Honda hard bargain for new bike

[Kenny202]

Bought a new Click today. Never seen anything like it. No discount, nothing. I even walked out of the shop and they

didn't flinch. In the end I relented as I wanted to buy local (Isaan area) so hopefully they would be more helpful with

services etc. Got insurance and registration and a helmet I wouldn't give a kid to ride a pushbike but I ended up

paying full list.

Is this the way it normally is? Take it or leave it?

[eisfeld]

In my experience yes, they're selling so many of these and there are shops on every corner and they usually belong to the same owners that they don't care much for one guy trying to haggle. Also I haven't seen Thais even try to negotiate the price.

[Kenny202]

Yes, I figured I could have tried to get a better price with one of the independent dealers but for a saving of maybe 2000-3000 baht I figured after sales service may be better at the proper Honda shop (though I wont be counting on that too much either :-(

[Briggsy]

For a Click, some dealers may discount 300 Baht if you are lucky but probably only if they were charging 300 Baht more than the RRP to start with.

If there is more than one colour available, some colours may be cheaper than another.

Most dealers chuck in a free wind jacket and utterly crap helmet.

That is it. You are probably transposing your experiences in farangland and are disappointed that you cannot negotiate the price of a new vehicle down for a cash sale here. As I said, generally you can't.

[HooHaa]

and they would rather someone finance it than pay cash.

[revgreen]

Friend of mine got 1000 knocked off when he bought his. That's the most I've heard of.

[Kenny202]

Got the crap helmet and wind jacket. I didn't think they were going to sell it to me for any price at one

point. The guy seemed to have a problem with selling to a farang...obviously wasn't aware of the drill.

I produced my OA visa and letter from my amphur and finally convinced him to ring head office and they

ok'd it. Was nearly as painful as my stint in Bangkok bank yesterday trying to open a bank account :-(

[revgreen]

Wow. Buying mine was painless. Just had to have a Thai person there for some translation.

Plus I got crap helmet, crap jacket, AND, crap gloves.

[Kenny202]

I'm going back tomorrow for my crap gloves!

[JonnyF]

It's normal not to get a discount, paying the RRP is as good as it gets. But seriously, around 50,000 baht for a motorbike that will last 10 years or more if looked after. Costs less than 1000 baht a year for tax and basic insurance and costs about 500 baht for a service from the main dealer. Does maybe 40 kpl.

Pretty good deal IMO

[papa al]

A few years ago in Buriram I bought a new little Honda Brio.

THB500,000.

After I transferred the money (full payment) from my bank to theirs, and got the key, they decided they didn't want to sell it to me, but couldn't/wouldn't give me the money back for a few days.

I was more or less '<deleted>' and drove it off.

They called the cops and I had to go to the police station for a couple of hours.

I am not making this shit up.

[manarak]

A few years ago in Buriram I bought a new little Honda Brio.

THB500,000.

After I transferred the money (full payment) from my bank to theirs, and got the key, they decided they didn't want to sell it to me, but couldn't/wouldn't give me the money back for a few days.

I was more or less '<deleted>' and drove it off.

They called the cops and I had to go to the police station for a couple of hours.

I am not making this shit up.

I'd be interested in knowing the full story

[papa al]

A few years ago in Buriram I bought a new little Honda Brio.

THB500,000.

After I transferred the money (full payment) from my bank to theirs, and got the key, they decided they didn't want to sell it to me, but couldn't/wouldn't give me the money back for a few days.

I was more or less '<deleted>' and drove it off.

They called the cops and I had to go to the police station for a couple of hours.

I am not making this shit up.

I'd be interested in knowing the full story

Apparently they didn't know how to process the paper work for a farang.

They didn't want to admit their ignorance, of course.

Said it couldn't be done.

Police chief thought it all was very funny.

[Kenny202]

I find that totally believable. It's hit and miss with anything like that here. Any office or bank experience I have had. "I don't know what to do so I'll either sit here shuffle papers and look busy or run you around all over town until u get tired of it"

[CarlTyson]

Most people I know save 10% by shopping for their Honda at Asia City Motors in Bowin.

They will drop the bike off at you door.

[NoshowJones]

Friend of mine got 1000 knocked off when he bought his. That's the most I've heard of.

