Triumphrat

texspeed · 03-16-2006, 09:39 PM

Just thought I'd mention to anyone that has'nt heard about Triumph Of Chattanooga know that they and Southern Powersports Honda are one in the same company. They advertise in the Cycle Trader magazines and give their "Out The Door" price on all the bikes they sell. I recently was in the market for a couple of Honda CRF's for my kids and drove/called around to the local dealers for pricing. I checked these guys out and the prices they list online and in Cycle Trader were way lower than anybody elses price, and even after haggling, period. I ended up saving around $1000 combined (including gas and travel expenses) by buying from them. When I was there picking up the bikes the place was all hustle and bustle. People from Florida, Virginia, Georgia, North Carolina, Kentucky picking up Gold Wings, ATV's, Dirtbikes of all kinds....Never seen anything like it....Anyone looking for a new Triumph should consider them as the price you see listed is what you will pay....I asked them before heading up: "If I bring that exact amount in cash I will drive off with those bikes in the back of my van? The nice girl on the other line said: "Yup".......she was'nt lying.
I see they have a new 2006 Speed Triple for $8883, and a 2006 Thruxton for $7183 among others....
Anyone come close to getting one for that amount? Worth the drive is all I have to say.

03-17-2006, 12:22 PM

Yea what about the local dealer??They have to make alittle money you know?

TripleThreat · 03-17-2006, 02:21 PM

Surely the most money to be made in the motorcycle industry by the dealer is on service and accessories, not on initial sales of bikes.

I agree with supporting the local dealer and always take my bike there for any service that I cannot perform myself or don't have the time to complete.

In the age of the Internet, with the ability to compare prices so easily, more and more dealerships will be attracting buyers from greater distances. Many of these buyers will probably choose their local dealership for service.

The big advantage I see for buying from the local dealer would be some type of discount on service and accessories over the life of ownership and perhaps better treatment from the service department regarding the scheduling of service work. Hopefully they would be a little extra attentive to the service work they perform and maybe wash the bike following service or something.

Marketing of any dealership has to focus on building repeat business. Whether that repeat business is through additional bike purchases or through ongoing service work, dealerships have to make customers feel as though they are the most important customer they have.

Dealerships will choose to market themselves in different ways so I think it's sage advice to know the whole picture before making up your mind where you purchase. Out the door price on a bike is only the beginning of the total cost of ownership! Know your facts and then decide!

TripleThreat

03-17-2006, 04:30 PM

I think you said everything.Very well put!!!

texspeed · 03-17-2006, 09:22 PM

There are many ways of looking at this, yes. Let me first make it clear that all I'm doing is relaying what I've stumbled upon. Many others know about them, many others have no clue. Some will go with the local dealers and some will drive to save large sums of cash.....and they all have their valid reasons for doing so.

Now for the sake of argument:

I take it you don't care for these "Power" dealers? Well being that many do all their own work on their bikes anyway they'll most likely always shop for the best price they can get. To be able to save upwards of a grand (or more) on a bike means aftermarket exhausts, maybe some performance options, riding gear, etc.......Count me in on that action baby!!! Some people are best off with the local dealer support and some can manage things themselves. Life is great!
Plenty of business to go around and remember: "Knowledge Is Power".......A good local dealer will understand that reasoning....and the ones who don't are'nt good dealers anyway, at least in my book. I like to keep as much of my cash as I can....how 'bout you?

TripleThreat · 03-17-2006, 11:01 PM

I certainly have no problem with so called "power" dealers. I'm just pointing out that depending on your ability to provide your own service, you need to realize that the "out the door" price is not the total cost of ownership.

By all means, if you can perform all of your own maintenance, then go with the lowest price. That only makes sense. However, if you rely on the dealer to provide your routine maintenance, warranty work, and service, then I think buying from the local dealer in some cases can earn you back the money that you save on an initial purchase depending on how the dealership markets itself.

It's great to have choices, I just like the relationship that I have with my local dealer and the fact that if I need something from them I am confident that they will help. As a co-leader of our RAT pack, I also appreciate the special events that they help with and the support that they have shown to the RAT Pack.

I also think that the "power" dealers also give the consumer something to take into the local dealer and negotiate a lower price with.

So, to sum it up, I have no problem with "power" dealers and appreciate your heads up to their prices. I'm again just pointing out that there is more to total cost of ownership for many customers than the initial purchase price.

TripleThreat

texspeed · 03-17-2006, 11:46 PM

As wrench said: Very well put.

P.S. I just noticed that they show the Daytona 675 with the MSRP of $8999 and to call for their price. Most of their pricing is $700-900 below the MSRP....so it appears they will sell a 675 for around $8199-$8399. That's an awesome price! I've heard of some people paying over $10,000 after all the usual fees etc. I imagine they'll sell whatever units they get pretty fast at that price range.

Trophy4 · 03-22-2006, 01:08 PM

Yep, Chattanooga has some great prices, that are very hard to beat. But as it's been said in this thread already, ask yourself, "What kind of reception will I get from my local dealer when I need service?" While any reputable dealer should still service your bike, s/he's also going to favor the customer who bought his bike from him. If there's one oil filter on the shelf, and you need it, but there's also a bike that your local dealer sold needing it, who do you think's going to get the one on the shelf, and who's going to wait for the next one to arrive? Which customer is going to be first on the list for service, if both bikes are in the shop at the same time? Think long/hard about it if you need to depend on a local dealer for service/support after the sale.

And it's even worse if you didn't give the local dealer a chance to offer you his price....!

Ride safe!

[ This message was edited by: Trophy4 on 2006-03-22 11:09 ]

Klugman · 03-22-2006, 07:36 PM

Like I was "favored" by Atlanta Triumph Ducati ?

I stayed loyal to the shop I bought my bike from ,and I got Screwed.

It shouldnt matter in the least where you bought your bike. If a shop provides service they should treat each and every customer as though they bought the bike there. Or even better, Treat the bike like it was there own.

I say Kudos to the shop who gives a great deal on bikes.

Trophy4 · 03-23-2006, 11:05 AM

I'm not disagreeing with you, K, but it takes more than just "Great prices" to make a great shop. The ideal shop would be the shop that offers great prices, great service, has all the parts and accessories you could ever want, and is located just a few miles away on a beautiful, twisting road that's a blast to ride. This ideal shop would have the coffee pot going, a great snack bar, and would be a favored hang-out of all Triumph riders.

Unfortunately, I haven't found the totally ideal shop yet.

As for shop philosophy, I'm a retailer (not motorcycle) who markets nationally. I do my best to compete on selection and service, and offer fair prices. I know my prices aren't the lowest in the country, but they are fair, and, I firmly believe, that the total package I offer -- price, service (including product knowledge), inventory -- is very hard to beat! I just wish I could be down the road from all my customers, wherever they may live!

[ This message was edited by: Trophy4 on 2006-03-23 09:07 ]