Am I out of line?

[MotoMike]

My first post here, sucks I dont have something more upbeat to start with, but Im very disappointed with what went down today at my dealer. The bike involved is a new 2014 Deluxe in Black.
A dealer in a neighboring state had the bike and it was marked down $4k as a closeout.
My dealer did an invoice trade so I could deal with them instead if going out of state. Went to dealer today to pick it up. As soon as I saw it I did a predelivery inspection and found multiple scuffs and a couple scratches in the finish. also there were a couple scratches and stains on the seat.
The scuffs look like it was washed/waxed with dirty rags by a one dimensional shop hack who detailed bikes as punishment. The scratches in the baggage look like someone dragged a boot across it as they mounted or dismounted. Not scuffs, but scratches that catch a fingernail when you drag it across them.
Needless to say I was a little unhappy and disappointed that these guys would present the bike to me in this condition for delivery. I told my sales guy I was leaving, that I was done.
I already traded in a bike that they sold and the proceeds to be used as part of the down payment. I also have a couple k invested in accessories for my dream machine.
The sales guy seemed more or less dismissive when I voiced my concerns and frustration at them actually presenting the bike in this condition for me to take delivery. its almost as if they said, "Its got issues but, effit, the guys getting a below msrp price so screw the stains and scratches, he'll buy it anyway."
GRRRR.
His defense was that this was a 2 year bike that was marked down, that I had assumed I was buying as a new machine. they absolutely were selling it to me as a new machine.
When I started to head for the door, he got his manager on the line who said they had a 'Wing Tech' who would be in on tuesday and assured me he could take care of the paint and seat damage.
I want this bike very badly, but Im pissed about the dealers attitude and would walk in a second if they didnt already have my money and my accesories and the sale price.
I told him I would let their tech guy 'do his magic' and if satisfied with the results, I wouldnt kill the deal. But Im not holding my breath.
I aboslutely will never do business with these guys again, but I want this bike so badly.
In the same token, I know if I accepted this bike as it is, I would be totally jaded with it, especially everytime I washed it and saw the less than showroom finish I brought home.
to say Im conflicted is an understatement.

[Steve 0080]

First of all to the board !!!


Secondly, the paint is BAD on these bikes from the factory, the scratches and stains that is another story...hope all works out well!

[zzh54]

Welcome to the board.

I would not take it off the showroom floor looking as you described, I would call the Honda Rep in on this deal. If it has never been registered , and they selling it as new, it should look new.

[taxfree4]

If the dealer has this attitude from the start I would look somewhere else. How could you trust him when it comes to more serious things. A lot of us have/had Harleys also and this is the attitude, generally, of HD dealers. If I were you I would look somewhere else, I traveled 1200 miles to get mine and found a very good dealer within 20 miles of me. I service my Harley in another state not to deal with the shitheads in the NYC area, I make a day out of it. Since your first break in is at 5000 miles there is not a lot of dealer visits but they should be someone you trust and feel good about. I would go on eBay punch in your zip and put in whatever amount of miles you feel comfortable traveling to get one. Also there are bikes on this forum if you can stand a very well kept bike with a couple of miles on it.

[MisterB]

If the paint on the 14 is as soft as the 13 then they might not have been as ham-handed as you imagine.
I've adopted a Wabi-sabi* philosophy the older I get, and the F6B paint fits right in. Mine is so scratched up after 6 months it's like a whole new finish. Imagine a stone washed blade.
The good news is you can't see much of it once you're rolling, and the last thing on your mind will be the paint when your smile muscles start aching.
This big 'ol gal is a blast and a half!!


*Wabi-sabi (侘寂 ^?) represents Japanese aesthetics and a Japanese world view centered on the acceptance of transience and imperfection. The aesthetic is sometimes described as one of beauty that is "imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete".

[Greg O]

This happened to me last year when I bought my 2013, I was purchasing the bike 125 miles from home in Wisconsin. Multiple scuffs in the paint mostly in the bag lids. They ups'ed me 2 new lids and I took care of the rest of the scuffs myself. I did not want to drive all the way back after they detailed it. I figured the bike was in the crate for 2 years getting moved from here to there. It also had a very small paint scratch on the triple trees which I touched up with car touch up paint. I saved close to $4000 on this deal buying a left over, so I was a little tolerant on what I was receiving and I have 2 brand new saddle bag covers sitting in a box in my basement. With the bad paint these bikes come with I will probably repaint the bike in the next year or 2 anyhow.

[MotoMike]

I agree, I will not take delivery as is. I want the bike bad enough to give them the opportunity to make good on this deal. I understand from reading the sticky on paint issues from here that we have butter paint with no clear coat. My optimistic game plan was to bring home the little Darlin and liquid glass her azz.
This deal has been in the works for two months as I am an over the road contractor for United Van Lines and have been forging it mostly over digital comms. as far as the as the Japanese acceptance of imperfection goes, I respect The culture, but my attention to detail combined with low tolerance of fools interferes with my ability to accept less than what my opposites (dealer reps) would if placed in a similar predicament.
What insults me the most is that these twatts would even attempt to sail this past me after the machine has been with them as long as it has.

[Felloverboard]

I have a 2013 I bought brand new in sept 2014. It has many small and a few medium scratches that just won't wax out or go away even with all the suggestions that Honda will try to sell you with cleaning products. I put 5 coats of liquid glass on the bike as soon as I arrived home..... I saw very little difference. I have complaints into Honda right now insisiting on a repaint, hoping they will at least pay for half of a real paint job with 2--3 coats of clear. The OEM paint does have clearcoat, check out the paint codes. It is just a very fine thin coat that gives almost no protection..... Would I buy this bike again same as before.... YES. They have great deals on leftover 2013 & 2014 F6B's if you do a serious shop around. I went from Orlando FL to a place in mid Mississippi to buy mine because all the FL dealers who say we all buy for the same price and we will match... were 1500 to 2000 difference. Right now a 2013 is available for 13,300 plus 300 & u pay TTT when you get back home at one dealer. A 2014 for 13999 plus 300 plus TTT when you get home, and a 2015 for 15999 plus 300 and TTT when you get home. Those 3 are all standard models in one of the northeaster states.
These deals are good enough on a NEW GL1800 that after b2 years and no Honda help, you can still afford to get a repaint yourself for about $1000 if you tear down yourself. I am getting a Ruby Red like on the Ford F-150's and Mustangs, but still looking for Honda assistance. A class action suit would be tough to get. The best cleaning job I have found is to use a small homeowner pressure washer and dry with a yard blower. BUY the bike, you will love it scratches and all.

[53driver]

...but my attention to detail combined with low tolerance of fools interferes with my ability to accept less than what my opposites (dealer reps) would if placed in a similar predicament.
What insults me the most is that these twats would even attempt to sail this past me after the machine has been with them as long as it has.

Well spoken, good sir!

[wiggy]

I agree, I will not take delivery as is. I want the bike bad enough to give them the opportunity to make good on this deal. I understand from reading the sticky on paint issues from here that we have butter paint with no clear coat. My optimistic game plan was to bring home the little Darlin and liquid glass her azz.

I know Liquid Glass has good reviews by a lot of the members here, but imho, it doesn't do hardly anything to protect the paint. It gives it a good shine and is very easy to put on and take off. I'll give it that much. But when I got my brand new 2013 leftover, the first thing I did was start building up the coats of Liquid Glass. I must have had about 9 coats built up and let them bake in the sun but my bike has developed the fine scratches just like all the others are reporting with the Honda paint.

Good luck on getting the situation settled to your liking! You'll love the bike!