Quote:

In another thread I posted a copy of the following email that I received from our closest Triumph dealer in Charlotte, North Carolina Triumph of Charlotte after I inquired why their "out the door price" for a Triumph America is $9400.


"The two-tone bikes sell for $8,199. Freight from England is $400. There is a $295 set-up charge that covers the uncrating, final assembly of the bike, draining the shipping oil and putting the run in fluids in (motor oil, brake fluid, etc.). Sales tax for a vehicle in North Carolina is 3%. We do all the title/tag and DMV work here in house so you don’t have to go to DMV. $229 covers the documentation and Title/Tags are $68."

In fact, I'm so irritated with the obviously bogus mark-ups and charges of this Triumph dealer, that I may just end up buying a used one from someone instead.

Regards,
-Ward



A dishonest dealership would have given you a low-ball price to get you in the door and then not honored it when you arrived.

Honesty & low prices don't correlate well.. One isn't required to have the other. If the dealership always quotes MSRP, title, prep, & freight when beginning to negotiate, then they are being honest by quoting the same in this case. Whether or not every dealer, regardless of brand, includes or excludes the "extra's" in their selling price has nothing to do with this particular dealer.

Did you attempt to negotiate with the salesman? Have you spoken to him (or her) at all, or did you interact only via email?

Salesmen like to make money and keep their job. To do this, they need to earn a profit for the dealer. If their expectation is to negotiate an acceptable price, they can't offer a low price up front. They can't close a deal in an email unless they give the product away either, so if you are willing to go in and negotiate, the price this dealer actually gave you might change. There isn't a lot of markup in these bikes. Trying to make a profit isn't dishonest and it does sound as though you've done you homework. Offer them an out the door price you are willing to live with and see what happens. It would be best to know an OTD price (less tax, in case you buy from an out of state dealer) when you go in.

I did not buy my bike from Triumph Charlotte. I was in ATL at the time. I did buy it from the cheapest offering there and now that dealer is out of business. Maybe they shouldn't have given bikes away?? I do live near Charlotte now and, although I haven't bought a bike from this dealer, but they've been more than respectful in all their dealings with me.. No, they haven't been the least expensive every time when buying aftermarket parts or even for service, but they also weren't so high that it justified travelling 1.5 or 2 hrs further for the same thing.
Every dealer will have customers that have good and bad experiences. Mine at this dealer have been very good and I wish I had bought here because I'd like to be elegible for a service loaner if my bike were in the shop.

Bottom Line: If your ready to buy and live very close to Charlotte, it might be worth your effort to go in and negotitate with them. If it doesn't work out, at least you know where you stand and can always go elsewhere.

'05 America - Tec 2-1 (from a Thruxton)/ 4 pot caliper/ Kurt's Rearsets /