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Post by shantyhag on Jul 15, 2015 23:29:01 GMT -5
As a sales pitch for new customer sales I'd emphasize the PDI and that it must be done by prof. tech. for the warranty to be valid. online retailers of course don't do this (generally)...
I was confused by BMS dealer terms - do they require 2 units a month or 6 a month (saw both these listed in different places). First of these, absolutely agreed... this was why I started the thread: "Not Only Do We Provide Service After the Sale, Here's What We Do BEFORE the Sale..." Second, I was confused by this as well, but I believe that the 6 units guarantees the territory. My fear isn't being able to hit 6 units per month, but being able to deliver the product people want. Personally, I can't wait to ride the TBX-260 in orange, but they only have burgundy in stock right now. So, our space is actually in renovation right now. We can't get our dealer's license until after we can put a desk, a phone and a sign inside to prove that we have a location-- the entire process seems 'cart before the horse'. We have our location, are already paying rent. It's about 15 minutes from your door (or at least ours) in Del Mar to the office at 8am. It's sometimes worse at 5pm, which makes no sense to me, but it's west of the 5. It would appear that the only dealer that had China Scoots close (well, unless you count Lance and the guys in Hillcrest don't) closed because of exceptionally bad service, or exceptionally bad business. I think that they were probably related. The only reason, RCQ, that I'm being coy at all about that right now is that 2 v 6 units. I don't want to raise any flags and not get the chance to sell the franchise. When we talked to the rep from Sym he tried to talk me into moving to Madison, WI to open a dealership. We just got to San Diego and we really want to stay awhile. |
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Post by shantyhag on Jul 15, 2015 12:01:48 GMT -5
LOL. Thanks, Todd... something to keep in mind! Where are you now?
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Post by shantyhag on Jul 15, 2015 11:57:41 GMT -5
Thanks again, RCQ! Here's the video I saw of the LED taillights: We totally agree with you about really good mechanic. Not sure that 'part-time to start scooter mechanic' pays well enough for a cross-country move, but George, if you're interested... As to warranty, one of the reasons we're so adamant about having a great mechanic is that BMS actually offers a full year parts and labor warranty and requires dealers to be able to service any/all bikes under warranty whether they bought them from us or not. Their reimbursement rates for the labor is REALLY low, however. I also see all over that the guys doing online sales are in violation of that dealer clause by offering only parts, or selling the 'extended warranty' for up to 12 months. We do plan on offering F&I products like extended warranties, but they would be good for time and things not covered under factory warranty which, while not as good as Sym/Lance, is I believe comparable to Piaggio/Yamaha/etc. It almost seems like the distributor is trying to do the right thing but is being hamstrung by a non-compliant dealer network. Also, their reimbursement is in credit not in cash, which makes for a less-than-profitable service side. Here's a link to their reimbursement rate page if you're interested: www.bmsmotor.com/warranty/flat_rate.htmlAm I wrong in thinking that's really low? |
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Post by shantyhag on Jul 14, 2015 16:46:12 GMT -5
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Post by shantyhag on Jul 14, 2015 16:23:08 GMT -5
Thank you both, GEH and RCQ! RCQ, we're actually not very far from you... if your name is also your zip code, we live just over the 5 from you (though the shop will be closer to town... I'll let you know more when we have things a little better locked down).
GEH... my concern-- and it sounds like you know a great deal more than do I about such things, no question-- but my concern is that aside from being beyond my personal skill level at the moment, that making changes to the CVT would void the factory warranty. It sounds like something that would be fun to learn how to do, but that might diminish the perceived value of the bike because the warranty would no longer apply. Is this a safe assumption or am I totally out in left field?
RCQ-- did you by any chance post a video of your LED lights? I saw a video of LED lights on the back of I believe a Heritage 150. They were pretty! Made a huge difference in the visibility of the bike, lit up the sky like a Harley tail. As far as thinking ahead, we have been doing so. We looked at Yamaha, but man that's a major commitment we're not yet able to make. They want a ton of space and a lot of inventory on the lot... I would too if I could command such a market. The list you made is great, though, and it made my wife and I start looking around at our little place to figure out exactly where "Parts" are going to go. (I'm assuming, btw, that BBK is a bore kit, yes? I've seen that acronym used here several times and I was guessing from context).
Thank you, again!
Shantyhag
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Post by shantyhag on Jul 13, 2015 22:00:25 GMT -5
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Post by shantyhag on Jul 13, 2015 21:56:43 GMT -5
Let me apologize... I tried to use the linking function, but apparently I'm inept. I've added a direct link to the CDI and Ignition Coil upgrade page.
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Post by shantyhag on Jul 13, 2015 21:08:24 GMT -5
OK, so I'm going to 'fess-up that I'm a complete and total newb when it comes to scooter mechanics. I got around on a bush-bike-- basically a Honda scoot with an upgraded suspension-- when I lived in West Africa, and that was a constant maintenance battle but I had the help of some incredibly intelligent and talented people and was mostly responsible for paying for the parts to keep it running. Now, my wife and I are opening a used car dealership. We find we have some space inside and we've always had a thing for sexy scooters; we're going to devote the inside space to selling new ones... assuming that BMS agrees then it will almost certainly be their bikes we start with. What we want to do is to find a way to differentiate ourselves from the internet guys. We are in an area with several colleges, where scooters can be ridden almost every day year round. We'll be able to provide financing, even some after-market F&I products like warranties and roadside assistance. But, man, it looks like the cream of the crop provide some great PDI work. We want to be those people. So, I'm looking at the stuff that can really make a difference. It would appear that BMS is already using good belts (I get this from the photos in one of the posts of the Heritage 150 where it appears their using Bando stock). So that's nice, yes? An iridium plug can make a difference, yes? Also, I've looked at CDI and Ignition Coils, which a lot of you seem to recommend replacing right away. Here's one that I found that wouldn't break the bank to upgrade with at PDI, but would it make a difference or does anyone have any better ideas?: www.everestpartssupplies.com/products/gy6-50cc-125cc-150cc-scooter-racing-performance-cdi-ignition-coil-atv-mopedYou're all very smart people, so I suspect you get the idea... I'm looking for things that a reasonably capable person can do prior to delivery to improve the quality of the bike and build value in the mind of the customer without adding an overwhelming amount to either the bottom or top lines of the sales price. We don't want to be a discount shop; we do want to sell scooters. Thanks in advance, all. Shantyhag |
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