What is acceptable for dealer fees?

[goodthymes]

I recently went in to my local dealership ready to purchase a 2011 C14. They had one advertised for $13,999 but it sold that morning. I asked if they could sell another one (of the two they had) for the same price. The first answer was no, $14999 was the best they could do. So as I'm leaving they come back to me and say they can do it for the requested $13999. The salesman shows me the "newly" printed invoice and it is over $17K. They added close to $2K in dealer fees, shipping, etc.  There is no way to get around tax but I felt their dealer fees were absurd.

Is this normal? I told them they were crazy and that I'll just go to another dealer or buy used if they want to play that game.

What should I expect to pay OTD in California for a new C-14?

Thanks

[kdm]

My local dealer tried to play the same game -lowball price on craigslist for a new 09 -then $2500 more when you get there . I bought a used 08.

[marku8a]

I bought a leftover California 09 a couple of months ago for $9799 plus...

300 Shipping
200 Dealer Prep
55   Document Prep
905 Tax
191 License

1651 Total Fees

The more expensive 11 is going to increase tax & license. Other shops in the area are charging a lot more for the shipping and Prep. It all comes down to what you can negotiate.

[So Cal Joe]

Dealer fees are a joke. Tell them what you will pay out the door for the bike and theycan  write up the contract any way they like,  as long as the total out the door price is what you want. Thats the way I do it.

[Barry]

Focus on 1 number, and one number only.  Out The Door (OTD) price.  IF the OTD price is 12,000, do you really care what the fees are?  They can call all the numbers all the BS they wish, the only number that matters is the OTD price.  PERIOD.  Anything else the dealer tries to tell you is BS.  Trust me on this.  ONE NUMBER.

[okxd45]

In Lawton, OK  I bought a new 09' $9,999; $10,398 out the door.  Those fees do sound ridiculous! 

[JRT]

I bought my 2011 ABS on 2/15 for $14,458 OTD with a large tail trunk. It was brand new in the crate and was built for me.
If they try to charge you crazy numbers tell them to pound sand and that you will get one off of the internet, it worked for me.
you should not pay more then $13,500 - $13,700 with dealer fees for this bike. of course your state tax will be different.

Here is the break down for my bike;
2011 C14 ABS   $13,495
Dealer processing   $99
Tags   $20
VA Sales and Dealer Tax   $451
47L Tail Trunk   $392
Total   $14,458

Not a bad deal for am amazing bike! 

[rcannon409]

Fees...As mentioned tax and license were what they are. No bs about that. DOC fees are also tough to argue about as you will likley have to pay those.  This helps cover title obtaining for some of the trade in bikes. This can be a real PITA for the dealer. Not to mention sending someone down to pick up plates and drop off new registrations for plates.

However, DOC fees, freight, set up, etc were calculated by pulling them out of our asses...seriously. Especially freight charges.  If  a guy gave  a payment he could pay per month, the fees were bumped until they were 10-15 dollars less than the given payment he offered. TRUE story and I swear on my brothers ashes sitting on the table. Do the same on extend warranties....do it on anythingoffered in the finance office.

Now, to the finance office...no matter what interest rate they offer, you have to say..."Man, I dont know...thats HIGH!"  Feign getting up like you are walking out. This probably will not work on the factory finance offers that are often way below average, but it will on credit union, banks, etc.

I've never had that move not drop the interest rate 1/2 to 1 full full percent.
There is some serious money to be made as a sales/finance guy. I remember being 22 year sold and making 1k a day during the busy weeks. Not bad when a semi-decent job would pay 8.00 per hour.

[Rick Hall]

Dealer fees are a joke. Tell them what you will pay out the door for the bike and theycan  write up the contract any way they like,  as long as the total out the door price is what you want. Thats the way I do it.

Ditto.

Assembly/shipping fees are reimbursed to the dealer by Mama Kaw. Doc prep (AKA extortion) and taxes are not.

