Can you WHEEL AND DEAL with a Dealer????

[FiremanDud]

My question is when you go to buy equipment from a dealer can the price and added stuff be Negotiated. I'm buying all my equipment from one dealer Mower, Edger, Trimmer, Blower, and Hedge Trimmer for about 6.1K. Can I ask for a better deal or ask for him to throw some extra equipment in the deal??????

[nobagger]

My question is when you go to buy equipment from a dealer can the price and added stuff be Negotiated. I'm buying all my equipment from one dealer Mower, Edger, Trimmer, Blower, and Hedge Trimmer for about 6.1K. Can I ask for a better deal or ask for him to throw some extra equipment in the deal??????
Doesn't hurt to try, tell him you looked around and found better prices on different pieces of equipment. Or just be up front with him, tell him your spending xyz dollars and would like 10% off or so. I spent 5.5k on new equipment this year but didn't get any huge breaks, so don't be mad if you don't get one. :waving:

[grass_cuttin_fool]

You can ask for some 2 stroke oil, maybe an extra set of blades for the mower. I quess you can ask or bargain a deal but its what he is willing to do to secure the deal.

[FiremanDud]

Well I got some quotes from some dealers and there taking 20 dollors off each 2 cycle machine. I wanted to ask for a equipment rack holder which go's for about 160.00 but didn't know if it's asking to much.

[nobagger]

Well I got some quotes from some dealers and there taking 20 dollors off each 2 cycle machine. I wanted to ask for a equipment rack holder which go's for about 160.00 but didn't know if it's asking to much.
Yeah that may be too much. Like you said they may knock off 20 bucks or so and thats about as good I think as your gonna get. payup

[nobagger]

You could look at it like this also, If and when you go to give a bid on a prop. how much are you willing to wheel and deal.

[nobagger]

Just one thing I forgot FD, I bought all of my equipment from the same dealer so we got to become pretty good friends, not like I go over to his house but he's helped me out in different ways. And he's also hooked me up with a few accounts and some, and I don't want to say inside info, but some that was very benificial to my pricing questions I've had on a few things.

[KIDWITHADREAM]

I hate when people do it to me, so dont do it to them. Anytime someone asks me for a "deal", i just simply state "This aint a garage sale" :p

[Brianslawn]

most 2 cycle equip is only marked up around $30 from dealer costs. small parts and mix oil usually have a 100% markup so its more common for some mix or blades to be thrown in with the deal. if he'll give you $20 of all 2 cycle equip, then take it and tell him you look forward to a long time biz relationship with him.

[topsites]

Doesn't hurt to try, tell him you looked around and found better prices on different pieces of equipment. Or just be up front with him, tell him your spending xyz dollars and would like 10% off or so. I spent 5.5k on new equipment this year but didn't get any huge breaks, so don't be mad if you don't get one. :waving:

Yes, I agree with that much money it is worth a shot. As for me I would go with the truth... I say this because when a customer tells ME someone offered them a better price, my answer is always 'Well then what am I doing here?' and see ya! Unless you did find a better price but then, why go to this guy, right?
Now IF the guy doesn't give you a break, maybe there IS another shop around you might check but ultimately you should give your business to the shop YOU want to deal with long-term and this shouldn't hinge on price alone.

[Newbie07]

Man, i can't believe what i am reading. Are you guys all adults on this forum. i have made large investments in the past and my dad has told me i am stupid if i ever pay full price. The dealers mark up quite a bit and can always come down if they know that you are willing to walk out of the store and not purchase anything if you cannot get a good deal. 20 bucks off??????? come one if you are spending $6,000 then he can sure as hell give you more than a set of baldes and oil. The dealer and you occupy different jobs. Retailers expect consumers to bargain and mark their prices accordingly. They make what they expect on the people who bargain and over on the few idiots who pay full price. Don't give me crap about only being 16 because i am apparently smarter than most of you. $6,000 dollars

[Runner]

Two customers call you up. They both want some things done today when you visit this afternoon. You only have 2 more hours of daylight left at the end of your run. Mr. Smith is has been a great paying customer...pays whatever you expect because he knows that YOU charge whatever it takes to continue to do GOOD service. He wants you to pick up some sticks and prune a few ornamentals ...about 1/2 hours work.
Also, Mrs. Kranzten called. She has been a customer for about the same time. Everything she asks for, she always wants to haggle price and talk you down from whatever price you quote her. She even wants discounts on little things like $15 touchup on the edging. She wants you to pull some weeds out of her beds, and rake up some leaves in her back. This is about 1/2 hours work, as well.
With the time constraints of only having time to do some of this before you leave for the weekend, which one are YOU going to prioritize?
You THINK about that when a piece of your equipment is sitting on their shelf with a tag on it. These guys are in business to feed THEIR families, too.

[mike101]

Im also looking for a deal on equip. I was at a dealer the other day and i just asked if he could give me a package deal if i bought all the stuff from him.....He ended up taking about 12% lower for the package deal over buying it all seperate. I live in an area that has several dealers with in a smalll area so they all compete for business.

mike

[mike101]

Two customers call you up. They both want some things done today when you visit this afternoon. You only have 2 more hours of daylight left at the end of your run. Mr. Smith is has been a great paying customer...pays whatever you expect because he knows that YOU charge whatever it takes to continue to do GOOD service. He wants you to pick up some sticks and prune a few ornamentals ...about 1/2 hours work.
Also, Mrs. Kranzten called. She has been a customer for about the same time. Everything she asks for, she always wants to haggle price and talk you down from whatever price you quote her. She even wants discounts on little things like $15 touchup on the edging. She wants you to pull some weeds out of her beds, and rake up some leaves in her back. This is about 1/2 hours work, as well.
With the time constraints of only having time to do some of this before you leave for the weekend, which one are YOU going to prioritize?
You THINK about that when a piece of your equipment is sitting on their shelf with a tag on it. These guys are in business to feed THEIR families, too.

