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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 27 มิ.ย. 2024
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Ever walk into a dealership and think, who's paying for all this? You are. But can we get cars and motorcycles any cheaper, or is the "stealership" an unavoidable part of supply chain economics?
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I owned a dealership for ten years. One of the greatest days in my life when I sold it 😁
Wow. If possible, can you share some of your experiences with examples for our benefit/better understanding ? Thanks.
Is this regarding power sports dealers specifically? Bc why do so many car dealership owners seem to be comfortably rich? Genuine question.
@@matthewgarcia2330 second hand dealerships are usually ripping off both ends.
And new car salesmen rip you off with their own financing and over charge you using that
I know what you mean, my nephew ran a dealership only to learn a partner was using it for tax write off purposes. The partner owned a car dealership that made too much money and needed a way to show an operating loss.
@The Insufferable Tool Also, you pretty much have to pre-order a new sled from the factory before it ships to a dealer these days.
I have been riding for 37 years and have learned more on this channel in 3 years than a lifetime of riding. Thank you for all the hard work you do to put these together
I have to agree. Crazy.
Also agree. These videos are high quality, thank you F9
The internet .
The F9 team does a phenomenal job, every day and every time!
Anyone else find this incredibly sad ? Good channel but 37 years …
I manage a multi brand dealership and must say, bravo on this video. As always with F9 this was well researched and presented. Nice to shed some light on our industry, as most days we are just trying to keep our doors open. It’s a labor of love. On behalf of all dealers, thanks to everyone in the comments that supports your local shop.
After reading your comment, I know now not to be an a-hole to the salesperson. Especially nowadys, hard push-to-sell tactics are not necessary and the last two dealerships Ive been to I was NOT accosted in any way.
Later this week, I'm driving from Vegas to Butte Mt. The Vegas dealership told me (via text) that they had one in stock. "Sure, bring your trade" (low miles, paid off with title in my name) Well, they didn't have one, couldn't afford my trade and sent me packing empty-handed. Couldn't even order one.
So, I'm off to Butte Mt. I sold my trade... it sold in a couple hours.
I wanted the machine loaded with dealer-installed accessories, would have been a good sale.
My local dealer has a funny way of showing it..... I've gone in on more than one occasion and have been completely ignored.
@@1966Zingo not all dealers are the same. When you have a chain a different places or have a Dealership monopoly within an area, you do have the rains over the customer. When you are single family single dealership business the situation is not so good... A friend has a Suzuki dealership, one of many here in my city, they gave me coffee and several test drives.
I can't afford to have a dealer service my yamaha but I do buy my oils and parts from my local dealer. One thing that makes a sale is if you are a kind salesman. A Honda dealer salesman told me to not sit on bikes anymore. I was shocked because that dad I left hinda and bought a yamaha
FortNine doesn’t make videos that often, but when they do - it’s outstanding, a true joy to watch
Spot on comment
They are ALWAYS making a video, but don't rush the end product... that is why it may take a bit longer occasionally to get the quality we all are getting used to :P
And he always talks about his obsession with his own weiner
Always worth watching!
I wish there was more 😁
At dealer meetings I remember hearing that the best way to make one million dollars in the Motorsport business is to start with two million.
You could change "motorsport business" to Vegas and (for me anyway) it would also be true.
The onle way I can win in Vegas is to not play.
Same with wineries
The best way to be a millionaire? Be a billionaire and open a pro wrestling fed.
same goes for a lot of other industries
Too optimistic, start from a billionaire is more likely
Having worked at the dealer stuffing end of this chain for way too many years, I can assure you that a lot more dodgy stuff than you mentioned goes on. Under the desk $1000-$3000 payments to dealers to do the paperwork to say a bike is sold, bikes that are still on a ship, or on dockside, so that sales % hits a magic number by 31 December. The bike arrives at the dealer a week or so later, and the dealer has to sell it as 'used' within 7-14 days before the money leaves their bank account. Ring around the dealers and simply let them know you want to buy xxx. Be flexible on color. Give them your mobile number (or get a burner and use that, before dumping it to avoid pester calls). Never say you have cash and do offer a part exchange (the dealer will factor kick backs from the finance company and profit on the other bike when they sell that on, often done 'back to back' with a specialist used bike sales outlet who give them $100-$200 commission. You would be amazed what the manufacturer will do to reach that magic sales figure for the year. We once sold hundreds of one previous year model, in one color, that were sat in a dusty lot, to one dealer at well over 50% off ticket price. Said dealer then added $500 to the buy price, and sold them as new. Buyers were invited to the lot. Go pick a bike, note the number on the sticker, and it was yours. $10,000 bikes were selling for well under $5,000. They went fast. Yes, there might be a 6% margin, but there are all sorts of bonuses and kick backs (often direct from the factory in Japan, maybe direct to an off shore account) often worth multiples of that. If you are looking for a specific bike, and today is the day the dealer needs your money in their account because it is the day the manufacturer finance company takes the cash regardless of if it is sold, you will be in luck. So, approach many dealers, make sure they know what you want, and timing is not so important as price. Then, hen they have to shift a bike that day, it might be you they call. But, when they do, then start the bargaining and be tough, especially if they call in the early morning. By the time close of business approaches, if the bike is still on their books ...
Be clever, country farming community dealers will not sell racing bikes, so will have stock. Big City dealers will not sell dirt bikes so well ... Every dealer, every month has bikes they need to sell fast. Pick a dealer in a community that has suffered major job losses. They will be stuck with stock that is no longer selling, sales targets that are totally unachievable. It's a tough world out there.
I'll pay you $500 to get my bike.
@@HappyHermitt You will have to do it yourself. I am long since retired now, although I still use the same tactics to good effect.
Doesn't the inflated market and high demand for motorcycles right now make this moot? Speaking from ignorance.
@@Marcus-OK Yes, but that still didn't stop me picking up a brand new Harley at a good discount a few weeks ago.
@Trevor Nelmes As someone who is finally serious about buying a bike after years of admiring them, this is very helpful information. One question for you, are there any significant negatives when purchasing an new old stock bike that would outweigh the discount? For instance, if purchasing a 2018 model in 2022, is it considered to be a gamble or is it ok as long as it passes certain criteria in an inspection?
As a mechanic for a Kawasaki/Suzuki dealership, I was ready to come in defending the dealership and how they barely make anything on new bike sales etc... I'm glad you don't just think "stealership bad". Alot of OEMs have crazy demands for their dealers, and it's amazing there are any left to sell bikes really
I think this changes my understanding about what dealers have to go through, and earn little money, and how OEMs behave with dealers. I did not know of this, at least now I know a bit more.
My guess is dealers survive based on income from repairs and servicing. Labor per hour of repair is not cheap. And maybe they earn a bit extra from parts too.
Honestly, my problem has always been that dealerships shouldn't exist. At all. They should just be garages that can accept deliveries from manufacturers on a consumers behalf, for a reasonable fee of course. But instead it's a bunch of backwards haggling crap by two people trying to not sell a kidney just to buy/sell a motorcycle. All because the manufacturers make more money and have less liability that way.