Rick

[IRULE]

Dealer can ask what they want - its about market demands.  They can put a second stickers and time they want as far as I know, Kawasaki don't have any limitation or rule about it.  Kinda like car dealership.  When TDI (diesel) was pretty hot, the dealer added $1000-$2000 on top of MSRP. 

...this is basic economics.

[katata1100]

I flew out to CO to get my C14 because I didn't want a CA spec bike (I live in NV). At the time, there was a zillion CA bikes on CT.
You want total price of bike before tax and tags. When people say out the door, well that is as useful as a fish net stocking as otd can include sales tax, or no sales tax, reg or no reg, or sales tax but you don't know the rate, get the pic?
So, you want the total price of the bike before mandatory state crap (taxes, registration).
Doc fee is pure bullshit. It takes a secretary, paid $12 an hour, about ten minutes to type up the docs, that is not worth $100! Set up? That's another dealer invented charge. Freight? Ditto. FWIW, I paid $13,800 for my bike. Drove it home and paid sales tax and reg fees in my state.
In CA, you should shoot for $13,800 tops. You have a crap load of dealers there, some parts of CA are really hit hard with the economy, lowball there.In four months, these bikes will be year old and no one wants inventory collecting dust on the floor. You have the $, have fun searching and if you don't get one by August,  maybe you'll be among the first to get a '12!

[goodthymes]

Thanks for all the info. It's unfortunate that my local dealer doesn't want to sell the bike bad enough. For now I'll continue shopping.  Does anyone know a a dealer in Northern CA that doesn't charge a ton in fees? I wasn't really considering leaving the state to purchase, but that may not be a bad decision.

[katata1100]

I feel the same way. My two local dealers acted as if ordering a non CA C14 was a great favor and would budge from their prices of over $15k, so I said "F,,, it!" flew out to CO to get mine for $13,800.
From what I recall from calling Cycle Trader, some of the best priced bikes (under $14K) were in the central CA/sacramento area. I remember getting a a couple of good quotes from some Sac dealers.
Another tack you could try- google for dealers close to airports, if they have a good price, fly out and get it, if close enough, they'll probably pick you up.

[mkorn]

I dont recall the exact price on the sticker for my left over 2009.
but it was OTD for $10,300.  I wanna guess it was $9,400 on the sticker.

[nxtdoor]

I bought an 09 with 1 mile on it in Kansas for $9800 OTD three months ago. I paid tag and tax back home.

Jeff

[JRT]

Take it for it's worth and I don't know if it is true, but my dealer told me that all Kawi dealers in the country pay the same price for the bike.
He did a little better then matching an internet price that another dealer was advertising and said he was still making a profit.
I paid $13,495 before any doc fees and TTT and only paid a $99 doc fee. It is rare to get a dealer to give up on doc fees, but anymore then $100 is bullshit!

He had a 10' on the showroom floor for $300 cheaper that people have been climbing their nasty asses all over for a year. For $300, I chose the brand new bike in the crate! 

I see no reason why you can't get an 11' for 13,500, if not tell them to piund sand and go elsewhere...good luck bro!

[rcannon409]

I sold a Gold Wing to a local tire dealer owner. This guy thought he was something..one of those types. He carried a mobile phone...in 1989.  He did not recognize me as the guy who he ripped off the prior month.

I took the figure he ripped me off for, 68.00 dollars, multiplied it by ten, then used that as "dealer prep".    Being that my pay was 10% of profit, at least I got my money back.

[ZG]

Here's an 11 that says $13.2 OTD, just saw it on ebay so do your own research...
 
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Kawasaki-ZG1400BBF-SPORT-TOURING-New-Kawasaki-2011-ZX1400-CONCOURS-ABS-NO-OTHER-FEES-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem5d2f816f4dQQitemZ400228970317QQptZUSQ5fmotorcycles
 
 

[IRULE]

If you want to get a good price on any bikes, do the following:

1) wait until Fall or Winter
2) the first snow hits the ground
3) on the last day of the month
4) ask the cashier who is the best salesperson, then stay away from him/her
5) get the last year model
6) tell them you WILL buy one today!  (even if you are not)

Good luck.