The year was 2007. I decided to purchase an XT660R. My local Yamaha dealer was and is Damerells. Supportive chap that i am, i went to buy local. The sales person had only one R in which had been registered and had 20 miles or so on the clock. I requested a new one as the Yamaha finance did not cover that particular bike. I was told that this all i could have and that that there was no way of getting any new ones any more for that year, there was a shortage.
Coming home i rang three other yamaha dealers, not local, and they asked how many i would like. Loads to choose from. I bought one, not locally!
The year is 2010. Time for a new bike. Thought i try an XJ6. Again i thought buying local is the right thing to do. Off i went to Damerells. They had the right bike in stock but with the list price attached. Asking for the best they can offer me with my XT660 as part exchange they quoted me �200 under list price with a laughable offer for the XT. All they would do! Coming home i rang a big national dealer we all heard of (G.W) and got an offer �1300 under Damerell's and a decent price for the XT. Still trying to go local i rang Damerells and told the the quote. Never wanted them to match that price, just come a bit towards me. Basically told me to get lost and buy the other bike. 'I would' the sales bloke said.
2010 again. Looking for a Tenere. Off to Damerells again. Some people don't learn. They got one in stock. At a staggering �6600. Best price for me would be �6200. But would not take my XJ in part exchange. Not on new bikes i was told. They would not move at all on anything. So i said my Thanks and went home to call the big national. I was quoted �1200 pounds less for the Tenere and given a good deal on the XJ. Brilliant again. And delivery to my door when i want it.
So much for buying local. Nobody expects to pay the same low prices for the goods the big guns would charge but please don't take us for mugs.
For that poor performance on selling me a bike on three occations: Damerells, shame on you.

Rob

P.S.
They still got one more at that price.

It pays to shop around!!
There must be a lot more affluent people in Cornwall to pay Damerall's asking prices than when I left Bodmin/Cornwall in the mid eighties.
Maybe they are still trying to recoup some costs of when they paid too much for my knackered TS250X in '94

I have bought numerous bikes from GW, they are very hard to beat IMO and always extremely helpfull, im all for supporting the local dealer but when your saving that sort of amount of money its stupid not to

I have had the same sort of experiences as you. Try to local and they take the piss. List prices etc etc. Now I am happy to buy furtherafield to get the right deal.

George whites were excellent the last time I dealt with them. They were 100 miles away and gave me a decent px against my first xt. Worth the trip for sure.

My current bike was off here second hand, that was worth travellingmfor and renting a van as well.

I say forget local unless local equals the best deal. After all it's only once and then it's yours. Only slight drawback is if you buy new only the supplying dealer will service the bike foc.

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Hi Tony,
have to correct you there. No free first service anymore. Yamaha are cost cutting badly these days. So it doesn't matter where you buy the bike.

Rob

When I say free I mean the labour, you still have to pay for parts. Are you saying you don't get free labour anymore? If so then there is zero incentives to stay local.

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