It's the kind of thing that tempts me into buying one of those Chinese Amazon bikes lol
@@Edward-Not-Elric Or buy used. I have never bought a new car and likely never will. I just don't see the value in brand new. Bikes I bought used to get into riding and unless I win the lottery, I will continue buying used.
One HUGE advantage to used is test driving/riding. No chance I am buying a bike I can't ride first.
@@joeshmoe7967 I've been trying, for sure! The used market in my area is pretty crap, sadly. Even buying new is a bit of a hassle with most dealerships just straight up not answering their phone or emails. Barely any bikes posted and the ones that are posted are either too hot (20-50k) or overpriced junk (1200 for an old beat up frame with no motor.)
Closest I got was deciding a time and price with a guy but then he just ghosted me the day of.
@@joeshmoe7967 you need the people who buy new to get used bikes. More so a product that is biased towards entertainment rather than utility unlike cars and that also has much lower demand overall.
The way you write the script is so good. The way you explain it all. Tell the story. The subtle jokes. It’s all incredible
The only channel that can do a deep dive into motorcycle dealer and distribution economics using a plunger metaphor and a Monty Python scene effectively.
Excellent.
I have a sec hand Military Police bmw I call M.Python (of the blue flying circus). My black bike is Black Adder 😎 , moves like a snake in traffic.
Ducatis are more like a dead parrot 🦜
FortNine is a World Tresure!!
@@tpilot_error404 no it's not!
Wow! This is 20/20, 60 Minutes, Dateline level journalism (for the moto-interested) with a youthful entertainment style and modern production quality. Very informative and engaging to watch. You guys are filling a need that no one else (print, web or social media) in moto journalism seems to have the awareness to provide. THANK YOU for NOT being just another shill reviewer for the manufactures. Fantastic job guys!!!
More like "Frontline" on PBS...it's like 60 Minutes on steroids.
It's misinformation
@@crispysocksss ok. Thanks for enlightening us. No prizes for guessing where you work.
@@MrSimonmcc Where does he work?
I'm trespassing here as a car guy, but even as someone not overly moto-interested, F9 puts out some excellent content that is well worth the watch
Walked away from my business 6 months ago after twenty years of bumping my head against the same thing. Nothing to show for it but scars, deep ones and a very jaded view of the world. Thought it was specific to our country, sad to see it’s a worldwide thing.
Everyone would do so much better if the brands focussed on growing their dealers, rather than “moving metal” by clearing their warehouses.
I realised the significance of my voice during a visit to the factory and museum. That year my store sold 249 of the 260 000 units the factory sold. And then we got hit with 17.5% interest on the stock that was dumped on us…
4:16 *The plunger metaphor is brilliant!*
Having spent the last 15 years managing auto dealerships, I can confirm that this is disconcertingly and depressingly accurate for the car world as well. In fact, some of the most highly perceived manufacturers actually do the most commanding from their ivory tower.
Read the credits… he is talking about auto dealers. Looks like he interviewed three motorcycle dealers too that corroborated the practices in the motorcycle industry as well.
I've heard that the "premium" manufacturers are the biggest pains to deal with! Some will even force you to buy their approved floor tiles, lights, furniture, etc. Makes for a consistent brand image, but comes at a huge cost to mom and pop. ~RF9
@@FortNine And it must be installed by ”corporate image” approved contractors. Kawasaki here in Australia really have “no f^%ks” with their dealers and it’s awesome. Some literally look like a barn
@FortNine I work at a BMW dealer, and I can confirm we are forced to buy their overpriced furniture, tiles, digital signage, etc. They are even strict about where we place our vehicles. God forbid a $250k Porsche be on the show room floor or a used BMW be sitting in between two non BMW vehicles. They make us keep our lot separated BMWS on one side and everything else on the other. Separate but not equal. Lol
@@FortNine As a person who works with lightning and photography, some manufacturers are KEEN to keep a curtain celvin and lumen on their paint for that "perfect" look. And as we all have in common here is that they MUST have approved products for such things. Which makes it a hell for logistics reasons and pain to install from time to time. Thing is that the more premium manufacturers are a tad easier to work with cause they KNOW what they want and have answers. The "B-team" of premiums are the worst!! They think like they are the A team but they don't have the budget and are just pure sellers with high egos.
F9 left out the biggest advantage to the manufacturers: they get to shift the consumer anger and blame to the dealers that are - in all likelihood - really only making money selling accessories and servicing bikes.
It only helps that many of the dealers are actually shady....
Very true! The misplaced vitriol aimed at "stealerships" was my impetus for writing this video. ~RF9
@@FortNine Thank you for creating in my opinion the BEST content in all of YT. I discovered this channel when I was recommended the Motorcycle Airbag video 📹. Since then I continue to love 💘 all the education, information and comedy that you Ryan and The F9 Team deliver. Thank you and keep up the great 👍 work 👍. Sincerely ~Chris
P.S. I feel like the reason we all start to watch F9 is for the Motorcycles 🏍 but we continue to because of Ryan and his killer personality! You guys are awesome take care ❤.
@@wayward03 After watching this it seems like they have do do some shady stuff or they would not be open. And we have one Walmart-like dealer every 3000KM.
And guess where sales sends the angry customers who just bought something used that breaks? Service of course.
The _This American Life_ episode "100 Cars" was excellent and ended up covering a lot of this topic while following a car dealership as they work ridiculously hard to reach a sales goal set by the manufacturer, such that they could make an actual profit.
Thank you. The word “stealership” enrages me and breaks my heart a little bit. The small dealers we know are some of the most hard working, customer focused business owners but also the most stressed out and financially strapped. The system needs to be better.
I'm fortunate to live near a great independent dealership.
A Honda dealer was once rude to me. I left and bought a Yamaha demo bike. When the yamaha dealer moved I stayed with them because they are very friendly people. They get my parts in quick and have all the cool branded clothes I want. When I dealer treats me right I stand by them. I will be buying a bike from them again. Thank you Lethbridge Yamaha 💙
If they weren't constantly ripping people off term wouldn't exist. Better to buy straight from the manufacturer
The dealerships near me all want $70 per tire to mount and $120 to do an oil change. It cost me about $70 to buy the tire machine to do them myself and I don't race so Rotella works for me, which means a $15 oil change (no problems over 50K miles so far with it).
I spent many years in a Yamaha dealer in a inner city shop, our bread and butter without doubt was small capacity bikes and scooters, at times we couldnt get them delivered fast enough. Then Yamaha decided to either start pulling out of that game, or started pricing our customers out of it. Quickly we found our selves in the possition of being forced to stock turkeys like the MT01 or later the Niken, bikes we knew we couldnt shift to our base but that Yamaha decided looked good in a shop window without giving us a choice if we wated to keep our "preferential" rates, a rate that got worse over time anyway.
