The owner(s) of the store should know what their employees are doing...

[PapaSoldTheHarley]

I have been gently looking at scooter options (while still riding and enjoying my Like 200i).
As some of you may know my Dealer offered me a fair trade up on a Downtown 300i, I told him I just want to chew on the idea for a bit.
I had dickered back and forth with a couple of stores (on leftover a Majesty and Burgman 400) these folks were insulting as to what they would allow for trade value on the Like, and weren't moving a dime off MSRP on their leftovers (the said they were but then they played the add-on game with nonsense fees).
The latest development is truly puzzling. This economy stinks. People are in trouble all over. Dollar values have been eroded by the Federal Reserve's quantitative easing (a euphemism for printing money out of thin air). You'd think that a dealership would be "working the heck" out of potential leads... not so!
I sent out five emails to five dealers (on Suzuki Burgman 200's). The emails were generated first by searching cycletrader.com then moving to the dealers website (so there isn't a need to forward messages), then hitting the "Request a Quote" button and filling in the dealership's form, some with as many as ten fields to fill in. All forms model specific to the scooter I was looking at. All of my submissions had all the forms filled in completely. They all explained my time frame was immediate. I left notes in the comments that I required no financing...
Been two days since I sent out the forms, not one dealer has responded in any way shape or form, not one...
Amazing to me when I see what the small business people have to go through to stay in business.
I wonder if this is a West Central Florida Phenomenon?

[AMAC1680]

The biggest part of the problem is the dealers for the Japan scoots don't take a scooter sale seriously.
Just for sh**s and giggles I wonder if you would get an answer if you had inquired about a motorcycle.

Another reason I avoid cycle dealers for scooters.

AMAC

[2wheelfun]

Papa check out Heinens powersports in minn. They have some screamin deals on kymcos, DT300, peeples300gt, 500 myroad. Probably dicker over the phone on a delivered price. Just say lets deal I have my CC ready.

[PapaSoldTheHarley]

Papa check out Heinens powersports in minn. They have some screamin deals on kymcos, DT300, peeples300gt, 500 myroad. Probably dicker over the phone on a delivered price. Just say lets deal I have my CC ready.

I never dealt long distance on a bike purchase... I don't think I'd be comfortable. Whatever savings, even if it were a $1,000 or more at least half if not more would be eaten up with transfer fees to title the scooter in Florida and shipping & insurance.
Then there is the status lost when servicing (instead of being the guy that bought it from where you get it serviced, you're a guy bringing in a bike...
Unless a local (100 miles) gets back and offers up a really sound deal on a leftover, I will probably go with the dealer that I have dealt with to date (or just keep riding the Like!).

[jimboeau]

Papa check out Heinens powersports in minn. They have some screamin deals on kymcos, DT300, peeples300gt, 500 myroad. Probably dicker over the phone on a delivered price. Just say lets deal I have my CC ready.

I just bought a Downtown 300i from Heinen's last weekend.  New 2013 DT for $2999 and $3200 and change out the door!  I live about a hundred miles from them and just trailered it home.  Nice store with lots of inventory.

[PapaSoldTheHarley]

I sent them a message. Explaining where I live, what I was interested in and that I do not require financing.
I asked about shipping and purchase costs (out the door). See what they respond with. Can't be too bad if the deal starts with the 2013 Downtown, new, for $2,999...

[2wheelfun]

Papa, I had the DT200 for a brief period of time and it was a pig. Of coarse the 300 will have more giddyup but the seat was the same and it sucked. I'm 6ft and my knees were up against the front cowl and that was uncomfortable as hell. I think you'd like the GT 300 way better, bigger wheels and not a pig. I'd research it thoroughly if it were me.

[2wheelfun]

If it were me I'd want to sit on both before I bought one. Seems most dealers won't let you test ride a new one. That seating position can make or break a persons enjoyment of the scooter. The my road 500 seems to have it all according to folks who own them. Nothing negative, it's good for tall folks too.

