FXDL - Help me please, NADA confusion

[decman]

Insurance companies will total a bike even though it's fixable.

I bent the frame on my 2003 XL1200C and they totalled it.
I took the money bought the bike back and fixed it
with $3k left over. It never needed a salvage title either.

[xraytoken]

Originally Posted by Whitewalls

I've always considered NADA values to be inflated and fictitous. It is a book of, by and for the car dealers association.

This right here.

[mastiffhound]

The reason for the inflated price is model desirability, that's all.
Blame it on stuntyboiz or Sons of Anarchy but the Lowrider & Street Bob Dynas command a premium these days. Even those with Evo motors.

I noticed this after doing a ton of research when I went looking for a larger bike. You can get a 08-09 Fat Bob with low miles (less than 5-7k typically) for $5-6k around here while the previosly mentioned Dynas the same years start out at $8k even with 30K on the odo.

Example,
my 13 FXDF- 4k on the odo, perfect paint, windshield, sissybar, crashbar, saddlebags, cobra slip-ons- $9k out the door (talked down from $12,999 at the end of riding season)

The 09 FXDL I considered- 11k on the odo, so-so paint, intake & slip ons- $9k out the door was the best I could talk the salesman down to (wanted $11,500)

It's literally just supply & demand. Paying cash helps too. When the salesman asked how much I was going to finance & I said 'none' then pulled out a stack of hundreds, boy did his attitude change.
It kills a salesman to see a guy with cash in hand walk away. That's the trick though, you may actually have to walk away.

[canoli]

Great read Mastiff thank you. I am prepared to walk away if I must. I put down a deposit but if I can't get a good answer as to why it's a "rebuilt" title I'll probably pass. The sales manager's answer was so vague he should've just said flat-out, "I don't know."

I did get him to "a number starting with 4" and I'm glad I remembered to ask if that is the final price. Of course not. There's a $395 dealer-something-something fee he says every Conn. dealer charges. An extra $400 is a pretty big chunk of change to tack on I think.

Obviously the NADA listing I found is wrong. "Average Retail $3035" yeah right. In my experience NADA and Kelley are usually in the ballpark but I don't see any Low Riders listed for less than $5K. Like you said it's all supply and demand. The LR has been one of Harley's best-selling bikes since they first came out with the FXS.

[Steve9]

Tell him you have nothing against dealer fees. He can put it on his side of the deal.

I have been told crap like "if the dealer's son buys a vehicle he has to pay the dealer fee"

Fine. Stand firm it's straight profit for them

[canoli]

Yeah it kind of pisses me off I had to ask. When it's that much I think a sales manager has an obligation to be upfront about it.

[mastiffhound]

Another consideration is the tires, old tires can cause speed/death wobbles. They may need to be replaced right off the bat. You can add another $200 to $400 and that's if you mount and balance them yourself.

Also, I don't care what the dealer or seller says- every car & bike I buy gets a flush, filter, and fill of all fluids along with a tune up. You don't know & can't trust what someone previously did or didn't do. That adds to the price.

It wouldn't be a bad idea to check the oil before you buy it & look for any problems. Wiring harnesses & the fuse box are a good place to take a look at too.

The battery may not be in great shape- every bike I've bought (5 so far), this has been the case. There's at least another $100.

On an old bike such as this one, there's a lot of possible add on costs that most people don't realize until they get it home or go for that 1st ride.

Originally Posted by canoli

Great read Mastiff thank you. I am prepared to walk away if I must. I put down a deposit but if I can't get a good answer as to why it's a "rebuilt" title I'll probably pass. The sales manager's answer was so vague he should've just said flat-out, "I don't know."

I did get him to "a number starting with 4" and I'm glad I remembered to ask if that is the final price. Of course not. There's a $395 dealer-something-something fee he says every Conn. dealer charges. An extra $400 is a pretty big chunk of change to tack on I think.

Obviously the NADA listing I found is wrong. "Average Retail $3035" yeah right. In my experience NADA and Kelley are usually in the ballpark but I don't see any Low Riders listed for less than $5K. Like you said it's all supply and demand. The LR has been one of Harley's best-selling bikes since they first came out with the FXS.

[Steve9]

Take a stand.

All sales talk is straight bs.

Say "I'll pay this, plus tacks. And I'll split the battery disposal fee with you"

NO OTHER FEES-CRAP. phone, pool, pets

[Tomcatt]

Originally Posted by canoli

I did get him to "a number starting with 4" and I'm glad I remembered to ask if that is the final price. Of course not. There's a $395 dealer-something-something fee he says every Conn. dealer charges. An extra $400 is a pretty big chunk of change to tack on I think.

Sit down with them and write it up. Look carefully at what's there. I went thru this process 2 yrs ago buying mine. It was a matter of looking at what's on paper and seeing what they're adding on. I sat and read and drew lines thru the add-on padding. There was about $600 I crossed out, this was after we'd discussed price. Ya gotta be prepared to tell them to call you if they reconsider and walk.

[canoli]

I'll be giving this bike a long look before I test ride it. Most stuff is pretty easy to check; the one thing that always worries me is the clutch / transmission. Can't tell much from a parking lot spin.

Well what the hell, it's always risky buying used but I don't like the newer Harleys. I'm in the Evo-or-earlier camp and I've been lucky so far. Learned a lot too keeping them on the road.

EDIT: Damn "REBUILT" title...looking online how to register it. Apparently NY must physically examine the bike before they'll register it and covert the title. Exam fee is >$200 and because Covid the exam schedule is all screwed up. Fk! I really like this bike.