My local yamaha dealer has had the same Niken sitting in the shop for 3 or 4 years.
Must have been some time ago. The mt09/07 range have sold shed loads and saved Yamaha
@@gasdive it's admittedly a very cool bike and I hope they make an electric one
I don't find that hard to believe at all. I live in quite rural area and one town Yamaha dealer has had Niken for sale. I thought it was pretty bold move. Just now checked out and yeah, it's still for sale. Model year 2019. Yikes
@@riskyraccoon It is a cool bike, but its a niche bike and very expensive at that. Electric I would love, but would put it over 25k.
That kind of bike would be perfect as a direct to consumer. Oh well...
You're not just a youtuber, you're an amazing journalist and presenter. Never stop making these
Not to mention years ago we bought all our riding gear and accessories from the dealerships, now most of it is probably ordered online.
I hate online. I need to try on before I buy. I'm at my Yamaha dealer twice a month lol
Aside from the amazing production values, I really like how Ryan narrated and presented the topic with spot on jokes and scientific method-accuracy with the facts (the APA-standard reference list is a nice touch).
In addition to the problems Ryan had mentioned, another headscratching matter about dealerships these days, at least in my hometown, is that they tend to prefer lease-financed buyers rather than those who purchase their bike in full cash (that's like, the average vehicle buyers like most of us); part of the reason is that they tend to have a better margin of commission from the leasing company they work with. and as it is, financed bikes will have a really large margin factual prices (as in the installment money you paid every month throughout your tenor) compared to the bike the customer paid in full cash (it can go as far as 30% in nominal increase, which Ryan had been wonderfully explained in the video)
Many Kudos for you to discuss this whole topic!
Another thing is financed customers are much easier to push into a service schedule as its part of the finance agreement. They often neglect to mention it can be serviced else so take a decent income stream that way.
Financing allows the dealer to throw incentives at the buyer, and basically get them paid for by the finance company. The finance company in turn banks on (heh) the likelihood that the buyer will NOT magically come up with the cash tomorrow, or the week after, and thus run the loan past that magical "x days same as cash!" deadline. At which point, FreedomRoad or whatever other finance company will start assessing that crazy high APR for what essentially is "leisure goods".
Which means if you have the cash to buy the bike, you're more likely to get an actual deal on the purchase price if you go the financing route. If your credit rating isn't all that great, make the down payment bigger, that always sweetens the pot. Try to get the "same as cash" deal, because your hole card is the fact that you could pay off the purchase price whenever you want, so all that interest can go bye-bye if you pay it all off before the "same as" date. Just don't SAY you can pay cash... just ask what the "out the door" price will be, and do your best to nudge that down before it gets sent to the finance department.
@@JackBahh true. Not to mention (again in my hometown anyway) they can fit the tenor of the financing to meet warranty periods (standard around 1-2 years, engine warranty can go up to 3 years)
@@georgeerhard1949 I've seen a lot of people got that kind of deal in the past, which is very convenient for them since they can get extra stuff in addition to the incentives they got from the finance company they did the transactions with.
Not anymore in my hometown these days, mostly because now the finance companies have put on a fixed tenor rate in which the buyer can pay off, which is sad, but they're still going with the old school financing scheme so yeah.
I work at a car dealership and I'm surprised what people are willing to pay for a 'private lease' car.
It's basically a loan with huge interest.
Even compared to the cheapest little car I never spend that amount of money on my car per month.
And then they hardly drive it, because gas is expensive.
My family owned a Kawasaki franchise in the 80’s and your video is sooooo true! Basically, our shop was a vehicle to burn through my fathers complete accumulated wealth in as short a time as possible. He may have had better odds had he gone to Vegas and just put everything on Red…..
That is so unbelievably sad. The corporate powers that be should have immense bad karma headed their way.
tough business to stay afloat in especially today with the war against small business our govt has been waging
There is a whole phenomenon around this, bread in HQ by cost accountants, process engineers and value managers alll 100% aimed at squeezing every single dime they can at the expense of everyone not involved in the manufacturing business... in other words, the little guys doesn't stand a chance. HQ is completely ignorant to the realities of the regions, the unique aspects of each region, but they either think they do or figure those realities are irrelevant. And not just the bike business, farming/food, clothing, construction, you name it. And, once a smaller player figures it out, they get bought out to limit competition.
@@MattsBaseballWorld WOW well said !! no way i could word is as accurately but i agree 100% yes yes yes
@@MattsBaseballWorld This isn't always the case. In my city small businesses who cater to their demographic in thier region are thriving. It's possible. But if you only see the cup half empty then that's all you'll ever see.
I've been riding almost 40 years, and the 'no demos' phenom put me off of buying new bikes almost a decade ago. I turn to my local dealership for parts and for some service work that I can't do, because they're good folks and I like having them there, but I'll never buy a bike that I can't test ride.
I must be lucky. The two local dealers let me do test rides. The one shop (family owned) did did say I had to ride my own bike in and they would let me test ride a bike. I assumed they wanted more proof that I could ride than just a class m license lol.
I was able to test ride a 2020 R1250rt demo unit with only 1300 miles on the clock in the Spring of 2021. Absolutely no doubt the demo ride made the difference in my purchase decision. The 3% finance rate, $5k off MSRP, and $1000 more for my trade-in than I paid new 2 years prior made it a no-brainer. They designed the system, I went to play and came out happy. Being able to perform all my own maintenance saves me on the service end. Now, if I just had more time to ride...
I test ride my Honda when I bought it.
thank sue happy people and lawyers for the no demo thing , ive bought the last 2 bikes without riding them first , well i did ride a similar model and a competetive model the last time so thats not exactly accurate but an experienced rider who has owned similar bikes prior and read all the specs and tests and watched reviews can make just as good a decision in my opinion and experience ?
What I most notice about a bike when I ride it for the first time is that it is different than my last bike. I've even had this sensation just switching tires. It takes about a month or two to decide if I really like it. Ergonomics are very important, so I would at least sit on the bike to make sure it is in the ballpark.
I work at a dealership as a technician but I appreciate this because customers usually assume we’re making a large percentage on MSRP when the reality is we make very little on unit sales.
Dealers make money on new vehicles through financing, service, and warranty work. But I can't afford new vehicles, don't know how anyone can, so I buy used. And this is where I see a $3000 car that the dealer got for $1200 at a dealer-only auto auction selling for $9999.
That said, I've got some great deals from dealerships on used cars, usually when I'm buying "wholesale" where the dealer simply got a free trade in and already made their money selling some other shiny thing and took the person's car on top of it for free and now they're willing to sell it to me for what it's actually worth just to get it off their lot since it looks so bad.
I came for the bike stuff, I'm staying for the business and economics education (and the bike stuff). Well done! :)
Great job explaining the dirty realities of the established system. Loved the plunger comment too. The industry takes the dream of enthusiasts to own a dealership and be around their passion every day and then strangles them with it. I met a guy who had bought a dealership in Florida as his dream and then lost it a couple of years later in 2009. That downturn was a cruel reminder of the harsh realities of business.
