Motor Scooter Buying Experience

[SpokaneAl]

My sister-in-law’s 20+ year old motor scooter finally bit the dust. In that I had been borrowing a niece’s scooter to travel to my morning runs and periodic swims at the local pool, we decided to buy a new scooter that both she and I could share.

We went to see the auto show that was going on and she really liked the Yahama Fino - she is a very small lady and wanted something small. I had no strong feelings either way - if she was happy and as long as it wasn’t pink and was an automatic, I was happy. We put 500 baht down, and agreed to visit the local dealer on Saturday (today) to pay for the scooter and finalize the deal.

While at the dealer we saw one that was just a bit bigger and cost just a bit more. We inquired about buying that one instead of the Fino. The salesman informed us that since the sale was already entered in the computer, we could not make the change.

Again, it mattered not to me, but I was amazed by that attitude. So was my wife, and she politely asked him a number of questions and he told her he would have to call Bangkok and it would be a lot of work.

My sister-in-law seemed to be happy with the original choice so we stuck with it.

I left amazed at the sales perspective here. My wife verified, after talking to the salesman, that even if we decided to move from the smallest, cheapest model to the biggest fanciest bike in the place, he would not be willing to proceed. In his mind once in the computer the decision is final.

I am sure that if we became adamant, we could have forced the issue.

I did wonder how his boss and/or the franchise owner would feel about this transaction.

Not wanting to reach blanket conclusions, but it does sometimes seem that customer service, and in this case, salesmanship in Thailand does have a ways to go.

[Spoonman]

I would have told him either do the change or you will cancel the order and go and buy a Honda instead.

[ricklev]

They don't work on commission, do they?

[krisb]

You don't speak Thai right?

[chris2004]

Computer says no.

[cornishcarlos]

It was only a 500 baht deposit ??

Why didn't you just cancel the deal and buy the bigger one....

[akirasan]

he told her he would have to call Bangkok and it would be a lot of work.

Well there's your problem.

[namdocmai]

I would let him keep the 500 and go to Honda to see the new Honda SH. It has bigger wheels, bigger engine and much bigger tyres, bigger tank and best of all: Made in Vietnam.

But you are right, the Thai sales are very arrogant. I had the same problem with buying a new car. Some months ago the sales offered me a discount of 50k baht and now there was another salesguy who refused to give that discount. They are only interested in their own bonus and don't care at all if they give their brand a bad name among customers.

But it's wise to have a good relation with that dealer because you will probably go there a few times for warranty. I don't know about Yamaha but Honda's are assembled in Thailand by "engineers" who don't have any technical education.

I select my dealers on speaking english or not. No english no deal no bonus.

[Spoonman]

I thought the Honda's were assemble by Technicians and the Engineers are the ones designing them but hey if if Honda has the cash to splash having Engineers doing the grunt work well then fair play to them.

[NoshowJones]

I wonder if the sales people are on a commission, I went to my local Honda agent and priced a new Wave 125. I was told 51.000 Baht, I said I would return the next day. I returned the next day with the cash. I saw the same sales person and said I will buy the bike, I then noticed there was no basket on it, so I asked her if I would get a basket with it, she said yes, then reached for her calculator, showed me the price for a basket, 390 Baht.

I asked her if I would get the basket free, if I payed the 51.000 baht there and then, she said no, I said, in that case I will not buy. The thing is if the price for the bike was 51.390 Baht, I would have bought it. I wonder what the owner or franchise holder would have said to that.

I just decided to hold on to my existing eight year old wave. This was nothing to do with the 390 Baht, it was purely on principle.

[watcharacters]

You don't speak Thai right?

.

Do you suppose his wife or sister-in Law does?

[Spoonman]

I wonder if the sales people are on a commission, I went to my local Honda agent and priced a new Wave 125. I was told 51.000 Baht, I said I would return the next day. I returned the next day with the cash. I saw the same sales person and said I will buy the bike, I then noticed there was no basket on it, so I asked her if I would get a basket with it, she said yes, then reached for her calculator, showed me the price for a basket, 390 Baht.

I asked her if I would get the basket free, if I payed the 51.000 baht there and then, she said no, I said, in that case I will not buy. The thing is if the price for the bike was 51.390 Baht, I would have bought it. I wonder what the owner or franchise holder would have said to that.

I just decided to hold on to my existing eight year old wave. This was nothing to do with the 390 Baht, it was purely on principle.

When I purchased my 125 Click I wanted it in the same red colour as my 110 Click but it had these horrid looking grey plastics on it. sales girlie told me I could buy the black plastics for 800b.

I told the girlie if they swap the grey plastic for black ones at no extra cost I'll pay cash there and then, but they had to do the swap there and then.

Reluctantly she agreed so they got 2 new Clicks out and did the plastics swap.

Also got my free jacket and free helmets.

[Issangeorge]

I saw my friends bike yesterday, I said boy you bought a new bike. He said no it was his 12 year old Honda Dream 100 that he had refurbished. It looked brand new and cost ฿8,000. Get your wave refurbished, a lot cheaper than a new one.

Sent from my i-mobile IQ X using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[NoshowJones]

I wonder if the sales people are on a commission, I went to my local Honda agent and priced a new Wave 125. I was told 51.000 Baht, I said I would return the next day. I returned the next day with the cash. I saw the same sales person and said I will buy the bike, I then noticed there was no basket on it, so I asked her if I would get a basket with it, she said yes, then reached for her calculator, showed me the price for a basket, 390 Baht.

I asked her if I would get the basket free, if I payed the 51.000 baht there and then, she said no, I said, in that case I will not buy. The thing is if the price for the bike was 51.390 Baht, I would have bought it. I wonder what the owner or franchise holder would have said to that.

I just decided to hold on to my existing eight year old wave. This was nothing to do with the 390 Baht, it was purely on principle.

When I purchased my 125 Click I wanted it in the same red colour as my 110 Click but it had these horrid looking grey plastics on it. sales girlie told me I could buy the black plastics for 800b.

I told the girlie if they swap the grey plastic for black ones at no extra cost I'll pay cash there and then, but they had to do the swap there and then.

Reluctantly she agreed so they got 2 new Clicks out and did the plastics swap.

Also got my free jacket and free helmets.

When I bought my present Wave eight years ago from the same showroom, the basket was already fitted, I also got a new jacket and helmet, but I just have to know, are the salespeople on a commission? She tried to sell me a wave 100, and offered me various accessories free, but nothing free with the 125.