[Stig / Major Tom]

Papa, I don't think dealers really have a guy monitoring emails....
I search their web site inventory....then phone them.
IF you have a good trusted dealer....I agree, they might be the best place to buy from. If, like a lot of us....there is NO scooter only dealer around, and local bike/scoot shops are indifferent to our needs...then buying at a distance has few down sides. Your warranty work will get dealt with....and much more is not to be expected in a country that does not do scooters!! :-)
Otherwise, buy a Honda CB300F, at $3999, and put the milk in a backpack.
They'll take care of you then...
Good luck,
(Just don't buy too small....so you don't have to do this again)
Stig
Put 40 miles on the Burgman before sunrise this morning)

[PapaSoldTheHarley]

Papa, I don't think dealers really have a guy monitoring emails....
I search their web site inventory....then phone them.
IF you have a good trusted dealer....I agree, they might be the best place to buy from. If, like a lot of us....there is NO scooter only dealer around, and local bike/scoot shops are indifferent to our needs...then buying at a distance has few down sides. Your warranty work will get dealt with....and much more is not to be expected in a country that does not do scooters!! :-)
Otherwise, buy a Honda CB300F, at $3999, and put the milk in a backpack.
They'll take care of you then...
Good luck,
(Just don't buy too small....so you don't have to do this again)
Stig
Put 40 miles on the Burgman before sunrise this morning)

LOL, the CB300F and I were only an hour apart from being together I had a price. Had no trade-in, paying cash. Was scheduled to drive down and pick it up (60 miles away, taking the truck and was going to tie her down in the back). I called to make sure there was no issue before leaving. I asked (last minute to be sure) if they would please install a "pigtail connector" on the bike so I could charge it easily (and mine went with the Harley when I sold that). Here is a $4,000 purchase being made and the fellow, nice enough, tells me he will have to contact the service guys to get a quote and a time frame... I was a wee bit disappointed in the response to say the least. He said he'd get back to me to confirm; and then he didn't for the remainder of the day. I emailed him the next day and told him we wouldn't be doing business. But the CB300F appeared to do everything I want. Still doable, hard to choose. I like everything.

[2wheelfun]

That cb300f is a nice bike and has a lot going for it. I almost bought one but when I went to the dealer to check out the 12 Kawi 250 they had, the 2 CB 300s they had were still in crates. Sales dude wanted me to put money down then they'd assemble the bike. I said no way, I've never seen one in person or sat on one. I said I'll hold off on the Kawi if you put one together and then let me decide. They said no to that, crazy ass way to sell bikes. I've had a longing for a 250 dual sport for a long time, especially since I sold my KLR 650. I knew what the kawi was all about and just decided to go with it, no regrets. Has the power, speed, seating position, looks cool as hell things I wanted. Never say never a CB300F might be in my future. Not now though.

[2wheelfun]

I have been gently looking at scooter options (while still riding and enjoying my Like 200i).
As some of you may know my Dealer offered me a fair trade up on a Downtown 300i, I told him I just want to chew on the idea for a bit.
I had dickered back and forth with a couple of stores (on leftover a Majesty and Burgman 400) these folks were insulting as to what they would allow for trade value on the Like, and weren't moving a dime off MSRP on their leftovers (the said they were but then they played the add-on game with nonsense fees).
The latest development is truly puzzling. This economy stinks. People are in trouble all over. Dollar values have been eroded by the Federal Reserve's quantitative easing (a euphemism for printing money out of thin air). You'd think that a dealership would be "working the heck" out of potential leads... not so!
I sent out five emails to five dealers (on Suzuki Burgman 200's). The emails were generated first by searching cycletrader.com then moving to the dealers website (so there isn't a need to forward messages), then hitting the "Request a Quote" button and filling in the dealership's form, some with as many as ten fields to fill in. All forms model specific to the scooter I was looking at. All of my submissions had all the forms filled in completely. They all explained my time frame was immediate. I left notes in the comments that I required no financing...
Been two days since I sent out the forms, not one dealer has responded in any way shape or form, not one...
Amazing to me when I see what the small business people have to go through to stay in business.
I wonder if this is a West Central Florida Phenomenon?

