Selling the 2001 GZ to move up. NJ $1400

[Gar]

Well it is finally about time to sell my 2001 GZ. After looking into to trading it I thought I would post it here for anyone interested or perhaps advice rather than taking a bath at the dealership.

The bike runs great and has about 6400 miles of which I put on 5000 the past 2 years owned it. The bike is red, has a sissybar, saddle bags and clamps. On the downside, there is a small dent on the gas tank (I didn't do it, but who here admts they did). It will also need a rear tire pretty soon. Other than that, it runs great.

I am in the Clinton area and I am pricing it to sell. The sissybar and Saddle bags have worth before you even get to the bike.

Thanks for the past 2 years, I have read the forum often!

Gary

[Easy Rider]

Well it is finally about time to sell my 2001 GZ. After looking into to trading it I thought I would post it here for anyone interested or perhaps advice rather than taking a bath at the dealership.

So, what did they offer you at the dealer ??
And against what "new" bike at what price ?

KBB shows $1,000 trade in......but it's the total deal that matters.
If the bike you are looking to buy is already heavily discounted, your trade-in won't bring as much.

For ME, it wouldn't be worth $3-400 to undertake the hassle of a private sale.
To each his own though.
What if you don't GET a buyer at $1,400 ?? or at 13 or at 12.
It's a good time of the year to be buying a bike......but NOT a good time to be selling.

[Gar]

Thanks for the reply, I do appreciate it.

Basically, I end up with $1250 towards the trade. Suzuki has a rebate, but there is nothing else taken off the price, so my question would be, does the bike get discounted when I go in there to buy outright? So even if I end up with the exact money in cash the dealer offered, do I lose again because I would get a bigger discount not using a trade? Kind of like a car deal where the dealer gets the car for free and makes money on the sale.

I figured I would look here before I pulled the trigger as there is a lot of knowledge here.

What would you do Easy?

[Gar]

BTW I am thinking of a C50T or a Honda Shadow. I like the dealer and they have always treated well.

[mrlmd1]

If you trade it on a new bike, that lowers the purchase price of the new bike and you save sales tax on that amount - eg. if the tax was 8%, on $1250 less from your trade deducted off the purchase price of a new bike, you would save $100 in sales tax. That's the same as selling the bike privately for $1350, but much easier to dump it off at the dealer.
Settle on the price of the bike including whatever rebate there is, before discussing the trade. Then tell the dealer you want to trade your bike, he offered $1250 for your bike, so that comes off the price of the new one. The price for the new bike should be the same with or without your trade-in. You don't care what he sells your bike for.

[Gar]

They made the same point regarding the tax. The current rebates last till the end of the month, so I may pull the trigger and I am glad I got some opinions as I feel better about it.

Sorry to see the GZ go.

Thanks!

[alanmcorcoran]

Regarding your questions on discounts, it depends on the bike, the dealer and the market. I bought two bikes 6 months apart.

One was at the peak of the five dollar gasoline frenzy, in mid model year, after nearly all entry level bikes were sold out. At that point, there was not only no discount on a new GZ (the only '08 left in Southern California) but the dealers were actually tacking on about $500.00. This is in addition to the standard "shipping fee" (which runs $400-$600) and assembly fees. I think mine had some sort of safety inspection fee. Initially, the dealer had $500 of indefensible fees tacked on mine and I threatened to walk. I still paid list price (I think it was $3249.00) plus shipping plus assembly, plus license and tax (about $4500! altogether.)

The second one was at the depth of the economic collapse. I bought a ~$16K motorcycle for $12K out the door. It was a "leftover" from a previous model year. After you subtract assembly, shipping and taxes, license/DMV fees, etc. I got it for the equivalent price of about $9700.00.

So, yes, you can get discounts, but it all depends. I've seen Honda Shadows discounted - some significantly - but it doesn't mean that you'll find the same deal, especially if supplies are tight in your neck of the woods (which I doubt would be the case right now.)

Check how many the dealers have in stock and act accordingly. If there's only one in the state, you're gonna pay for it. If they have a floor full of them, you can probably get at least 20% off.

[Easy Rider]

What would you do Easy?

I like the dealer and they have always treated well.

Since they are offering you $250 above list for your bike, I'd guess that you could get an additional $250 off the price if you paid cash.....but that's just a guess.

I like to support my local dealer......so maybe he will still be there when I need him........so I would probably take the deal......but that's just me. The market is REALLY bad now in most parts of the country so you probably could get a lower price if you are comfortable with dickering. You should be able to judge that by how many 2009 models they still have on the floor.

Those are pretty big bikes you are looking at. Are you a fairly big guy......and was the GZ your first and only other bike ??

And......as long as I am poking my nose into your business ..... :roll: ...... can you pay cash for a new bike ?? If not, I'd suggest shopping around a bit more for a good used model. Vulcan 500 and Shadow 600 ('07) seem to be popular here with former GZ riders.

