1200 GSA discounted Prices and Dealers
- Thread starter Rusape
- Start date
Do remeber that BMW dealers are in business............they need to make a profit - I don't blame any of them for trying to make the best deal for themselves. Remember, we need them to stay in business in order to offer us follow up service and these days the standard of show rooms they have to maintain must cost a lot more than they used to.
As for values...........of course, they will charge book price for the GS. We do have choices, so go and make yours and get your cheque book out.
They are worth more used than other brands - I have proved this to myself over and over, the best thing of course is to sell privately. A good used GS is always going to sell regardless of year or miles. My dad bought a Varadero a few years back - because the dealer gave him a blinding deal on last years bike but it took 6 months to sell and at a VERY low price..........so he bought low and sold low!
Of course machines are not going to appreciate in value but do you or do you not get enjoyment out of ownership? How do you put a price on that enjoyment! How can you put a price on a two week trip through the alps with you mates?
These things are priceless
For the last 16 years my choice has been BMW, 5 GSs, a K75, an R100R, an F650 and K1 and I wouldn't swap the experience for anything
As for values...........of course, they will charge book price for the GS. We do have choices, so go and make yours and get your cheque book out.
They are worth more used than other brands - I have proved this to myself over and over, the best thing of course is to sell privately. A good used GS is always going to sell regardless of year or miles. My dad bought a Varadero a few years back - because the dealer gave him a blinding deal on last years bike but it took 6 months to sell and at a VERY low price..........so he bought low and sold low!
Of course machines are not going to appreciate in value but do you or do you not get enjoyment out of ownership? How do you put a price on that enjoyment! How can you put a price on a two week trip through the alps with you mates?
These things are priceless
For the last 16 years my choice has been BMW, 5 GSs, a K75, an R100R, an F650 and K1 and I wouldn't swap the experience for anything
Some good points made here, and of course we don't mind the dealers making a profit, it is their business, we all want a 'good' dealership near to us and they can only be there if they are profitable.
The point about buying really low invariably means that you will end up selling low! Look at prices of models that have been offered by manufacturers with 0%, see what dealers offer on recent low mileage trade ins for these models.
My first GS was one of the more expensive bikes that I had purchased in over thirty years of riding, and that was second hand! A year on and over 8K more I sold it for only about £450 less than I paid, which I thought represented brilliant value for money given the fun that I had had on it in that year.
Oh and when I was considering trading in the dealer did not bat an eye at the 16K mileage, in fact he said it was spot on for a GS of that year!
This is why I decided to buy another but this time new. I simply decided to find a deal that the dealer was happy with (and still making enought to pay for his various considerations and overheads) and that I was prepared to pay. I would have paid a premium to stay at my local dealers but he would not budge at all.
But I do accept that there are plenty of people who don't do this and are happy to pay retail price, and they can be equally as happy with their deal, it is relative to each person and as long as they are content that is all that is important.
They might have far more disposable cash than I and therefore it is not important to negotiate etc, but for me that is part of the fun when buying! Plus I like spending the money saved on other new toys.
The one thing is that if there is a bad attitude towards customers of a premium brand, then challange it and do not accept it. It is something you might not only come across only in a BMW dealership. My thoughts anyhow!
Have you had any luck yet R with a deal ?
The point about buying really low invariably means that you will end up selling low! Look at prices of models that have been offered by manufacturers with 0%, see what dealers offer on recent low mileage trade ins for these models.
My first GS was one of the more expensive bikes that I had purchased in over thirty years of riding, and that was second hand! A year on and over 8K more I sold it for only about £450 less than I paid, which I thought represented brilliant value for money given the fun that I had had on it in that year.
Oh and when I was considering trading in the dealer did not bat an eye at the 16K mileage, in fact he said it was spot on for a GS of that year!
This is why I decided to buy another but this time new. I simply decided to find a deal that the dealer was happy with (and still making enought to pay for his various considerations and overheads) and that I was prepared to pay. I would have paid a premium to stay at my local dealers but he would not budge at all.
But I do accept that there are plenty of people who don't do this and are happy to pay retail price, and they can be equally as happy with their deal, it is relative to each person and as long as they are content that is all that is important.
They might have far more disposable cash than I and therefore it is not important to negotiate etc, but for me that is part of the fun when buying! Plus I like spending the money saved on other new toys.The one thing is that if there is a bad attitude towards customers of a premium brand, then challange it and do not accept it. It is something you might not only come across only in a BMW dealership. My thoughts anyhow!
Have you had any luck yet R with a deal ?
Triple
Guest
the truth, the whole truth...
Hi
I am based near you on the edge of Herts and have had 2 Gs's, an 1150 and an 1150 Adventure.
I used to manage a garage so I have an understanding of what it takes to run a successful dealership and I also understand the fiscal realities of vehicle ownership.
BMW (and I own 2 of their cars) do not distinguish themselves as a purveyor of motorcycles. Levels of service vary from dealership to dealership but they do have a reputation that is not borne out in reality, from my experiences.
I have provided services to dealerships as a 'mystery shopper' and my experiences were very poor, in respect of both sales and servicing.