You dont need to own a dealership if you love bikes. Nonsense
2009 was the worst year ever. I think there were over 1 million units sold in the USA in "08 and it dropped to 400,000 in "09. It has not come back to close to that Google says 780,000 for 2020. There are defiantly less dealers around today.
Crueler than you realize when you realize the crashes are deliberate. Who wins who loses is key.
I feel like I just got a free lesson on economics! Nice job F9!
This channel NEVER fails to educate me. Such a great provider of genuinely useful and clearly communicated content.
I worked at a Honda/Suzuki dealership/service store running our receiving and invoice management for new bikes. One of the first things I learned was that we never made more than 6% profit on a bike. Our parts and service department paid all the bills during the COVID-19 epidemic but we started buying up as many used motorcycles as we could which allowed us to price them more fairly and build up a friendly reputation with our local motorcycle community. The most important thing a dealership can do is not sell new bikes but buy a customers loyalty through respect and honesty.
FortNine's source list is more complete then any I have ever had for my 20 page university papers
"In their books any motorcycle out the door matters less then a motorcycle in for an oil change"
Too bad my local dealership charges three times more than they should for a job that I can do myself while drunk in 15 minutes...
Yeah, it's hard to feel bad for the dealership when they're shamelessly ripping you off
@@criticalevent Is it like a "if you're that lazy, we might as well rip you off" thing?
@@swaroopajit well lazy or mechanically inept...(clearly not me...*cough*)
@@HardwareG33k Everything is market price, billable hours, gallon of milk, cigarettes, cars, clothing. Prices drop when people stop buying. You may not be a customer; somebody is paying these people. Driving your wanted price up.
evidently basic math and common sense are things of the past sadly
I absolutely love how detailed and informed all your videos are. Its a long wait between the, however the quality of them is so high. You are invaluable and incomparable when it comes to your niche on TH-cam
Such a revelation! Been involved in motorcycling (as a customer) for over 50 years. Now I better understand why some of the local dealerships that seemed to be so successful, shockingly closed their doors. Thanks again, F9, for presenting a video that had my full attention from the first frame to the last. Keep up the great work!
I would also like to add one more very important item to the content presented in this video - trade ins! It is very well know (in the Stealership biz) that every bike that rolls out of the dealership represents double or even triple the profit a Stealership normally makes on selling a new bike. The dealership floor plan however does not provide finance for used bikes so, if your local Stealership has a significant inventory of used bikes this is the cue the the dealership is well healed (they have a big bank roll). So, a 1to1 or more of new to used inventory tells you how healthy the Stealership is and if you are wanting to trade your bike in, then this is the place to do it - you'll get a better deal at the end of the line. A Sealership with a poor inventory of used bikes is short on cash and likely cutting corners everywhere - beware! When I was in the business our uses inventory was double even tripple our new inventory in over all value - we were an extremely well healed Stealership why - because our Stealership was a factory owned store!
... one more item I would like to bring to the table is over 'allowance' - this is a much bigger factor and more difficult to explain but I'll try to do it so you all understand. Over allowance is the amount of money the dealership has to 'play' with when selling a car. If you go in without a trade and work your deal to the point you are happy to complete a deal then, if you've done a good job you might have gotten a discount from the Steakership and if you've done an excellent job you might have driven the Stealership to it maximum discount thus, using all their over allowance - this is the time you introduce your trade. Note the first question the sales rep has is do you have a trade?" and there is a good reason for that - they must apply the 'over allowance' to your trade in to get you convinced you are getting a great deal! So, never admit to having a trade! The biggest over allowances are on the most expensive items, a fully loaded and tricked out vehicle has a ton of over allowance - it is also important to try and find out how many days the vehicle has been in inventory - floor-plan finance expires within a certain time-frame and that means the Stealership would burn profit to avoid paying for it from their own cash/bank! So, to get the best possible deal, do not admit to having a trade, try and determine how many days the vehicle has been in inventory 180 day unit is soon, if not already, to be off their floor-plan finance and always wait to pull the buy trigger on the last day of the month - they all want one more unit out the door! One last thing, buying the entry level car will have the smallest gross profit to the Dealer, so if you are wise, you would negotiate on the deluxe model and then flip to the basic model and insist on the same discount and finally, bring the trade into the deal - this strategy is not for the light hearted! If you have driven a hard deal and you think you are still not at their bottom line - turn around and walk out - if there is anymore room, the sale rep will follow you out of the showroom and try and get you back but... if you were at their bottom line, the salesman will "SPOIL" you but saying, "How about if I can get the car for you for 'x' dollars?" - this tactic is to make it impossible for you to buy a vehicle at the next dealership you visit because you'll have that "SPOILER NUMBER" in your head! Good luck folks!
Fascinating - thanks for the insight! ~RF9
@@WaxMeister No fun & games at the moment in Australia, just the sticker price and a 12 month wait, or they simply sell it to the next poor stooge
@@rodger7541 right? A dealer I went into would not move on their price for a particular 2020 model bike, despite the new model being the same price when you factor in the extras it comes with. The new one would actually be cheaper when you factor in depreciation and that it is a facelift model. I had the impression a staff member probably wants it cheap so they’re making it difficult to sell to the public until the 180 days elapses and Honda throws lots of accessories at it in order for it to sell. Alternatively they think some sucker will be prepared to buy full sticker. Dealers bewilder me..
Not really true. The motorcycle dealership I work for will take in anything for trade. Half of it will go straight to the auction. They only keep the stuff they can turn around for a profit that they think they can sell in a reasonable time. Other wise to the auction to get rid of at even if possible.
Finally, a real report on dealers. Usually people dont get it and just hates on the "greedy" dealers.
dealers suck.
Car and bike dealers still suck though to work with. I just want a website, not someone pretending to like
$20k “market adjustment” on a new f250 is greed, $50k plus tacked on a new Corvette is greed, the list goes on.
Just because "people usually don't get it", doesn't mean there aren't greedy dealers out there. I know for a fact (I saw the numbers) that the dealer I bought my brand new Versys 650 from got that bike dirt cheap as disassembled (CKD or Completely Knocked Down to avoid taxes). The rest was VAT, import duties and their profit margin which was substantial. I had no choice though, since you can't buy from the manufacturer directly and that dealership was the only one in my small and rather undeveloped country.
Dealers also price gouge on maintenance. I had to get the clutch rebuilt in my Jeep and the only place near me was a dealership. They tried to charge me nearly $3,500 for the work. When I told them that I priced it out at two transmission shops ( that were realistically too far away for me to use) for $1,400, they said they " were able to make some adjustments" and do it for $1,600. Some dealerships are just thieves.