AND lastly, if you post the year, model and price here some of us might be able to check and see how that compares to other shops around the country. My dealer still has a Vulcan 500 at $1K off list. Not being TOO far from NYC, there probably are other dealers you could compare with too.

[CMS]

Would you consider selling the sissy bar and the saddle bag supports? CMS

[mrlmd1]

Now with Fall approaching up there and maybe getting colder one of these days. plus the new year's models. if any, coming out soon, or at least the designation as a 2011 bike, the prices should be lower now than in the Spring. Just try and make a deal with the dealer for what you want to pay. Very often as you threaten to leave, or as you walk out the door, they will call you back and give in.

[alanmcorcoran]

Very often as you threaten to leave, or as you walk out the door, they will call you back and give in.
:plus1:

The most important thing is to NOT FALL IN LOVE WITH THE BIKE. Save that for after the purchase. Always visualize walking, and, practice walking, so it is natural. It really is your primary negotiating tool. Paying cash is good too, that way they know they really have a deal and won't lose it to bad credit. In general, they would just as soon not have your trade, so as someone else said, do all your negotiating first, then mention the trade.

Finally, try to remember that the point of buying something like this is to have fun with it. Yes, you don't want to way over pay, but don't make it a contest your manhood depends on. Personally, even though I am an ex car-salesman, I think endless dickering over a couple hundred dollars is a waste of my time. Do your reseach, pick your price and hit them with it as soon as you get in and tell them you are in a hurry (have to pick up your wife at the airport or something,) and you need a yes or no in five minutes. At five minutes, gather up your stuff and head for the door if you haven't got an answer. If the guy you are dealing with says he can't give you a price, tell him you would like to speak to someone that can or you are leaving immediately. Don't believe any delaying tactics, etc. They know exactly what they can sell every thing they have for. The rest of it is just theater and they are way better at it than you will ever be.

I bought a Honda Fit a month ago in ten minutes. Unfortunately, they had to go get it across town at rush hour and I had to wait three hours to actually get it delivered, but the deal was done ten minutes after I arrived.

[Gar]

The year of the bikes are 2009.

The Shadow, C50 and C50T are the ones I am interested in and they are in stock. They showed me the V-storm but it was not comfortable for me.

[alantf]

I bought a Honda Fit

??????????????? :??:

[Sarris]

Alantf, it's a car and called the Honda Jazz in Europe.

:)

[alanmcorcoran]

??????????????? :??:
It's a car. It was for my daughter.

[mrlmd1]

??????????????? :??:
It's a car. It was for my daughter.

Yeah, right. :poke2: :roll:

[alanmcorcoran]

Trust me, if i was buying a car for myself, it wouldn't be a Honda Fit. Here's how it went down: In 1999 I bought a used 1998 Camry w/11K and loaned daughter number one my '92 Camry. She drove it from about 115K to 200K and shot a rod. Replace it with a '95 Camry that had about 60K. She put 140K on that one and, worried it would break down, I swapped my '98 Camry (now at about 70K) for her '95 Camry with the 200K on it. Daughter number one puts in an XM radio. Got a deal on a Chrysler 300 Sport Model with about 60K for $5000 and gave daughter number one the Chrysler and gave daughter number two the '98 Camry (now at about 110K and still with the XM radio.) Somone broke into the '95 Camry, fucked up the window and stole the non-xm-piece-of-shit radio. So, now I am driving a '95 Camry with no radio, no shocks, one boarded up window and one dead window and 210,000 miles. But it still runs. Wife would rather drive the 98 Camry, mainly because it has a radio in it. Daughter number two graduates from college in three years, most of which was on scholarship, and is accepted to grad school. I buy daughter number two the Fit, trade the '95 piece of shit Camry in on it and get my wife back.... the '98 Camry!

PS. About two months after I bought the Chrysler for daughter number one, she sold it, for $5K and bought a new Ranger truck.

[mrlmd1]

With all the Toyotas you buy and all the high mileage you put on them, you should contact their PR dept about their great reliability, get in a testimonial ad, and they should give you one for free. Yeah, right about that too.

[alanmcorcoran]

Bought an 88 and the 92 new, and the 95 and the 98 used and the 88 (which was leased) is the only one we didn't drive into the ground. I am curious about the next generation of electric vehicles (Leaf, Volt, etc.) and I'd like to hold on until they either get established or flop before I buy another car. I don't drive much and they might be appropriate for me. I almost bought one of those Nissan 350ZX's cause they looked so good, but they were too much money for what use I'd get out of one. Been looking at the KTM Adventure 990's on line. If anyone can tell me difference between regular and "R" I'd appreciate it.

[k1w1t1m]

Been looking at the KTM Adventure 990's on line. If anyone can tell me difference between regular and "R" I'd appreciate it.

Everything you probably want to know will be here: http://www.advrider.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=34

[alanmcorcoran]

Thanks k1. I discovered the 990 was more bike than I thought i could handle (pricewise) especially considering I have zero dirt experience to I got an '09 KLR 650 to see if dual sport riding is really something I want to do.