Do you think that these dealers are living pay check to pay check? They make money.....they mark up stuff a great deal on some stuff. If You don't think they are getting a deal on all the equip they buy your crazy....thats why they buy in bulk...Now I'm very new to this and i don't know it all by a long shot but I'm not going to feel bad about taking a discounted price. thats my 2 cents. Also maybe i just miss read your comments?

[LorentzLawnSnow]

there are also several dealers here in a small area that have to compete. i bought a chainsaw from a dealer last year because it was a couple dollars cheaper on the tag. when i took the saw back because they failed to assemble it properly, they wouldn't even throw in a little oil for my trip back and forth. the other dealer that i always deal with usually will get a little more for his equipment on the sticker, but will haggle with you and usually will throw in the oil and blades without you even asking. i would find one that will work with you.

[SodKing]

I don't haggle, whine or beg at all. I pick a dealer from his reputation and his dealings with us. I ask their price and the give it too me. They always take care of us when we go into the shop. Sometimes the crew will stop by with a problem and the will fix it quickly and usually don't charge for small fixes.

I have found that when you don't haggle over price, or whine that so and so has it cheaper, you get better service and lower prices.

A short story about buying Fisher sander from our local dealer (whom I have bought about 4 plows and 2 sanders from never haggling over price). A mechanic in my complex went to him and asked about a sander and was told the price was $3800. he biiched and moaned and haggled about the price, said he was a loyal customer bla, bla, bla, and the dealer told him sorry that was the price...he whined and whined and said he wouldn't buy it there and left. He told me about his experience when he returned to the warehouse. I picked up the phone and called the dealer and said I needed another sander, he told me to come on up. When I got there I asked how much and he replied $3000. I said put it on the truck. The mechanic was amazed and asked how I did it. I told him I never haggle about price where he always did, therefore people will generally give me a better price....

[PROCUT1]

Anyone ever think of writing up a spec and sending it to dealers for a bid?

That happens in the lawn business all the time

[Newbie07]

This has been a good forum (Way to go FiremanDud) and Mike101 is right the dealers all mark up a lot. They do not live from pay check to paycheck or they would not have any equipment to sell. There is also a HUGE difference between a 6000 investment in equipment and a one time 15 dollar job.

[bohiaa]

YES you can....

In fact, If a shop doesn't want to fight for your account, Let him hit the hiway.

I never pay retail price. Even at Home Depot,

If you spend a lot of money, they want your business. if there not willing to wave a few of the cost items, The hell with'em

That's what banks are going through now

[TripleT'sLawnCare]

When I started out 2 years ago I went to the nearest dealer who sold the brand of mower and the brand of 2cycle equip. I was intrested in. In my case I went with Dixie Chopper and Echo. Got a package deal price and shopped around two other dealers in the area that carried the same brands. I ended up saving about 450.00 in the end. That was also still spending around 9500.00. But to me it was worth the time to shop around.

[Oldtimer]

Always remember, the only thing you really have to sell is your time. When you are losing $100.00 plus an hour because the dealer who gave you the best price has the worst service in the area and the other dealers service what they sell first, a few dollars really aren't important.

I read where someone thought a dealer marked equipment up 100%. This is mathematically impossible. I have LCOs tell me they double the price of materials and think that is a 100% mark up. Also, the LCOs don't purchase their mulch and other materials several months in advance, pay for them and expect someone to buy at a later date. That is what a dealer does in his parts department.

If a dealer holds a 15% gross profit margin for whole goods he is doing well.

I have been an equipment dealer for 20 years and about 25% of my sales are made without ever giving a price. The customers call in and tell me to get a piece of equipment ready and ask how much they owe when they pick it up or send an employee and we bill the customer. Often, my customers call and just ask for a trimmer or edger and sometimes a ZTR while expecting me to select the one they need.

I would like to think we have a pretty good service department because everyone in my dealership is committed to taking care of our customers to the best of their ability. I feel that service is 99% of ownership and we have a moral and ethical obligation to provide that service.

Oldtimer

[dtxwizard]

If you sit on it you haggle on it - if you hold it you dont.
on a major item purchase i try to get some hand tools thrown in so i dont have to haggle

ever pay full price for a new car ?
ever pay full price for a oil change ?
ever buy a new or used car for that fact and and get a bargin price and a couple oil changes thrown in ?

[65hoss]

Do you have any idea how many newbies that these dealers talk with. They know that many don't make it long term. Why should they be to concerned over a $6k purchase potential. They can sell much more than that every year to the long term players. Not saying your money isn't worth it, its just they hear all the "big plans" from newbies promising them all kinds of things for a good deal.

To get good deals, you must show a long term relationship with the dealer. Then he will gladly make you a priority.

[FiremanDud]

Thanks for the info, I called a couple dealers and told them the bid of the other dealers. Now they are bidding on my equipment for the best deal they can give me. I have 3 dealers trying to out do the other one. I can't believe how that works. I have dealer's bidding on a Gravely 34Z, all Stihl FS100R Trimmer, BR550 Blower, FC75 Edger, and a HL100KSA Articulating EXT hedge Trimmer. So far the best deal is 6143.77 out the door. How does that sound???????