I went to my local Honda dealer to buy a new Wave 125, I had the cash in my pocket, I asked for a basket to be fitted, they told me it would cost 300Baht, I told them to forget it.

I then came home and looked at this bike forum, and there was good things said about the new PCX 150, I added about another 30.000Baht and went to the Honda dealer in the next town and bought it there and then.

I suspect both the dealers may have the same owners. The PCX is brilliant. My local dealer sure done me a big favour.

[Kenny202]

I love the pcx. Only seen the 150 though. Really popular on Phuket. Didn't think it would be a good choice for the rural area we are in. If I was driving on the bigger roads great but I've seen too many near misses. I take the pick up on the main roads. I settled on a click 125 I.

Edited December 7, 2014 by Kenny202

[Turkleton]

usually, the shops are absolutely not interested in cash payers.

They prefer finance for two reasons:

1. they get a monthly commission from the finance company, as long as the customer pays it's monthly interest rates.

2. if the customer stops paying his monthly rates, the shop can usually buy the bike back from the finance company for a small "fee" under the table, the "missing" difference is than covered by insurances.

That is the reason, why "interesting" bikes like PCX, Click125i, Zoomer, etc. usually never reach any motorbike auction, only the 2nd choice!

[AllanB]

My first GF here was a radio DJ, curiously she had to get her own sponsors and indeed collect the money each month from them. One of her customers and very close friends of many years owned a Honda dealership, so we went to see her to buy our Wave, this was 6 years ago. The woman said there is very little profit on a new bike and said she made all of her profit on the finance deals which were very lucrative. She gave us 500baht and that was it.

We paid 34,000baht (about £650 now less than £600 then) and when I was in the UK this year I saw the Wave 110 was priced at £2,000, now I know there are taxes and duties to pay, but that is a huge difference.

I personal ignore discounts, they are generally a con anyway (70% off what?), I ask what the price is, try to get it down if I can and they decide whether to buy.

Edited December 8, 2014 by AllanB

[yankee99]

My first GF here was a radio DJ, curiously she had to get her own sponsors and indeed collect the money each month from them. One of her customers and very close friends of many years owned a Honda dealership, so we went to see her to buy our Wave, this was 6 years ago. The woman said there is very little profit on a new bike and said she made all of her profit on the finance deals which were very lucrative. She gave us 500baht and that was it.

We paid 34,000baht (about £650 now less than £600 then) and when I was in the UK this year I saw the Wave 110 was priced at £2,000, now I know there are taxes and duties to pay, but that is a huge difference.

I personal ignore discounts, they are generally a con anyway (70% off what?), I ask what the price is, try to get it down if I can and they decide whether to buy.

£2000 isnt that like 100,000 baht for a wave? The uk is expensive Edited December 8, 2014 by yankee99

[BSJ]

I bought a Scoopy for the wife's daughter out at Bowin. Saved 600 baht on the price quoted by Mityon. I don't like Mityon so I was happy.

[Nebula]

Scoopy and spacy are the models that sell less and are delivered alot so one is more likely to get a bargain there. Also when visiting shop see if the model you want is there and how many of it. If have several then even if its pcx still can get a discount unlike when there is 1 or 2-3 scooters and they ll try to get the highest price.

[AllanB]

My first GF here was a radio DJ, curiously she had to get her own sponsors and indeed collect the money each month from them. One of her customers and very close friends of many years owned a Honda dealership, so we went to see her to buy our Wave, this was 6 years ago. The woman said there is very little profit on a new bike and said she made all of her profit on the finance deals which were very lucrative. She gave us 500baht and that was it.

We paid 34,000baht (about £650 now less than £600 then) and when I was in the UK this year I saw the Wave 110 was priced at £2,000, now I know there are taxes and duties to pay, but that is a huge difference.

I personal ignore discounts, they are generally a con anyway (70% off what?), I ask what the price is, try to get it down if I can and they decide whether to buy.

£2000 isnt that like 100,000 baht for a wave? The uk is expensive

That's right, some duty, freight, 20%vat, PDI costs, dealer's profit, cash flow, coffee, tea and biscuits, electric light, washing up,.............100,000 baht?...done. You certainly were.

This is Thailand where people work for £4 a day and in the USA where they shift one bike every 5 minutes per salesman, in the UK we "um and are" ourselves into retirement and then find we can't afford it.............Oh sorry I forgot about people with credit cards.