Anyone in Edmonton/Alberta/Canada looking for a used 650?

[stormi]

There's one sitting at a car dealer in downtown Edmonton!

2005 Suzuki Bandit GSF 650 at Waterloo Ford for $5995.

Considering the weather and time of year, that may just be negotiable....

[Pidgey]

That bike has been sitting there all summer, did they add stabilizer to the gas in the tank ? I doubt it. Jets are likely gummed up by now, will need the carbs pulled to get her running right. Not worth six grand IMHO when $7800 will get you an 07 out the door at Alberta Cycle.  

[stormi]

Oh yuck.  I just heard about it from a third party source.  

Of course, carbs are fairly easy to do,.. could do it yourself and  hopefully get the bike for a song, because it's been sitting all summer.   I gotta ask though,.. why a bike at a ford dealer?  There are better markets...

I personally don't like AB cycle, but then that's only because I've met Mike.

[Pidgey]

I personally don't like AB cycle, but then that's only because I've met Mike.

Yeah, I hear you. Customer service at most of the shops in the city is pretty poor.  Dave, formerly of Argyll is not bad to deal with, most of the parts guys are totally clueless though. My missus bought her Beemer at Argyll
Never again !!!

[PitterB4]

I've seen a few bikes at car dealerships.  I guess creative sales people taking them as a trade.

[stormi]

Yeah, I hear you. Customer service at most of the shops in the city is pretty poor.  Dave, formerly of Argyll is not bad to deal with, most of the parts guys are totally clueless though. My missus bought her Beemer at Argyll
Never again !!!

Well, While I have trouble at many of the shops, in that the sales people are uninterested in talking to me, never have I been told that a business doesn't want my business, for telling them that I was having trouble getting a sales person to talk to me.   I'd had enough of that BS after about 5mins of Mike's attitude, and told him I wouldn't force my money on him, and that people I talked to would also hear about his treatment, and be allowed to make an informed choice as to whether to deal with them.

That said, Mike's temper is pretty renowned, according to some former salesmen there that I knew, but there's no need to berate a client that's trying to bring a problem to your attention.

I have been trying to spend around $6-8K (IIRC) at his store, and he was having none of it.

[stormi]

I've seen a few bikes at car dealerships.  I guess creative sales people taking them as a trade.

Well this one is funny, in that apparently the price has gone -up-.  *sigh*  I think it's a good one to haggle over, but probably not the best deal around.

[Red01]

I've seen a few bikes at car dealerships.  I guess creative sales people taking them as a trade.

Well this one is funny, in that apparently the price has gone -up-.  *sigh*  I think it's a good one to haggle over, but probably not the best deal around.

Could be it's a temporary thing... so in a week or two, they can lower the price and tell everyone how they've "slashed" the price.

I sold my last house that way... it wasn't getting any traffic at a realistic price, so I jacked it up (and made it a 'new' listing to bring it on agents' radar again), then in a couple weeks, lowered the price a little, and then again back to what I was asking the first time. Then I had two people fighting over it.  

[stormi]

Could be it's a temporary thing... so in a week or two, they can lower the price and tell everyone how they've "slashed" the price.

I sold my last house that way... it wasn't getting any traffic at a realistic price, so I jacked it up (and made it a 'new' listing to bring it on agents' radar again), then in a couple weeks, lowered the price a little, and then again back to what I was asking the first time. Then I had two people fighting over it.  

Could be.   I've seen that tactic a lot in our real estate market too.  Of course people who are watching will know what's happened, but there are a lot that don't.    I saw it happen with 3 places we offered on 3 years ago.  We offered $x, and "highly offended" the sellers (usually a few k under their asking) and didn't get the place.  Then, several -months- later, watched the prices go up, then down, then further down, to below what we'd offered.    It was quite humourous.  And proved to us we'd done our homework and knew what we should have been paying.

[Pidgey]

Well, While I have trouble at many of the shops, in that the sales people are uninterested in talking to me, never have I been told that a business doesn't want my business, for telling them that I was having trouble getting a sales person to talk to me.   I'd had enough of that BS after about 5mins of Mike's attitude, and told him I wouldn't force my money on him, and that people I talked to would also hear about his treatment, and be allowed to make an informed choice as to whether to deal with them.

That said, Mike's temper is pretty renowned, according to some former salesmen there that I knew, but there's no need to berate a client that's trying to bring a problem to your attention.

I have been trying to spend around $6-8K (IIRC) at his store, and he was having none of it.