Another absolute banger; the whole middle finger for 1 month free floor plan was just *chef kiss* your joke delivery is really unrivaled
Ryan, congratulations! Pristine presentation , perfectly elaborated of the "game" of Distribution, which applies to most business and not only motorcycles or automobiles. Every single episode you produce is full of useful information, fun and teaches us all a lot! Keep your dedication and motivation to continue producing such quality please!
I’m glad there are enough buyers out there who can afford and must have a brand new bike every one or two years. I’ll take that six month old, 3000 miles KAW C14 for 40% less than new ! 13 years later it still runs and looks like new. 👊😎
No kidding! I’ve never owned a vehicle less than 13 years past it’s production date, car or bike. Must be nice to make a lot of money, I suppose hahaha
Lol, i just don't care about anything made after the early 90's anyways, bikes after this time went seriously downhill in design while adding a bunch of stuff i'll have to remove and replace like ABS and all the BS nannies, safeties, and like 100lbs of useless, ugly plastic. Nevermind a new bike, i don't want it if it's not at least 30 years old.
@@rustymustard7798 You know you're a lost old man when you complain about ABS...
@@HRRRRRDRRRRR Not having ABS saves my ass more than ABS ever would. I ride mostly on dirt as i live miles up a steep twisty dirt 'road', seasonally through snow and mud. I need and expect full control over my braking. I've got skills, big rotors and good pads, i can modulate easily with one finger and a toe to what i want vs what ABS thinks i should do. What happens when i'm trying to back it in downhill? I need to bring the rear right to idle, slide and set up sideways as soon as i land, i don't want to fight ABS when i'm trying to pitch a bike into a drift on a tight line.
I'm not against modern tech, but it has it's place, and it's not under my ass. I ride BECAUSE it's an analog experience, it's a pure joy to proficiently and skillfully operate a purely mechanical machine, as well as to build and mod them. Staring at a screen where instruments used to be while a computer critiques my decisions is in no way fun or enjoyable, and i'd rather just not ride if i can't do it on my own terms.
Most modern bikes are built with the idea that the 'rider' is a passenger, and will sit on it too far back and act like a sack of wet rags instead of actively piloting the bike with precise control inputs, weight shift, body english, and such. Oftentimes i brake lock to initiate a drift or to just slide down a steep chute on washed out roads all the places i travel.
Now if you ride around on pavement or busy places with streeetlights, traffic, and all that BS then maybe you need ABS because you're distracted by the aforementioned circus of BS, but who even buys a bike to do that lol? I'd have to travel a LONG way out of my way to get to somewhere where i MIGHT need ABS, i just don't go to those kinds of places for anything.
I didn't say you can't have your silly computer determining how you ride, but i don't want to be limited, especially when i demand full lock. I'm a minimalist, all this useless crap, digital displays, 20 idiot lights and whatnot that makes up half the weight and cost of the bike just completely turns me off from wanting to have anything to do with it. What if i want to mod stuff? Instead of having to deal with flashing an ECU and remapping injectors and whatnot i can grab a pin vise and numbered drill bit and change my jet sizing in like 10 minutes on the side of the road if i want to. I often travel days from any civilization so simple is better. If an injector fails in the desert it's like a 100 mile walk in 120 degree heat, where even if my carb does 'fail' (AKA get dirty), it's simple as balls and i can clean it in minutes. I don't worry about one of the thousands of components of an ECU ever failing and leaving me stuck because a kickstand switch got dust in it or something stupid like that. I ditch all the safeties so i can start with the stand up, clutch out, in gear, whatever, if i push the button it goes and no other electrical failure can stop the spark aside from ignition and killswitch. Most of the failures that have left me stuck have been safety features or some minor electrical issue affecting the ignition circuit, so i eliminate all of that and rewire stuff to isolate critical systems from lights, horn accessories etc. My bike can get EMP'd , fall in a river, get hot, cold, dirty, dropped, abused and beat to hell, but it's still gonna start even if the main harness is fried.
LOL, 40% less than new.
Bikes hold their value way better than cars, and slightly used bikes cost as much as new anymore.
I worked in Car dealerships for 14 years and it's not any different there either. Thank you for making a video that explains that Dealers aren't the bad guy. There are certainly good and bad dealers but the concept is not inherently bad. My local motorcycle dealership from where I bought my last two bikes brand new are unbelievable. Any bike you wanna ride - no problem. New, used no worries. Great people that care with some of the best brands. Maybe they got the recipe correct or maybe Australia is treated differently.
Probably the reason is Australia won't take any crap from the manufacturer unlike here in the UK.
The system was intentionally designed to have dealers and their customers at each others throats. Customers dont care about dealerships having very thin profit margins and dealerships dont care if they sell useless optional stuff as long as it is somehow softening the financial woes.
Good dealerships do exist but in reality the entire concept is meant to have a scapegoat for the manufacturers.
Once again your content is just amazing. I've never ridden a motorcycle, and I have no plans to, yet I still love your videos!
Man I’ve watched nearly all of you videos and learnt so much! I’ve enjoyed every video aswell. Masterclass in content creation. All the while remaining Humber and true to the original plan. Unbiased opinions on motorcycling. Keep it up! I now understand why it’s so hard to get a demo bike these days.
Floorplan is probably why I just bought my 22 grom with zero upsell, it had been sitting there since the start of winter. Called last Saturday to hold it so I could buy it Monday, it was on my trailer Tuesday. No markup, no extended warranty pitch, no finance push, just here's cash = here's bike.
So, visiting dealerships and keeping tracking of what bikes are sitting there & for how long, is a good way to find a cheaper buy. Dealers will always be looking to shift bikes that have been sitting there for a while.
Gibson guitars used to do this to their music store dealers too. I had a friend who closed a mom n pop music store because he couldn't take 14 Les Pauls in Pelham Blue in order to get the cheaper guitars that actually sell. Kind of sad really.
My friend owns a store, Gibson wanted a $20,000.00 order from him to keep carrying Epiphone. He ordered Les Paul Tributes and low price SGs and a few Studios and Classics.
It seems all manufacturers who have been coasting on their name for decades, no matter what the product, tend to do this.
And Gibsons QC went down the toilet as well!
I live way out in the boon docs. I have to go 45mins to a shop that is family owned. I spoke to the father/owner and told Me how he stopped being a Kawi dealer because of the rules kept getting harder and harder for him to deal with. So he went private. I called them the other day to get My KLX250S ready for the TAT. His son said 14 weeks out I am on the list.😆. The big power sport dealer I went to wanted Me to pay MSRP and another 600.00 for paperwork.
I absolutely love your presentation and jokes im barely even interested in watching motorcycle videos but yet im subscribed
Seriously. This presentation is arguably applicable to car dealerships which should be eliminated too
8:26 This was the one I walked right into with my 2019 R3. I wanted a blue one. Dealership didn't have any in stock, and talked me up for the matte black one. It was also during their year-end sales and if they _could_ order a blue one it would be outside the discount window which would break my budget. I was impatient and had been waiting 12 years to finally buy a bike, and while I do not regret it, I still wish it was blue.. Black bikes are way too easy to get ahold of.
