Classic Del Amo!

[GregP]

It's been a while since we bashed Del Amo so here goes!

I went to Del Amo reluctantly today to pick up some brake pads (believe it or not they were the best deal I could find) and walked the shop after my big purchase.

I see a row of 20 plus R6's lined up with big sale tags at $6999. I do a double take thinking they must be the low budget R6S but its the real R6.  I start thinking wow, maybe Del Amo has changed its tune. 

The next row of bikes I see are ZX10Rs with sales tags that read $6899. My brain starts spinning. I'm doing the math in my head and thinking even with Del Amo's silly fees I could walk out of there with a brand new 09' ZX10R for $8500.

I take a look at the regular sales tag and there are $2500 of "fees" on the tag. The sales guy walks up at this point and ask me if I have any questions. I say, "If it wasn't for these silly fees this would be a killer deal."  He responds, "don't worry about the fees. I can get you out of here for $11,500!" 

$11,500! WTF!!!  I say, "my simple math puts me out of here at $8,500 maybe $9k tops if I pay a little bit of these fees."

He says, "they'd laugh me out of the sales room if I came in with that offer."

I have a good laugh realizing Del Amo will never change and walk out the door!

[madmatt]

d-bags.

[monster torque]

You guy's must be talking about ( Del Lame o) That's the way they been playing the game for year's. I have been waiting for my Duc part's for over two month's now. 

[gm2]

you really gotta wonder how they stay in business.

[NoisyDante]

When I was initially looking for a bike last Summer, I went into Del Amo cause they're 5 minutes down the highway for me and they had Ducatis.  I didn't know much of their reputation but I learned what they were all about pretty quickly.

I started looking at the 696's, and a young sales guy comes over to see if I needed help.  Turns out I couldn't have walked out with a Ducati on that day even if I wanted to, their Ducati financing system was not functioning, but I could have gotten anything else there without issue.

He proceeds to have me sit on a GSX650, says he rides one himself and loves it.  Here's where the ridiculousness starts.  He said, "see that red button?  gives you extra power, turns it from a 650cc into a 750cc just like that."  He meant it too, literally, he wasn't being metaphorical, he had no clue whatsoever about engine displacement.  I said "well that's just not possible.  Do you at least know how much bhp it has?"  He says "Oh well over 200."  Right.


Then he gets the manager involved.  I just wanted to get a pricing idea at that point if I went new, but all he was concerned with was selling me a bike that day.  Didn't matter if it was the one I wanted, he makes his money off the gixxers obviously.  I told him I wasn't going to take a bike that day and I'd be back . . . and I almost walked out without my license which they had copied to get me a quote.  I asked for it back, they struggled to look for it and said I had it, I then said 'if I don't get my license back in 10 seconds I'm calling the police', and it appeared right away out of the managers front pocket.


They are so skeevy there.  One other thing the manager said was that every two weeks on average a customer will drop their new bike in the parking lot.  He chuckled at this.  Nice that they care.

[GregP]

It is visually an incredible shop. I think they prey on nobs. Anyone with a clue wouldn't pay $1200 shipping and $1300 prep fees. That is 25% the cost of the bike at MSRP.  From what I understand, prep on a new bike requires taking it out of the crate, tightening and adjusting a few controls putting some fluids in and starting it up. $1300!!!

Who would pay $11,500 for a bike with a sticker of $6899?  That's nearly 50% taxes and fees. 

They never fail to disappoint.

[NoisyDante]

It is visually an incredible shop. I think they prey on noobs.

It does look nice, and they totally do prey on noobs.  Personally it matters more to me if they treat me well and are honest and helpful, at that point I don't care how the shop might look.  The staff at ProItalia and SoCal Ducati have both been great to me, and while it is totally out of my way to get to either of them (especially SoCal in Brea) I give them my most of my business.

[gm2]

Personally it matters more to me if they treat me well and are honest and helpful

and that aint del suckhole.

[hbliam]

and I almost walked out without my license which they had copied to get me a quote. 

That's an issue right there. Why do you need my CDL to tell me how much something costs? To test ride? yes. to quote? I don't think so.