There's no substitute for being there in person with cash or CC and saying I'm ready to buy a bike. Lots of looky lous email or pester them on the phone and they figure why waste time. Also with cash they save 3 or 4% CC processing/bank fees on the sale.........place like Heinens should be different, they're used to selling out of state so dickering over the ph is normal for them.

[jimboeau]

I sent them a message. Explaining where I live, what I was interested in and that I do not require financing.
I asked about shipping and purchase costs (out the door). See what they respond with. Can't be too bad if the deal starts with the 2013 Downtown, new, for $2,999...

When I asked about the scooter I always emailed Paul the owner and he always emailed back within an hour or two.  I am 5'10" and have short legs (inseam 30") and the Downtown fits fine.  But a longer than 30" inseam may be a little tight.  The GT may be better for you depending on height and leg length.

[PapaSoldTheHarley]

When I asked about the scooter I always emailed Paul the owner and he always emailed back within an hour or two.  I am 5'10" and have short legs (inseam 30") and the Downtown fits fine.  But a longer than 30" inseam may be a little tight.  The GT may be better for you depending on height and leg length.

They are good folks! (up there in Minn.)... Paul already got back and gave me a figure with shipping and all. Lets just say if it were just the dollars, Paul's deal was by far the better!
But... Shipping still holds fear for me. Fully 15 to 20 percent of the shipping customers have issues. Range from minor damage to a month to get their delivery. Couple that with the extra fees for title and registration, the cost of the shipping and my self-inflicted anxiety over the whole shipping prospect and I am not moving so fast. Buying from a local (or almost local) dealer (at least in my mind) gives you a better standing moving forward with service and warranty work.
To further complicate matters I had contact with a salesperson from another store that asked if I had bought and if I did was I happy with the purchase I called him back and gave him the said tale of the overstated top speed of my scooter. He suggested I send him some pictures of the scooter and he would work me up some numbers on two or three bikes that his manager had recently put on sale. More information to be forthcoming...

[Mscmkr]

I just bought a GT from Heinens a couple months ago. Dealing with them was fine and pretty easy. I saved almost $2000 buying from them including shipping and all other charges. I payed a little under $4000 including shipping and the whole thing. The cost from a shop here would have been about $6000 OTD. The cost of shipping to Phoenix was $400 which is not bad considering the distance.
     The bike came in a huge wooden crate and I had to assemble some of it myself. Just a couple small things like, I had to mount the top case and the little bat wing windshield. Also, it had 0 miles on it which made me think it wasn't test ridden. We had talked about them test ridding it before shipping to make sure it was ready. The only way I could get it home was to take a cab to the shipping dock and ride it about 30 miles from one side of the city to the other. I did get a hold of them after several tries and they assured me that it was ready to ride.
    There is a bit of minor damage on the bike. The top case has a lot of hairline scratches in it which I thought was the extent of it. However, I washed my bike last week and noticed a large round dull spot where it looks like it was rubbed by something on the right side of the bike. There was nothing even close to that area of the bike in the crate it came in so I have no idea how it happened. I think I can buff both of these issues out when I get the chance so not a biggy.
     The bike runs perfect and I have over 400 miles on it so far. Of course I am loving the fact that I saved a ton of money on it. I payed $3199 when I bought it in May. However, I just looked on the website and they have dropped the price even lower. This is an absolute steal for a bike of this quality.
     Good luck with whatever bike you buy. I wouldn't be to afraid of buying a bike that needs to be shipped. Talk to them about what I and anyone else has said and maybe they can make sure these things don't happen to your bike?
     I hope you enjoy your new bike and ride safe, mscmkr