My Honda Dealership Vanished!!!

[200XMichigan]

I was driving by the Honda dealership the other day, planning on stopping by to grab some tune up parts for the Big Red I just got and the sign was gone, the store was empty, and the phone was shut off! Really a bummer. It was really nice having the Honda shop pretty close. The nearest one is over 100 miles away now.

Weird thing is I was in there a week ago and there was no sign it was going anywhere.

[inv3ctiv3]

Damn that's a real bummer :(

[fabiodriven]

Get used to it. The only thing I go to my local dealer for is two-stroke oil. Their parts are absurdly marked up and they're getting what they deserve IMO.

[willrideanythin]

Not all, And those are the ones that will stick around. My dealerships treat me very well. They have to because the web just a click away.

[hublake]

[QUOTE=200XMichigan;941136]I was driving by the Honda dealership the other day, planning on stopping by to grab some tune up parts for the Big Red I just got and the sign was gone, the store was empty, and the phone was shut off! Really a bummer. It was really nice having the Honda shop pretty close. The nearest one is over 100 miles away now.

Weird thing is I was in there a week ago and there was no sign it was going anywhere.[/QUOT

Where just below the bridge are you located? I go to D's Honda in Alpena. I have been treated by them very good and I get as much stuff from them as possible. Their prices might be a bit more, but they don't charge me any shipping and if I order something on Monday they will have it generally by Thur. They also give me a break on bit ticket items.

[Dirtcrasher]

I don't buy anything aside from filter oil at the dealer, they are literally DOUBLE the cost of Service Honda who charges either 9.99$ or 14.99$ to ship.

My local Kawi and Yamaha business just went belly up and the Honda dealer is right behind them. They are the ones that had the huge vintage auction last spring or so. A friend brought me there for a "racers discount" and a 7$ part from SH was 13.99 WITH his discount and 18$ without. 87$ an hour for services, 80$ to bore with a "power hone", screw them.

Don't bother defending them, I take very good care of anyone who sends me anything or buys anything I make and I still get very little business/side work. I'll be glad to see them gone, maybe I'll get some more work :D

[200XMichigan]

Yeah, these guys had great prices, usually cheaper than bikebandit, or equal once shipping was added in. And they would get it shipped quicker. I know a lot of people have dealerships that rip them off but these guys had great prices.

Came in to get a cover for my Nighthawk, $120, I was going to walk out and shop around, told him they had one down the road for $75, he said $80, deal, and its a genuine Honda cover, way nicer than the one for $75. I will miss them.

It was Zampich's in Pellston. Ask at the place in Alpena next time you are there if they know what happened to the Honda place in Pellston, the people that owned it were from Onaway.

I am not defending dealships, just mine, they always treated me good. I don't think there is any max limit on how much they can mark up parts so some charge an arm and a leg, but these guys were really fair. Every time I read about people complaining about dealerships I thought, "man I am lucky to have these guys close by." Now they are gone.

[tecat-z]

I don't buy anything aside from filter oil at the dealer, they are literally DOUBLE the cost of Service Honda who charges either 9.99$ or 14.99$ to ship.

My local Kawi and Yamaha business just went belly up and the Honda dealer is right behind them. They are the ones that had the huge vintage auction last spring or so. A friend brought me there for a "racers discount" and a 7$ part from SH was 13.99 WITH his discount and 18$ without. 87$ an hour for services, 80$ to bore with a "power hone", screw them.

Don't bother defending them, I take very good care of anyone who sends me anything or buys anything I make and I still get very little business/side work. I'll be glad to see them gone, maybe I'll get some more work :D

Wow D.C.!!! These are businesses that employ people like you and me. I hate to see any business fail....

[Dirtcrasher]

Wow D.C.!!! These are businesses that employ people like you and me. I hate to see any business fail....

Ed, in this economy how can anyone support there local economy by paying 3X the cost?? Maybe this wasn't the case with his dealer but it is with all the businesses that have failed in my area. Corporate greed, nothing to do with costs of operations.

Nothing pisses me off more than working for a company or purchasing from one that has 6 people sauntering around making big bucks; I've seen it all around.

You can't stay in business forever ripping people off, then we lose our jobs.

I'd rather work for a business that treats their customers right when they walk in rather than barely noticing them standing at the counter.

When I bought 5 gallons of race gas at Bettencourts Honda I asked "will this blend OK with 93 and stay fresh if I keep it closed and in a dry area", to which he responded "you can do whatever you want" as he walked the other direction. With counter sales persons like that, I couldn't care less about them staying afloat.

I treat customers like gold so they'll be happy, pass the word and come back. I have no pity for over charging rude dealerships..........