People remember the 80s for funky colors, the 2010s will be called a dark age where everything stylish had to be black as sin.
Paint it? I just bought a new triumph and love it... but a different model has the exact paint color I would have wanted but not available in my model. Made me sad also... that said I could get it painted aftermarket but since the one I bought is also nice and has an $800 paint upgrade I'm a little hesitant to run out and change anything now. I'm sure I'll scratch it eventually and get the paint I want then.
I feel your pain. I had my heart set on a blue R3, but I could only find black ones in my local area. As it was my first bike, I wasn’t too keen to start off with several hundred kms of riding home.
Same thing happened to me with my 2019 MT03, blue looked much nicer
Wait until you hear about vinyl wraps!
I am LITERALLY leaving to buy a motorcycle in 20 minutes. The timing is god tier.
Same! Just purchased a KLR 650 aha so funny
Let us know what you get, and don't be afraid to say no if the price or bike is bad - the season is just starting!
Don't be afraid to haggle and pay close attention to whatever add ons the dealership tries to throw on.
When I bought my Honda, the finance department slipped in the extended warranty without me knowing and I had to contact Honda to get a refund.
good good whatcha buying ??
i picked up a new husky norden 901 few weeks ago
I wish there was more content that interesting, well produced, and we'll delivered on the motorcycle world! Keep it up!
Once Again: Good Job, as always! I see the comment regularly that this is the best Motorcycle related content on YT but after nearly exhausting your library I am convinced you have the best "Do-It-Yourself" content on the Inter-Web! I watch everything from Auto-Centric to Xylophone Repair and Race/All Terrain/Off Road/4X4 to DIY of every topic and I do not see the consistent high quality and creative thoughtfulness of F9. Nobody, Nowhere, Knowhow. I will shut up now and start at the top. Thanks for the great Videos and for sharing your talents.
THIS is why love this channel so much. Thanks for the quality motorcycle content!
The dealer racket is the same for cars and in the USA also. One way to beat the game is buy used or wait for floor model to go on sale 😸!
Buying through the internet manage is another way. I got a pretty good deal on my last car by buying it through the dealer online instead of just walking in to the dealership and talking to the first sales person that I saw.
@@Riceball01 agreed. Go through the internet sales department and use the magical phrase that you want the "OTD -- out the door" price. They will give you their rock bottom no-haggle price. Then compare with other dealers in the area and go with the offer and dealership you like the best. This technique avoids all the sleazy sales tactics.
doesnt even make sense
I didn't know any of this and had to watch it a few times to really understand it. Great video, this could be used in an economics class. I've never bought a bike from a dealer I've always gotten them from a private owner.
Smart.
Just watched it twice in a row for it to really sink in. The script is so well written it takes time to digest.
Same here. I've always done private sales because I always get better deals. I didn't realize, though, how the system actually worked until this video. Always thought dealerships were greedy of their own accord.
Dang dude!
Your content is always so amazing and engaging. And the production value is so far beyond just a youtube channel.
Thank you for your videos.
As a former BMW, Honda and Yamaha dealer for many years in Europe you speak from my heart, happy to live a happy private riding motorbikes life and being an entrepreneur in a total different business.
I work at a car dealership.
All of this is true.
Plus we have to spend a fuck ton on stupidly overpriced tools (a lot of which we’re never going to use) and pointless (still overpriced) training for things that we’ve already figured out on our own.
The manufacturer fucks the importers, who fucks the dealerships, who fucks the consumers. This is the way.
That's okay. I've been fucking over my clients to make my car payment to the bank that's been fucking me over anyway. Then I fuck the bank over three years later. The circle of life.
bingo , we dropped the new car (kia) franchise finally about 5 years ago and went used only
@@pinkiepie1656 you are the problem
And a clear source material list. Now thats moto journalism. 🙌🙌
TOTALLY PROFESSIONAL! That's the thought I have when watching any of the always entertaining and educational FortNine vids. Thank you for your vids and please never stop. I hope, financially, it is working well for you as you more than deserve it! Cheers and thanks from Sydney Australia :-)
Excellent video.... so much knowledge gained here. Riding bikes for years, as well as buying/selling on the side for fun, I always thought I knew how the system worked. Thank you for bringing this to light!
Ryan F9. Always there when you need him with the perfect video.
I’m trying to buy my first new motorcycle and it’s terrifying and my main issue is locale. Where I live in FL it’s all oversized sports bikes or big old man baggers. Finding a small bike or mini adventure bike is damn near impossible and when I do, they’re overpriced! 9.000 for a Versys 300!? Before any fees!? They’re insane..
I could definitely use help, but I’m taking my time and following your and Lemmys old videos on buying.. Knowledge, know when to say no, and I had a sizeable cash deposit ready but it got stolen when I was robbed. But I’m not giving up. I have cancer and riding is all that brings me joy, so I’ll keep trying.
Thanks for being an inspiration as always, and educating and entertaining us all!
You are the reason I got a motorcycle and I still learn something new each video. Thank you.
Woah I took a plane ride 750miles and rode my versus 300x back for $5000 a few years ago for financed for like $75 a month, 1-2%apr.
It was a super fun adventure
KTM Duke/Adventure 390 is the way!
When I got back into motorcycle at the beginning of the pandemic after a decade long sabbatical, I had my heart set on a 2020 Svartpilen and nothing else. After being told wait times of 4-6 months by dealers within a couple hundred miles, I expanded my radius, by a lot. Ended up finding one 1400 miles away. Did all the financing and paperwork over the phone and through emails. A U-Haul trailer rental, a night in a hotel, and two days behind the wheel later, I had the exact bike I wanted. They even did the registration in my home state and I was able to pick up the plates the day after I brought the bike home. If you don't mind the time in a car, and have the means to take a day or two off from work and get a trailer and lodging, buying out of town is a great way to increase your options. If that sounds like a lot of hassle, most dealers can set up shipping direct to your door.
Hyperbaric chamber; Cancer can't thrive in an oxygen rich environment. Energy levels.
Oxygen therapy(blood transfusion)
Graviola(fruit)
Diet(eat healthy)
So here is one option: Find a bike you like (there are sites specifically for that, *cycletrader* and etc), then arrange for it to be shipped to a dealer near you.
Many dealers will be happy to do that and will likely accommodate the sale with maybe a little gratis on top for it.
I've had to make it clear on occasion to sales persons I will go as far as I need to get the deal i want. Sometimes that meant traveling 600 miles away from where I am.
Other hot tip, there are times of the year to buy and not to buy.
Buying in the slow season (winter months) when stock just sits on the floor is sometimes adequate motivation to get someone to make deals. Dealers and Manufacturers have promotional deals timed to certain parts of the year, one of those times seems to be when most americans get their tax rebates.
Buy the floor demo model, it's sold to you as a new bike but the pricing won't be as a new bike. Legally in most places of the US dealers can't sell something as new that's been used, even a demo model. Good luck on your two wheeled adventure!