The motorcycles are quite good, certainly not to the build quality of a Honda although the folk here will agree that they are very enjoyable bikes to ride. But do not think that this is a BMW car. Just look at front forks for missing paint, clunky gearboxes full of neutrals and engines that can burn a litre of oil per 500 miles for the first 15,000 miles of their life. And that is viewed as within tolerances!!
But, the financial tale is a little misleading too. Residual values are not particularly high, even on GS's, when you are a private owner.
Dealers have the majority of stock, it can be very hard to sell a GS privately as buyers want the warranty and knowledge/notion of dealer support. So unless you undercut the Dealer price by at least £1,000 (preferably £1250-1500) you will not get much interest. If you go to a Dealer to sell your bike, they will try and scalp you. Because you cant sell your bike anywhere else, they seem to think. If you buy a bike for £10k, run it for a year and put 5,000 miles on it, a Dealer will offer that bike for sale for perhaps £8,500. They will offer you only £6,000 for it, top whack. Thats a big hit. If you sell it privately, you might get £7,000.
I have spent numerous occasions at Dealers to pick up bikes that have been serviced badly, with faults that havent been detected and mostly with surprisingly high maintenance costs. And these are BMW's bikes, not my own!!
I'm on this website because I am considering whether to purchase a GS1200A, although I know that the Dealer network has some real lemons in it and although the bike can prove very expensive to own. BUT, and here's the crunch, if you know what you are entering into, the bikes are very good fun to ride. Just dont expect Honda build quality, dont expect sales people with a professional attitude (Motorrad has a new CEO nearly every year) dont trust the workshops and get a price before carrying out servicing work. Workshop prices vary enormously.
Having a bike with style and attitude (like the GS) needs a little more commitment than buying a run of the mill, though technically proficent, Japanese bike. Good luck with whatever you decide to buy, for now mines a Triple
Hi
I am based near you on the edge of Herts and have had 2 Gs's, an 1150 and an 1150 Adventure.
I used to manage a garage so I have an understanding of what it takes to run a successful dealership and I also understand the fiscal realities of vehicle ownership.
BMW (and I own 2 of their cars) do not distinguish themselves as a purveyor of motorcycles. Levels of service vary from dealership to dealership but they do have a reputation that is not borne out in reality, from my experiences.
I have provided services to dealerships as a 'mystery shopper' and my experiences were very poor, in respect of both sales and servicing.
The motorcycles are quite good, certainly not to the build quality of a Honda although the folk here will agree that they are very enjoyable bikes to ride. But do not think that this is a BMW car. Just look at front forks for missing paint, clunky gearboxes full of neutrals and engines that can burn a litre of oil per 500 miles for the first 15,000 miles of their life. And that is viewed as within tolerances!!
But, the financial tale is a little misleading too. Residual values are not particularly high, even on GS's, when you are a private owner.
Dealers have the majority of stock, it can be very hard to sell a GS privately as buyers want the warranty and knowledge/notion of dealer support. So unless you undercut the Dealer price by at least £1,000 (preferably £1250-1500) you will not get much interest. If you go to a Dealer to sell your bike, they will try and scalp you. Because you cant sell your bike anywhere else, they seem to think. If you buy a bike for £10k, run it for a year and put 5,000 miles on it, a Dealer will offer that bike for sale for perhaps £8,500. They will offer you only £6,000 for it, top whack. Thats a big hit. If you sell it privately, you might get £7,000.
I have spent numerous occasions at Dealers to pick up bikes that have been serviced badly, with faults that havent been detected and mostly with surprisingly high maintenance costs. And these are BMW's bikes, not my own!!
I'm on this website because I am considering whether to purchase a GS1200A, although I know that the Dealer network has some real lemons in it and although the bike can prove very expensive to own. BUT, and here's the crunch, if you know what you are entering into, the bikes are very good fun to ride. Just dont expect Honda build quality, dont expect sales people with a professional attitude (Motorrad has a new CEO nearly every year) dont trust the workshops and get a price before carrying out servicing work. Workshop prices vary enormously.
Having a bike with style and attitude (like the GS) needs a little more commitment than buying a run of the mill, though technically proficent, Japanese bike. Good luck with whatever you decide to buy, for now mines a Triple
JH, Triple,
Excellent balanced views..
The whole process of buying any item must/should, (in my view) be a pleasurable one.
We all want to be treated fairly and with some consideration and not like just another mug who has a wad of grubby tenners to spend on an item that the seller believes that they could sell to anyone else.
I think everyone understands that dealers need and must make money to stay in business, but its the way that its done that is so very important...
Blame the Americans for many things, but one thing you can very seldom fault, is their customer service..... at the front end anyway.
Sadly this customer focus is virtually non existant in many businesses in the UK.
TT(UK) are a fine example of this, by providing a product that everyone wants, but no one wants to deal with them because of their reputation for poor service and delivery.... same can't be said of TT(AG), or TT(SA) etc etc...
At the end of the day we all just want fair deal.... not the usual - dealer wins or dealer wins scenario... and the punter pays and gets crap service!
I thnink I've found a dealer with whom I can do bizz..... will post when done.
Excellent balanced views..