[HuffieVA]

My local dealer carries the big four, and we have a local KTM guy both of which charge out the ass for anything, not to mention if you ask for parts for something more than a few years old you get the cold shoulder… My Husky dealer is about 75 miles away and does the same thing, aside from 2 stroke oil or an occasional have to have part I do strictly mail order… They just don’t care about anything after they sell it unless they get a huge markup on parts. Just last week I asked about a new YZ250 and got the “4-stroke” speech from a twenty year old kid telling me how slow and outdated smokers were… Too bad he’s not old enough to have ever ridded a full size smoker… I may just but a Maico…

[hublake]

Not all dealerships are like those mentioned in DC's post above. I wouldn't do business with a dealership that had people like that either, but my Honda dealer treats me differently. I recently purchase an OEM muffler for my 83 Red Big which had a listed retail price of $211.00. He gave it to me for $140.00 plus tax and no shipping. When I started purchasing things there about 6 years ago, on any special order parts I had to pay first. Now they order anything I need and I just pay when I pick it up. I must be lucky.

[200XMichigan]

I want them to come back, when I start getting parts for my 200X they thought it was cool I was fixing up an old three wheeler. I brought in the fuel pump off my YT175 and even though they are a Honda dealer they stocked some sled parts and found a Mikuni rebuild kit for my Yamaha 3 wheeler, after digging for 15 min through old stock they found it. They will be greatly missed. We have a nice aftermarket shop for oil and filters but they are further away and I can't get genuine Honda parts when I need them. I could also order stuff and pay when I picked it up, the counter guy new me by my first name and I was the guy who came in looking for random stuff for old 3 wheelers.

DC sounds like your shop was fully off a$$holes. Not all of them are like that. Its sad that there are so many terrible dealers out there.

[JayBone]

HuffyVA

The dealers are just like that were i live!!!. I pisses me off to no end. I worked retail so i know the deal. I guess that why i get so mad, cause i was taught to help customers. If it's an 02 your out of luck. It seems like it's to much effort for them to order a part or at least help out. Even if they don't wanna order the part at least playy the game. I may one day come in and buy something worth their wild.

[beets442]

We have B&E Honda in Valparaiso, IN and suprised they haven't gone out of business yet. I brought me 350X there for a basic tune up. I usually do it myself but had more money than time. I trailered it home and deceided to go over it before I started it, thank god I did cause I was going to PA to go riding. Took the seat off and checked to see if they installed my new air filter, which was laying in the bottom of the box. I looked at the carb and the intake boot was offset from the carb.The fuel line was barely on the petcock and they lost my fueline clips, didn't even put hose clamps back on. I go and start it and it runs good, I let it idle for a few mins and look to see if my lights are working and they are on, but as soon as I gave it gas both lights go out. WHY? They unhooked the rectifier. Blew both bulbs out. Now i'm pissed. I replaced the bulbs and go back and told them what happened. I asked if they would pay for the bulbs cause of all the crap I had to do to fix it. They said no and if I have another problem not to bring it back. Don't worry "I WILL NEVER GO BACK!" Thanks "ROY" called him a few good names and asked him to step outside to square it up. What a bunch of wussys with a p. I'm glad to to take my stuff out of town to a real mechanic fix it, if need be. Sorry had to vent, Dealers SUK! Beets

[Dirtcrasher]

DC sounds like your shop was fully off a$$holes. Not all of them are like that. Its sad that there are so many terrible dealers out there.


Thats why they call us MASSHOLES. This state blows..... but all my family and familiar surroundings are stuck here. If my parents were gone I'd get out of here but never before.

[sblt500r]

dc, when i used to go to bettencourts, i would only talk to dave. he seemed to know everything. still had the high prices, but that was before i had internet! i was there the other day just to look around, and one of the owners showed and told us about all the race bikes out back. must have been a slow day! the blue atc90 on the wall looked brand new, other than the dust all over it! oh and there boreing does suck. they screwed up my lt500 cylinder, and you can't do anything about cause you sign a form incase they screw up!

when brockton cycle went out of business, i got some good deals on tires. got some $120 tires for $30. i would never pay $120 for a tire!

[Dirtcrasher]

Dave died this spring/summer, then things got really bad fast.....

Thats great you got into Brockton and nabbed some stuff! :D That was the RUDEST dealer around, IMHO.

They had chicks there that wouldn't look at you, thats not including the ones that don't look at ya elsewhere :lol: I hated going in there.

Good boot sales though.....

[muthey]

my local honda dealer haas great prices but don't dare mention anything to paul the owner he can't get you out the door fast enough, his wife on the other hand is absolutley wonderful, and goes out of her way to help and give the best price she can , and still make a lil profit, so I understand both ends of the argument, never the less I only go there when paul is not in, when I need to order any parts

[cr480r]

I'm with DC.. Most stealerships I've dealt with are ridiculous.. I always get the vibe if you dont ride the latest greatest overpriced machine, and beg them the sell you all the overpriced cookie cutter add ons they stock then you arent worth their time... I cant see how anyone at a bike shop could have a poor attitude... I can only dream of having a job working with bikes and trying to help others... If the shops weren't rediculously overpriced on everything, including the $80+ per hour rip off clown mechanic rate, maybe most riders wouldnt shop online or send thier engines across the country to get worked on.. I feel if a business cannot succeed without rip-off tactics then they deserve to fail.. I do like to support local owner/operator businesses, especially when they seem to appreciate my patronage.. 200x michigan.. sorry to hear about the loss of your dealership, it sounds like they were actually staffed with quality people.