Well I'm sure Chattanooga gets a nice amount of money taken off each quad as well, it would only make since because they sell around 30 a day. They told me that they make there money off of service and Pure Polaris stuff that people MOST people add on when they buy the quad. I'm going to call them in a little while and ask them if it's true, I'm starting doubt it...

 

All the dealers make a bunch on the extended warranties, 589.00 at chattanoga, but there is incentives from polaris to sell the most product, they are not a big dealer either, low overhead helps, the building is probly 30+ years old and way outa town. And owned by a multi millon dollar organization, that owns a honda cycle as well as many major car dealerships of all brands. But who cares how much they make as long as we get a better deal than anywhere else? as to service, I always buy the extended, all polaris dealers are required by polaris to honor them, because they are a polaris product sold by a dealer but for polaris, and dealers get a set labor amount paid by polaris for their work. case in point, we also bought a kawasaki 700 prarie, we paid the dealer asking price, he said by buying from us, we will discount the ext. warranty, from 599.00 to 549.00. I said I would think about it, found it on line from another Kaw. dealer for 375.00, there are many ways dealers make a few bucks, its the american way!

 

I tried doing some searching today for dealer prices on motorcycles, would be nice to know how much stuff costs....anyone have any idea's where to get the info?

 

The dealer has to make their money too! Plain and simple! It's a dealer like Polaris of Chattanooga that creates a false impression of all the other honest dealers (I'm not saying that all dealers are honest). Most dealers out there cannot survive on only making $100 per ATV. That is rediculous! That being said, I would never pay MSRP for a quad either BUT, I will keep in mind that the dealer has to make his share too. I worked on the "other side" as a salesman (not ATVs but it still applies) and I saw too many people come in with a hard *ss attitude thinking they are going to talk me down. I gave them a fair price and they still weren't happy. Some people just don't understand.

It's not just overhead costs, it's keeping GOOD employees, being able to advertise, STAYING IN BUSINESS and yes, MAKING MONEY! That's what it's all about! The other dealers aren't crybabies. They know what they have to make in order to stay in business.

 

It's not that the dealers are all "HONEST" it's that they are freakin greedy and don't understand the concept of giving a sweet deal up front to earn business later. I shop around for the lowest package deal no matter what I buy. I shopped for my quads for about a month till I found Weiss to have the deal I ended up with, I just ordered my 27" mudlite kit yesterday which I have been researching and shopping around for, for about 2-3 months etc. I always look at cost cause ya know what I feel that if a dealer/store gives you an unbelievable deal upfront then they will earn more business from me in the future. I feel this way about the snap-on truck also, he wants to charge list prices and not give a price break so I don't buy from him plain and simple, I now get GM cost on snapon tools so he won't ever get my business again anyways.

 

Well put OffRder15.

Silverbullet, you contradicted yourself.

For someone that buys the lowest deal now matter what, I have a hard time believing that your always going to return to someone that gave you a good deal if you can get it cheaper elsewhere. I might be wrong but they way you put it your looking for the best deal, not a relationship with a dealer.


I look at it this way, the dealer is in business to make money. I'm not paying MSRP for something but its ok for the dealer to make some bucks. I was fond of my dealer because my quad was well below MSRP, a better deal than the next 2 closest Polaris dealers, he gave me 10% off all accessories and installation was free (winch, plow, rack extenders). He also delivered it for free and throughly went over it (inspection that product was defect free and went over the maintenance schedule and lube issues). He also gave me future coupons for his store. Chattanooga would have only saved me about $700 on the quad plus taxes. To me, that isnt worth the drive from PA, having to dick around registering it in PA (and end up paying taxes anyway when I try to register it) and then not having a local dealer to answer questions or help me because I didnt buy from him. Sorry but I'd rather buy local.

 

If yall guys don't mind driving 2 - 11 hours to save a few bucks, then you shouldn't have a problem driving 2 - 11 hours to get parts & accessories when the locals shut their doors. Most dealers aren't run by multi-million dollar corporations. They're are an enthusiast trying to earn a living within his hobby.

If your dealer is a jerk, screw him, drive 24 hours if you have to to find a good dealer. But just because your dealer won't sell it at cost doesn't mean he's a jerk. Big dealers are another story... But a small dealer could sell at MSRP all day every day and still not make much money in the end after payroll, TAXES, INSURANCE, utilities, etc.