@FortNine
Welcome back! I thought you may have gone into the Canadian witness protection program.
GREAT VIDEO as always, where you explained things that we probably all wanted to know, but were either too afraid or unknowledgeable to ask.
Fantastic clip. Great job. Deserves watching multiple times and analyzing. This applies to many businesses
All the time and effort you put into these videos is squandered because I keep trying to work out what you have in your pockets.
20 seconds in and I was already laughing at the Walking Dead and Tim Horton's jokes.
Then I continued watching and I stopped laughing (though I smiled at the plunger analogy and Monty Python scene). This is a great vulgarization of the mechanics of getting products to consumers. It applies just as much to motorcycles and cars as it does to fruit juices and yoghurts. We are not the manufacturer's customers: dealers and distributors are.
Don't forget the Shakespear! reference!
Now plungers will forever be linked to recalls in my mind 😂
Incredibly insightful and well written. It's a topic I have been interested in for a number of years but never quite could wrap my head around. Thanks!
You have got to be the greatest youtuber of all time. You can make a horseback rider want to learn about motorcycles. It's insane how truly talented you are. 🙌
Demo'd a '22 Hayabusa yesterday. Dealer had 2, one black one white. Sat down to talk numbers, asking 2K over MSRP or $20,500.
Next dealer 100 miles away has 7 units, OTD $17,999. Shop around guys they'll get you if they can.
How was the new Busa?
Gotta go into the dealership at the right time. Just before they are getting next years batch and they need to make room, point at something and say il give ya x for that. If they say no, go to the next dealer, if the goes "um let me go ask about that" youre golden. 👍
Good advice! Anything from the previous model year is costing the dealership money. When the snow is about to fall, your lowball offer might make more financial sense to the dealer than holding onto the debt over winter. ~RF9
Tip noted!
looking at a 22 street triple, next to it sat a '19, still new, an full msrp on it. 3 years.
@@ribalderr6052 i dont give a shit what what ya looking at
I've been following your channel for years and you stay fresh. Thank you for your content!
Yes FortNine, I love it. Real analysis, addressing real problems with useful discussion, and leaving your audience thinking, rather than braindead/rotted. This content to me - and probably to hundreds of thousands of other viewers - is more valuable than Netflix documentaries, blockbuster films and every motorcycle news site... ...combined. The question I can't answer:
How is nobody paying for any of this?
Now this, is quality journalism.
I don't wanna ruin your *49* likes :)
@@gokulkrishm51 i TOOK MINE BACK AS i READ YOUR COMMENT :p
@@shadow_realm47 AS YOU SHOULD! WELL DONE, MY CHILD ;)
Considering that cars and motorcycles are loved by users and enthusiasts to a degree that few other products are, it never ceases to amaze me how the entire automotive supply chain is so deeply cynical, cold, and devoid of any feeling other than greed. From the tiniest, tier-five, family-owned concerns that supply automotive manufacturers, to their largest, tier-one multinational partners, every single company that does business with car and bike manufacturers absolutely loathes their business practices. And as your video explains so beautifully, the story is much the same on the distribution side as well.
Fashion retailers and electronics manufacturers get a bad rap (however deservedly) for their exploitative business practices, but the auto giants have somehow managed to avoid that image even though they're no less dirty.
Excellent information! I feel like I'm just now learning (from the channel and last couple of years) much of the information I wish I had years ago as motorcycle enthusiast / rider.
Thanks Ryan.
I am in love with this channel. Absolute perfection
Save money. Buy a divorce bike. "Hi honey - look what I bought". "PACK YOUR BAGS".
I looked at a used BSA twin with 40 miles on it. Distance from the dealer 38 miles!
Didn't buy it though. Bought a far better zero miles air-cooled 865 Bonneville that the first owner thought would go up in value. It didn't. It went down significantly. It's getting miles on it now!
Remembering an advert for a Suzuki Gixxer 1000 with the description: "Suzuki GSXR1000 for sale due to wife. Apparently "Do what the fuck you want" doesn't include buying a motorbike!
Another great video. The metaphors, fellas, they’re getting richer. Had a chuckle at your “simile of the plunger”. Mostly I appreciate the straight up honesty.
Leasing cars and motorcycles is the mantra of the middle class .
The information and topics on your videos get better and better. I’m always looking out for your latest videos. Thank you
So happy when I see new video from you.
Thanks for letting us know that the real scumbags are the ones who plastered their name all over the sides of the machine. Although, I'm sure if one of them started acting better, their less scrupulous competitors would have enough advantage to run them out of business.
I don't know that you can really call them scum. Creating a motor vehicle is an incredibly complex and laborious process. If you want any hope of a middle class consumer being able to afford one, you need economies of scale which leads to compromises like a dealer network
@@salsamancer They're scum when they do channel stuffing. That shit can cause bankruptcy in smaller dealerships.
If they couldn't do what they do the Real Scumbags wouldn't build the bikes that you want available to you on whim...so who is really the scumbag?
@@STho205 there is a big difference between not being able to push all their losses onto someone else through vertical disintegration and not making any vehicles at all. There are plenty of mass produced items that we buy every day that don't come from dealerships, and this predatory model obviously isn't the only way of doing business.
As for your condescending "on a whim" comment, I've never bought from a dealer, I buy used and have been more than comfortable waiting to get what I want. Instant gratification is a poor excuse for a huge corporation to do what they do in the video to their dealers
@@microwave221 however if say Honda had to deal with 1.8billion customers directly would they not streamline their choice retail vehicle options to a Civic a Ridgeline, a 50cc Cub and a CB650...or maybe no motorcycles at all...just cars and industrial motors.
I cannot belive I "binge watched" all Fort9 videos :)
It's like watching proper Discovery Channel from the 2000's but with massive real life application :)
Thanks dude!
Holy smokes. One of the most informative videos I've ever seen on youtube or elsewhere. Great production and delivery.
In the US dealerships lobbied the government to make it illegal for manufacturers to sell directly to customers. They system was bought and sold years ago.
@@justsomedude445 that’s factually what happened and still is happening…
LoLoL whatever , party on dudes
Fortnine is a modern renaissance man - engineering, cinematography, business strategy, humor.... he can do it all. Keep up the great work!
they're a team :)
The effort put on this is tremendous and the results show it! Astonishing video!
My first time here. Hard core bike owner, mechanic and have worked in dealerships.
You 100% nailed it.
Can you tell me why all these suckers have ridiculous fees for motorcycles right now? today I was quoted $6800 for a $4.6k msrp bike this is ridiculous
in my experience the least fun part of motorbiking is the dealership.
Idk, selling my bikes to other people has been reeaaally obnoxious 😩 (although maybe that makes me the dealership! 😭)
@@Jagknorr Most of the pain with selling almost anything is dealing with the dumb messages/texts/emails from potential buyers, in my experience. People actually have the gall to offer you 30% of what you're asking on a listing that's not even a week old and then threaten you when you say no. Scum like this make me realize why the "NO LOWBALLERS, I KNOW WHAT I HAVE" meme got so prevalent in the first place.
