I'm looking to join the VFR 1200 club since I love the bike. Recently had my first baby though so the wife is tight about me spending money on a new bike. I've seen some nice second hand models but also found a "new" 2013 locally for 10 grand. Went there and showed interest. Asked the dealer about the bonus bucks but he said it's already included in the sale price. He had this bike priced at that point even before the bonus bucks promotion though. Honda's website states that they should be redeemed by the customer on the day of the sale. Did a Google search and found dealers tried to do the same thing with most people and everyone have to fight in order to use their bonus bucks. So my question to you is... who used their bonus bucks and how?
I'm not trying to lower the price of the new bike to 7 grand because that would be less than half of MSRP but I feel that they already priced it for 10,000 on their own and I should rightfully be able to claim this $3000 promotion like the website states. I would use the bonus bucks on the ridiculously overpriced accessories and throw on the bike things that should've already be included in the inflated MSRP (panniers, trunk, center stand). Any opinions?
Can you not negotiate a price and when that's agreed introduce the bonus bucks?
Probably a dumb question cos I know nothing of the scheme but just a thought.
the dealer subtracted the $3000 in bonus bucks before we even started when i bought my leftover 2012 two months ago
the rebate was included in the asking price......i used the Bonus Bucks when i bought my 2010 in Sept 2011
I paid $9600 (I paid taxes/title separately since I bought out of state) for my 2012 in 10/14. The dealer used the bonus bucks to get the price that low.
wow that's a great deal
i bought mine in Ohio, paid no tax in NJ.....(i was surprised)....i think that's because it was considered an internet sale...(???)
Thanks for the responses guys. I appreciate your input and sharing of your stories. I'm still of the opinion, however, that all of those bikes mentioned would've still been the same price whether or not bonus bucks offer was present. I'm sure if one went to the dealer after the offer expires they would still pay the same prices you guys mentioned. I think the dealers are just taking advantage of the bonus bucks deal and telling Honda the customers claimed it after they make the sale and telling people those are already included in the bike's price. The offers clearly state that Honda bonus bucks should be redeemed by the customer on the day of sale so dealers should not be advertising the bike's price with them included. It's false advertisement on Honda's part and bait-and-switch on the dealer's. I will call Honda corporate during the week and see what they have to say. I'll report back to you guys and if things go well for me maybe some of you can go back to your dealers too and demand some freebie accessories.
I have to disagree with this. I know I had to buy before the Honda bucks offer expired in order to get the price I got. Including the discount in their advertised price allows them to get more interest and my offer clearly stated that price was including the discount.
Do a quick Google search and you will find plenty of stories of dealers "applying" Honda bonus bucks to the sale price when they shouldn't have, just to be called out on it and then giving customers accessories. Maybe your experience with your dealer was different and maybe yours is more honest and forthcoming about these things but that's rare. I don't know any such dealers myself and from my own experience as well as that of my friends' every dealer we dealt with was just looking to take advantage of their customers in any way they can. There's a reason they are often referred to as "stealers" instead. I've been looking at various VFRs for almost a year (including this '13) and even when the Honda bonus bucks offer was not available its price was still the same. When I confronted the dealer about it he swung his hand and brushed it off by saying "oh it's always been there." Normally I would have just left the dealership and went to another but there aren't that many new models left out there anymore so I'll investigate a little further and see what happens. Even if I don't get the bonus bucks I think it's still worth trying because in best case scenario I'll get a brand new bike with $3000 worth of accessories and in the worst I'll still get a great bike for a decent price.
and even when the Honda bonus bucks offer was not available its price was still the same. .
In this case the dealer is not being honest and looking to pocket those Honda bucks. My invoice clearly shows Honda bucks deduction.
and even when the Honda bonus bucks offer was not available its price was still the same. .
In this case the dealer is not being honest and looking to pocket those Honda bucks. My invoice clearly shows Honda bucks deduction.
I might be missing the point here. Isn't the discount showing on an invoice absolutely irrelevant?
If a bike is offered at $13000 before a promotion that discounts $3000, but they simply sell it at $13000 and put the "bonus bucks" on the invoice, nobody is benefitting other than the dealer. I'm assuming they get some kind of claw back from Honda themselves.
I think this is the point the OP is making. The price is what it is, and was this before the promotion.
and even when the Honda bonus bucks offer was not available its price was still the same. .
In this case the dealer is not being honest and looking to pocket those Honda bucks. My invoice clearly shows Honda bucks deduction.
I might be missing the point here. Isn't the discount showing on an invoice absolutely irrelevant?If a bike is offered at $13000 before a promotion that discounts $3000, but they simply sell it at $13000 and put the "bonus bucks" on the invoice, nobody is benefitting other than the dealer. I'm assuming they get some kind of claw back from Honda themselves.I think this is the point the OP is making. The price is what it is, and was this before the promotion.
Yes, at the end of the day how the final price comes to be didn't matter to me with the exception that I needed to make the purchase before that Honda bucks offer expired. Other than that ad long as I saw a final price that was agreeable I didn't care.
TBH I think you should care, the dealership is reaping a benefit that should be passed on to you.
As some have alluded to above, the reality is the dealer sets the out the door price. You may negotiate, but whatever their floor price is, it is set, no matter the customer incentives or extra costs the dealer may have. The dealer has already added all of that together and set their best price. They see no immorality in keeping part of your rebate. Maybe they should, but the reality is they do not and there is nothing the customer can do about it. The state attorney general is not going to interfere with a vendor's pricing, especially with cars and motorcycles. Most importantly to note: MSRP is a "suggestion" by definition. The dealer can in fact charge you well over MSRP if they feel like it, for example.
Market forces are always at work, and you probably see dealers come and go based on this, so everything evens out in the long term. If the dealer keeps a large amount of the rebate, but an alternate dealer gives the entire discount, the first dealer is not going to sell bikes. Or they may still sell the bike to someone who does not want the inconvenience of driving two hours to another dealer. Yes they may take great advantage of having no local competition. Or the dealer is okay with keeping a bike on his lot for 4 years, while another dealer is more proactive and will not tolerate a bike sitting for more than a year. Such decisions determine a dealer's viability.
If a dealer does a great deal of maintenance, they very well may not care at all about selling bikes. For car dealers new cars are their absolute lowest profit center, below used cars and below service. Bikes may be the same depending on how many businesses the dealer has got its paws into.
So there may be ten reasons why the plea, "It would be fair for you to give me the entire customer incentive" may be meaningless to the guy selling you the bike.
That is what the dealer pulled on me. They applied the $2k bonus bucks to the price of the bike and said my OTD cost would be $9500 or so... When they went in for approval, the owner said the salesman couldn't apply the bonus bucks to the final sale price because I was purchasing a DEMO BIKE (with 7 miles on it). We went back and forth and they knocked $1500 off (instead of the agreed upon $2k) and that was their final offer. I bought it anyways because they gave me WAY too much for my trade in (the VFR only cost me $1k out of pocket after my trade).
I got a phone call a week or so later... Apparently, the sales guys left the bike I traded in in the parking lot with the key in it... and it was stolen. I'm thinking someone realized they F*ed up and thought insurance would pay more for it than a customer...
Was a shady transaction, but I'm happy with the bike.