Again, find THE BEST DEALER YOU CAN, but don't screw an honest small guy just because he won't give it away. Like I said, you'll be making that same drive just to buy little stuff when the local guy shuts his doors.

This isn't an attack on their customers, so guys don't jump on me if you bought something from them. Having said that, as a consumer, I too would drive 11 hours to save $1200. This is why I believe the problem is with Chattanooga destroying an already dealer-flooded market. Something isn't right, and it'll come to light enventually. I don't care how much bulk you sell, when you lost money on the sale, you're not profitable!

 

If you want to know the Dealer cost got to www.cyclebuy.com like I did. About $13 for an invoice.
My 05 Sportsman 700 EFI has a dealer cost which includes frieght for $6950 (if I remember correctly).
All dealers get 5% Holdback, meaning they get 5% of the Retail cost back from poloris at the end of the year for each unit they sell.
All dealers pay the same shipping charges to keep some dealers from having a competitive edge (dealers in Minnesota next to the Polaris plant for example). All dealers pay the same price for their units despite how many units they can sell.
Not counting taxes dealers can sell 05 Sportsman 700 EFI's for around $6550 and break even.
They'll make it up on buyers who pay MSRP or on parts and service. Wants wrong with the few of us who educate themselves and want to protect their wallets? The majority of buyers are paying close to or MSRP, so don't tell me that dealers are hurting cause they all have huge showrooms and the owners always live in the nicest part of town.

Armed with this I think I got a good deal here in Denver for $7598 Out the door. (taxes included)
I wanted to go to Chattanooga but by the time I add in airfare, Truck rental, Motel, I would have paid the same price as here.
My dealer cried that they didn't make any money but they wouldn't acknowledge the fact that they would be getting alomost 400 back from polaris the following month. (bought in Nov 04'). They even showed me their cost (which was below $6950 but I don;t think their screen was adding in the Frieght they paid. They also like to throw at you that they have to pay the service department money to assembly the quad and least they forget they all work for the same company!

So shop around and buy where you want, cause someone in this world will always be there to sell you want you want and what you don't want. Bottom line is that I'm gonna look out for myself!

 

You're naive and ignorant to the fact that it cost money to run a business.

Again, even if you did pay MSRP (which most people don't), there isn't that much money being made after paying to run the business. A huge showroom cost a lot of money, if dealers gave their bikes away, they couldn't pay for that building.

Again, big dealers and/or dealers run by corporations are another story than a local dealer. Plus, again, it's usually a hobby side... I can just about guarentee their big houses in the rich neighborhood wasn't paid for by their cycle shop. They probaly had enough money to open the cycle shop from some other business venture. How many cycle shop owners are old retired guys?

And service department guys ARE in the same company, but do you think they work for free? Do you work for free?

As I've stated before, there is a difference between big dealers and small dealers. But the big dealers that give away units kill the small dealers. Another thing to ponder... Unless you're a huge dealer and can pay cash for your inventory, most dealers are paying interest on half the units sitting on the floor. Another cost, undocumented by the invoice price. Manufactures also have pricing changes throughout the year. So two dealers with two identical units, but with different build dates, may have paid different prices for their machine.

The problem isn't the people that buy from places like Chatanooga, becuase everyone wants to save money. The problem is the dealer itself because it gives everyone these ideas every other dealer is screwing everyone else over.

I'm not saying not to find a good deal, I'm just saying find a happy medium of a good deal and a good dealer.

 

sigarms229- you are mistaken and I will tell you why. I was just saying that I shop around for the lowest possible package price which is just a smart thing to do anyways but when I find the lowest price and then make my purchase then that dealer/store/website is the place I then use most if not all the time from there on. your comment didn't make any sense cause you didn't quote it correctly. I said that "If a dealer/store gives me an unbelievable deal up front then they will earn business from me in the future, this is where the lowest price comes into play. you shop for the lowest price possible and then make your purchase, well then later if you need to make a purchase then return to them first, but still keep in mind that they may or maynot have the lowest price. I bought my quads from weiss cause they beat all the competition so I take my quads there to be serviced/repaired due to their great customer service and sales. I'm not saying you should go there to that place to buy simple stuff like oil or plugs but for bigger stuff I go to weiss cause they always treat me right and give me good deals. I went there to get my Polaris winter jacket and was going to buy another from them for my wife but that was when purepolaris had their 20% off survey deal going so I got the coat from the website to save some cash. sorry for you mistake/confusion