@@UndeadPorcupine its so true. I posted my bikes on facebook marketplace and while they sold very fast it was terrible getting messages nonstop with awful offers. Like, ill negotiate even if i know i should be able to get what im asking (its all part of the game 🤷♂️ i get it) but im not going THAT low! And then the people that have the audacity to show up with less than what you discussed…its like, go back to the bank and get more money. i didn’t tell you to bring less and im not just gonna give it to you. 🤦♂️
There is a certain Irony here with FortNine doing a video on Dealerships. When dealers Ive been dealing with for over 20 years began demanding prepayment for Parts they dont have in stock Fort Nine has become a staple for me.
Exactly,
Oh you have to order in a part and it will be 3 weeks and $120?
I will just order it myself then and have it in 3 days for $80
Thanks but no thanks.
Superb. Diagrams, analogies, comedic timing, rational explanations, intelligible diction -- even a list of sources at the end. Superb.
This video is exceptional. My husband purchased a new bike a week ago but prior to that we were looking at several different models - the issue however was a) none of the model he wanted available to test ride (Ducati Multistrada V2S), b) none available in the country at all so had to wait for stock, c) the only stock arriving was only in 1 colour (grey) and didn't include the touring package he wanted. Instead we ended up buying him the exact same bike I had - an Indian FTR1200S because there was one in the shop in the colour he liked. He loves it, but is frustrated he couldn't compare to other bikes cause there just wasn't any to ride. This video explains why so clearly.
Whoever is doing your color correction is awesome at it. The forest scenes look so good!
This is amazing. Your videos have gotten so good they've become indispensable.
I'm a car guy, I've only ridden a bike once, (my friend's 125cc Yamaha just to see if I could wrap my mind around using my hand to clutch,) but I still watch every video FortNine puts out. Love your stuff man, keep it up.
Thanks guys for bringing this up, awesome to watch your video as always, much appreciated.
Quality over quantity, I support this content.
That was an epic deep-dive into the manufacturer/dealer relationship. I have worked in many dealership as a mechanic and was raised by 2 parents who worked in dealerships for 40+ years each and your video made me aware of things I have never heard of and reinforced several I am familiar with. Flooring kills dealers. Big dealers move lots of units because flooring is eating them alive. Thank you. Subscribed.
Thanks Ryan! Another gem! You have a way of explaining things that even I can understand. 🤠
Now I understand about all those calls to change the colour of my booked vehicles, unavailability of test vehicles and forcing you to book a particular vehicle. Thank you.
Don’t get me started on colours, especially as a BMW Motorrad lover. A few years back I had a chat with the new BMW Canada rep. who came over from Ducati. Nice lady and should know that flashy bikes sell. However I got the company line that flashy bikes don’t sell… as we looked around the dealer ship floor at greys, blacks, wine red and browns. Note none were selling. Walk outside and check all the customer bikes that rode in for the show…. Bright blues, reds, yellows, greens and the odd white, black or grey (which are traditional BMW colours however). Canvassing the riders they all agreed, they wait for a flashy model to be released and then put up with 4 more years of boring colours. I see this all the time, I have a nice San Marino Blue RT, my brother in law a dark red RT (more wine or burgundy, only bought it because it was “in stock” and had the options he wanted). When we go out I get constant compliments about my bike and no one really pays attention to the other colour… yet they are the same bike. Oh I’m sure manufacturers have some cooked numbers to prove their method but here in North America we like flashy/colorful colours…. Except for the Harley crowd… ugh nice black….lol
I have a 2017 BMW R9T in a colour I have warmed up to so decided I would get the optional aluminium seat hump I purchased from BMW painted to match. I find out BMW no longer gives out their paint colour code. They no longer sell touch up paint either. I went to a large and very good custom paint body shop and they said they would never be able to truly match the colour. I have seen people who tried but it was off. Why would a company do that?
Yeah....Harley black. 🤢
Yep, working in a dealership through covid really opened my eyes to a lot of the industry's schemes. It's wild
Go on...
@@zeroneutral Want it delivered? They'll hire UShip and upcharge you. Want new gloves? That brand they're recommending has a 60% margin! That used bike they took on trade? Just a quick wash, it runs so they didn't look at the mechanics one bit... etc etc
@@caseyrice768 That might be the shitty store you worked at. Most what I will refer to as "professional" dealerships would never, ever do anything like what youre describing.
@@normanterry7985 According to my peers who worked at several stores in the industry, it was. But maybe that’s just here in California
@@normanterry7985 I traded in a 2008 Ultra Classic. I had paperwork from work that had been done on the bike, a new starter clutch, a new Bendix, a new battery, oil change; one of the mechanics took it out for a test drive for about 20 minutes, and I got my offer. The mechanics told me that they would do an NYS Inspection, detail, and wax it and it was on the floor two days later.
I’ve been in the auto industry for right at 35 years now. This time has been split between working at a dealership many years ago in both sales and management and the latest 30 years or so working with hundreds of auto, motorcycle, RV and boat dealerships. Nearly the exact same flow from manufacturers to consumers exist in each of those dealership lines which Ryan describes well here.
I agree with most people in that going in to a dealership and having to haggle over the price seems, well, not only unpalatable but also rather primitive. There seems like there should be a better way. Until you remember that GM’s latest venture into price fixing, um, fixed price (only) selling was Saturn. If you don’t know, Saturn is now gone. Their version of “no-commission” salespeople wasn’t just a sales pitch but also a sweetheart setup for the dealer! As opposed to being “low profit” set pricing, Saturn dealers generally made more profit per unit than other dealers made if they were able to sell their other manufacturers vehicles at full MSRP. Yeah, if you bought a new Saturn the dealer did in fact make good money on the sale. So…what is the answer as to the better way of selling vehicles? I dunno, or I’d be a really wealthy guy.
My guess is that the internet is going to play a prominent role in purchasing these items as well as getting them serviced and warrantied. However, as long as customers want to see, feel, touch etc. these items before buying, dealerships will continue to exist which is good for the consumer.
I worked for Saturn, in the service department though. I remember how proud they were of the "no haggle" sales. I had no idea that was a boon for sales though. My favorite memory was a sales lady kicking the poly door in the showroom for the 1000th time with her heels to highlight the dent resistance.... her heel went right through the door....she lost the sale, I had to swap a door skin.
Saturns were pretty good. I've seen loads with over 300k miles and no dents. Not bad.
@@JoeMama-vj8es It's a shame they didn't just keep improving the design. The S-Series had the potential to catch up to Corolla but they gave up. The last few years were just generic GM products, over complicated and unreliable. (L-Series, Ion, Vue)
On the one hand I want more Fortnine content but on the other I don't want this amazing quality to disappear.