The whole process of buying any item must/should, (in my view) be a pleasurable one.
We all want to be treated fairly and with some consideration and not like just another mug who has a wad of grubby tenners to spend on an item that the seller believes that they could sell to anyone else.
I think everyone understands that dealers need and must make money to stay in business, but its the way that its done that is so very important...
Blame the Americans for many things, but one thing you can very seldom fault, is their customer service..... at the front end anyway.
Sadly this customer focus is virtually non existant in many businesses in the UK.
TT(UK) are a fine example of this, by providing a product that everyone wants, but no one wants to deal with them because of their reputation for poor service and delivery.... same can't be said of TT(AG), or TT(SA) etc etc...
At the end of the day we all just want fair deal.... not the usual - dealer wins or dealer wins scenario... and the punter pays and gets crap service!
I thnink I've found a dealer with whom I can do bizz..... will post when done.
The Bede
Registered user
miles away
Guest
so rusape, after all this, how much did you pay, what spec, what accessories, and what discount??
Rock the boat
Not sure there is too much mileage in rocking the boat on here.... suffice to say that I did manage to haggle a great deal, from a dealer that went out of their way to be helpful, and interested.
Ticked all of the boxes on the options list except the panniers. Not seen any I like yet... not sure I'd use them....
I could throw over my Harley Bags!!!!
Now that with all my tassles would look really cool...no?
Not sure there is too much mileage in rocking the boat on here.... suffice to say that I did manage to haggle a great deal, from a dealer that went out of their way to be helpful, and interested.
Ticked all of the boxes on the options list except the panniers. Not seen any I like yet... not sure I'd use them....
I could throw over my Harley Bags!!!!
Now that with all my tassles would look really cool...no?
billynomates
Registered user
hi mate get yersel a ktm 990adv s model.It will hammer thse gsa hands down,£8500 with panniers the lot.Think of it this way; is the 1200gsa £4000 better than the ktm,i think not.
Yer the KTM makes the GS look like Lucy Pinder
giantbaby
Registered user
rusape, I too am looking to buy a new 08 1200gsa with all options ticked. i have been to 4 different dealers in and around sw london and ALL say NO discount at all on GSA fully kitted. they have all quoted 12,100 , no free first service, although they have stated that i can get discount on full set of ali panniers or any accesories that i'd like.
When i tried to find out exactly what they would do on the panniers the lowest i got was £837 for three paniers and the top box rail. which is norm £900. so basically no discount at all really.
All dealers were however freindly and seemed genuinely interested. All really were keen to get me on a test ride. going on thursday for four hours.
Where did you go in the end......
Giant baby,
When i tried to find out exactly what they would do on the panniers the lowest i got was £837 for three paniers and the top box rail. which is norm £900. so basically no discount at all really.
All dealers were however freindly and seemed genuinely interested. All really were keen to get me on a test ride. going on thursday for four hours.
Where did you go in the end......
Giant baby,
giantbaby
Registered user
Sorry forgot to mention all have demo's coming up that were registered in jan with around 2500 miles for 11,000 ..... What do you reckon.
Giantbaby
Giantbaby
giantbaby
Registered user
sorry. i.m very new to this... didnt know what you meant just signing up now.
"gonna pay me dues..."
giantbaby
"gonna pay me dues..."
giantbaby
giantbaby
Registered user
I'm subscribed now. . . . . cheers
TangoUniform
Guest
I am a dealer here in the United States and we do not discount unless it's a previous years model...we have loaner bikes, free pick up and delivery up to 50 miles and a sponsored track day twice a year which is free to all of our customers.
I also do not charge any additional prep, freight or assembly fee's to make up supposed "discounts"...we feel the MSRP that BMW prints on the invoice, which is on all of my bikes, is a fair and resonable price.
If the dealership is in compliance with BMW and is in professional appearance and has a knowledgeable and friendly staff, most won't ask for a discount.
FWIW, I am a BMW car, motorcycle and Mini Cooper dealer all in one complex, which is rare here on this side of the pond.
As far as quality of service, my customer satisfaction rating is way above national average!!
If you want to buy the best and expect all the amenities that go along with it, you shouldn't ask for a discount, BMW owners expect top quality service after the sale not some measly discount.
Eyewitness
Guest
Oly
Was really interested in your post as I've got a 1200 GSA due for delivery by Williams Manchester end April / first week in May.
I first went to Williams last year and they talked me out of a GSA, as did Southport Superbikes after them as I'm only 5'8" but after test riding a Tiger and not liking it but then feeling I could handle the tallness of the GSA I went back to Williams. They then had a new Sales Manager who seemed great, he arranged a test ride on a 08 GSA even though I'd had my full bike licence less than a year (back to bikes at 44 after 250's on car licence in my teens!) and after an hour I came back with a massive smile on my face and had to have one!
That was end of Feb and imagine my dismay when I phoned last week for an update as my bike was scheduled to be built second week of april for delivery first week of may and then to be told that the "new" sales manager had left the company and i'd have to bring back again all the documents for the leasing agreement that i'd already shown them and he'd scanned?????
Am I worrying without reason?
Cheers,
Terry
