki bretheren... hold out for the Z. I didn't manage to convince you to get a 636, but I WILL convince you to get a Z :biggrin:
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I change my mind more times than a chick...

Ruger, Stefano, Bennice, Ervins and my wife...I hate you all! I convince myself to settle and now you all make me call the dealership and tell them to find me a Z1000 instead of a Kawi-Green 650R. The salesman sounded really excited to hear my request, "...'the Thousand' is a much better bike, you'll be much happier..." he said in his English accent. So we'll see what happens next...

Thanks to everyone for your advice (I think...j/k) and sentiments.
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stefano said:
Oops! I remembered seeing pics of you with little ones, but I remember now those were your nieces :smile:

Trust your Kawasaki bretheren... hold out for the Z. I didn't manage to convince you to get a 636, but I WILL convince you to get a Z :biggrin:
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You did!
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ervins said:
I am in Sales and yes, we play games...
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Yes... you do!!!

Though that will work overall, I think in the end it is only naive people that get fooled. That's why it works overall - because the majority of people are naive :biggrin:

Do you ever question your ethics playing these "games" Erv? I ask because I've always said to myself if I had ever gotten into sales I would have gone for the "honest" approach, convinced that it would pay off in the long run :smile:

Here's a little salesman story - a while back my partner saw this tv commercial for an industrial iron (for ironing clothes) - obviously they didn't state the price. We got the guy to come over, he does his demonstration, and then shoots the price - 1.600 euros, but we were lucky, because ONLY for a short period we could walk away with it for 1.200 euros OR pay full price but get a tv or some other random item to boot. I told him we'd think about it. He told us we couldn't - we hade to make a decision there and then. I told him if that's the case, then thanks for coming over. He backtracked and said that "only for us" he would give us time until the Sunday afternoon to make a decision (this was a Saturday morning). He ended up calling US on Sunday afternoon... at which point I told him thanks but no thanks. **** this guy was sleazy. And what's worse, he probably wasn't acting of his own free will but was following company orders. Disgusting. I would never buy anything from these people knowing what I do now.
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ervins said:
By the way, congrats on the child...Many great wishes to you and your little family! God bless you all.
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Thanks a lot ervins, I really appreciate that. Here's to waiting for a new adventure in parenting...
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eidian said:
Thanks a lot ervins, I really appreciate that. Here's to waiting for a new adventure in parenting...
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Hey Eidian,
I was behind you on the ride to Malibu and you handled that 500 like a pro so any bike you buy will be fine - either the 1000 or the 650.
Where are you looking? Why not try Hahm in Anaheim, OTD in Los Angeles or Del Amo in Torrance? Look in the Cycle Trader and you'll find the ads for all the major area delaers with their out the door prices.
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