I know this is slightly off topic,but the worst experience I've ever had at a Ducati dealership several years ago was as follows.....I took my bike at the time ,a yellow superlight,in to enquire about p/xing it against a red 748,after chatting quite amicably to the salesman for about ten minutes,i mentioned that mine was outside and would he have a look at it etc....as soon as he saw it he pipes up ''we don't do yellow mate''...and turned his back on me and started talking to someone else,after restraining myself from reacting to his rudeness and ignorance ,I butted in and said to him ,you might not do yellow but Ducati clearly does...he ignored my comment...:Wtf:....needless to say I've never been back,even though I later learned that the particular salesman had later been sacked for something else...
I had a similar experience once, the salesman went outside to value my bike.......after a couple of seconds of him filling out his appraisal sheet I said '' that's not my bike, mines over there '' I suppose they were both red.
I went into a Ducati dealers the other day at 12:45 I stood there for a good 10 minutes looking at the new Monster 821 while the salesman sat at his desk stuffing his face with his lunch and on his computer looking at Amazon. He looked at me a few times but just carried on eating. Now if I was him I would have said ' I'm at lunch at the moment, if you would like some help I can get one of my colleagues to help you' but nothing, just sat there eating a bag of crisps watching me walk round the showroom. Makes my blood boil, I'd sack him on the spot............rant over.
'Nah, we don't usually transfer your old plate onto new bikes. I don't know why xxxx (the salesman) agreed to. It's more trouble than it's worth. We can't be bovvered'. The sale went through as I'd signed up and left a deposit, although i ended up doing all the work myself. Apparently Ducati don't provide the paperwork needed to do a plate transfer (they do!) on a new £15,500 bike - aka they would have had to get off their arses and do it manually rather than the usual quick way on the computer. Needless to say the bike hAsnt crossed their doors again. This was a franchised Ducati and Suzuki dealer on the South Coast...
I test rode a Street Triple R at my local Triumph dealer. Went back a few days later to buy one, was ignored in the showroom, left. Bought my first Ducati shortly thereafter by very friendly and accommodating Ducati dealer.
Went in a Suzuki dealer yesterday five customers in shop bought a tin of chain cleaner, good service, good product nice natter about a couple of bikes he had in, would recommend him without question. Last week went to a triumph dealer asked for test ride on demo that was sat outside but they weren't interested, left never to return. Few weeks ago bought an oil filter and sump plug from a Ducati dealer no one else in shop but it was a real effort to bring bits and take my money felt I was an inconvenience wont go back again. Be nice and helpful and I will happily spend my money. Once did a training course that was also used by John Lewis and the Conservative Party, its so easy to train people to sell why bike dealers are so poor baffles me.
I don't think they do want to sell bikes at the moment. To be honest I cannot really afford to change at the minute but I saw a couple of 899's at a more realistic price than they have been up until now and you know what its like when you get something into your head so I started doing figures, as you do. I thought maybe at this time of year they would be gagging to do a deal but it doesn't appear to be. I did get a realistic price for my bike from two dealers but their bikes were older, wrong colour or higher mileage so I contacted two dealers that had what I would be interested in. The first just didn't seem interested at all, wrong time of year for them to give decent prices and having to hold onto stock and their bike would 'fly out' of the showroom etc so no good there. The second dealer ( Who I like and respect ) was via email and was very polite but even without making an offer my bike was basically rejected as they could not offer a decent price on it so they were not going to even bother going there. Took two days for each reply as well. I wasn't expecting retail price for it but considering some dealers have them for sale for over £9200 and most others from £8500 to £9000 I didn't think £8000 part ex would be basically laughed at, the bike is a 2013 Blade in white with 2300 miles and is as new, never been wet, with ventureshield from new. The dealer could easy stick £500 on it, there is nothing to do to it, still under warranty and will be making money on the 899. I think a Blade would be a very sought after bike compared to a lot of others. Are they choosy, not bothered or just being greedy ?
Its always the same. It's very easy to buy from someone you like and hard to buy from someone you don't.....human nature. It amazes me that some sales people find this concept so hard to grasp. I travel past my nearest dealer (10 miles) and travel 22 miles to the next nearest because I didnt feel that the salespeople at the closest one wanted to sell ME a bike....anyone would do.
They're a breed apart I think with pcp stuffs an easy sell these days and maybe commission isn't so much of the wage ?
You may be right @Char about Pcp and commission but surely if their job is to sell bikes that's what they should be doing and doing it well. That's certainly what 'my' dealership do. With my job I have to go out and win business. If the potential customers walked in off the street wanting to buy it would be a piece of piss! Having said that I guess there's lots who walk in wanting a joy ride or with no intention to buy which must grind you down.
If dealers have them at 8500 -9000 then the dealer would be offering 7000. 1500 quid profit might sound a lot but after taking the vat out , overheads, wages , etc it'll probably end up at 5-600.
so whats the big deal about seeing a photo of this Multi 1100s,, do you not really know what they look like, they are all the bloody same,,, or did you think / were hoping there might be something diff about this specific one,, I would have thot that if you asked if it was different or damaged he would have told you so,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, seems so many people nowadays think that having some silver tounged shiny trousered pointed shoes lacky fawning all over you is going to get you a few bob off the asking price....
Do you not think its sensible to ask for more photos of a second hand bike? I'd want to know as much as possible about any damage/corrosion/replaced parts/modifications before I traveled to see it. It's going to be very frustrating going to view a bike only to find out its not in the condition you hoped it would be because the salesman didn't want to tell you anything about it in the hope that you'd feel obliged to buy having traveled to go and see it. If someone took the attitude with me that 'they're all the same' I'd tell 'em to poke it and I'd go find another one.
Travelled 250 miles to see a 955sp, genuine jobbie, which the shop said was in ace nick although had 20k kms so mileage a little high, but fdsh, owned by a vicar etc Got there, there were more chips thatn paint on the leading edges of the fairing, it had limited history and the bike looked like it was stored under a tarp in a forest. I would have loved extra pictures...