Sorry to hear that you had that experience, I don't know this guy, sounds like I wouldn't want to; there are too many jerks like this in the business, unfortunately. I dealt with Dave who was nothing but professional and courteous throughout. I was in last weekend for a new rear tire and he asked for my impressions on the bike and how it was running. Told him it was the best bike I ever had

I had similar issues with Argyll and refuse to deal with them again. Basically that's about all that a customer can do; take their business elsewhere.

[stormi]

Sorry to hear that you had that experience, I don't know this guy, sounds like I wouldn't want to; there are too many jerks like this in the business, unfortunately. I dealt with Dave who was nothing but professional and courteous throughout. I was in last weekend for a new rear tire and he asked for my impressions on the bike and how it was running. Told him it was the best bike I ever had

I think there are a few great salesmen at AB cycle, and I would deal with them if they were at other dealerships.  

Unfortunately, Mike, who I dealt with, is one of the owners.  As such, I an prepared to honor his request, of not returning there and further enabling his continued temper tantrums.

Click here: then Contact us, then below the "Ride It", click "About Us".  That's Mike.  

I do find it unsurprising that they "presently have many positions open" on their website.  

I had similar issues with Argyll and refuse to deal with them again. Basically that's about all that a customer can do; take their business elsewhere.

There's one more thing you can do.  Tell everyone you know about your experience ( good or bad) and get the word out.  

The old "tell 10 people" rule, between that, and voting with your wallet, you have a lot of power as a consumer.

"An unhappy customer will tell 10 people about their bad experience

A research study conducted by TARP research back in 1999 discovered that on average an unhappy customer will tell 10 people about their experience. In turn, these 10 people will each tell a further 5 people, meaning that a total of 50 people will have heard about their bad experience. A sobering thought, wouldn’t you say?

What’s even more frightening, however, is that if we work on the basis that only one out of every ten of your dissatisfied customers registers a complaint with you, then in total, for every formal complaint you receive, 500 people will have heard about your customers’ problems!

Customers very rarely complain to the service/ product provider. Instead they will tell their friends, who will in turn tell their friends, creating a pyramid of dissatisfaction."

from here: clicky

That's pretty much how argyll has gotten the word around about their service department.  (Despite their wishes, I'm sure)

[stormi]

Ok,.. so, on Friday, I stopped by the dealership to look at it.  It's blue.  It hasn't been stabilized, BUT, it runs fine.  I had it up on the centerstand, and ran it through the gears, it seemed pretty good.  

The only thing I saw as a potential problem is that they'd let the battery run down.  The sales manager, Daniel Schultz, is the one that supposedly knows the most about it, but I was able to fill in more than a few of the gaps.

Daniel's a Harley rider, and was a little ham fisted with the booster pack, in oder to get it started, and managed to pop the main fuse.  He was stumped when all of the sudden the power went out on the gauges and everything.  I saw that and said well, you popped the main fuse, probably by grounding to the frame.  I replaced the fuse with the spare, and we got the bike started.  

When he gave me the VIN #, I got a look at the price they bought it for, and it looked to me like they're into it for about $5850.

edit:  Oh yeah! I almost forgot.  The bike has 1500kms on it.  The story I was told was jr. brought it home, and the parents said no @$#@ way, and forced him to trade it in on a truck.

Also, the bike looks like it hit the ground, from a dead stop.  A little rash on the left engine case.  The Sales manager hadn't even noticed it.  He told me it hadn't been dropped.  Once I saw the left side of it, I told him "untrue".  I"m so mean to people that don't know about a vehicle they're trying to sell.

[gunz]

Seems overpriced considering its an air cooled bike. You can get the BIG DOG 1250 water cooled 6 speed for about $7000

[stormi]

Seems overpriced considering its an air cooled bike. You can get the BIG DOG 1250 water cooled 6 speed for about $7000

Hey Gunz,

I suspect that you're in the US?  Here ( Canada ) prices are so skewed it's not even funny.   The 2007 650 will roll out of the showroom for just under $8K here.

[Barbarian]

Also, the bike looks like it hit the ground, from a dead stop.  A little rash on the left engine case.  The Sales manager hadn't even noticed it.  He told me it hadn't been dropped.  Once I saw the left side of it, I told him "untrue".  I"m so mean to people that don't know about a vehicle they're trying to sell.

Hmm. I know when it comes to cars, Canadian dealers are legally allowed to lie about up to $2000 worth of damage <ahem> not obliged to inform customers about damage up to $2000. While home sellers are legally responsible for every nick and ding.

I wonder if it's the same for bikes?