Munroe Motors Crankiness

[biomimetic]

So... have been looking for a new bike for about 18 months or so.

I had intended to buy a Ducati, maybe a Monster or Scrambler for basic getting around. I have a couple, but could use a daily. I've spent probably a couple of grand over the last 5 or 10 years at Munroe and never had any problems (not as much as I've shelled out to Bevelheaven, but...). Some of the techs have helped me through stuff over the phone - although most of them seem to be gone now. I'm all the way up in Humboldt County and I've made it down a couple of times but either not had time to pull the trigger or not wanted or been able to get the bike in a van or ride it back.

Went in to Munroe back in the first week of October, but couldn't pull the trigger. Filled out an app, had numbers run on a Monster, but did not get to the finance officer stage. I really couldn't make up my mind about Desert Sled Scrambler or Monster and they're within $500 or so, so I wasn't worried about it. I don't know if it was a lassez faire attitude or some of the bad ways the Bay Area has changed - I am also one of those people who could probably walk in and pay for a Panagale out of pocket, but wasn't intending to pay cash that day. It did not seem like they really cared about my business very much and I was going to just take a couple of hours to think about it, but was unhappy enough I decided just not to go back.

Yesterday I got a mailing from VW saying that my finished financial app had been declined and my credit hit for 'no down payment'. I called Munroe and talked to their financial officer who had no answer for the discrepancy in dates: app filed Oct 6 but sent to VW on the 27th without notifying me in any way. Not even a follow up call to ask if I was coming back. She then escalated to abusive saying that I had 'wasted their time' and 'they had a record of every encounter with me' (three 10 minute phone calls and 35 minutes in the shop over 18 months - their time must be pretty valuable). She then said they had done it 'to teach me a lesson'.

So... could they file it? I suppose. It was probably good for 30 days. Should they have? And without informing me? I never made it into the finance office for legal initialing, GAP or service plans, etc. Also I don't know why they would turn in an app without the more legal bits from the finance office. So i guess I believe them: they want to punish their potential customers.

I probably wouldn't bother even posting except for the addendum of yesterday when I received the finance letter and then called them about it. Just, wow - things have changed. My wife's dad bought a bike from them as far back as the '50s and riders I've known going back 25 years have always recommended them. It was DEFINITELY not what I expected.

 

[Maddevill]

Sorry to hear this. Usually Matt and Nick are pretty good to people. They have lost some quality employees, like Jennifer in Parts. I think that living in crowded environments makes people insane a bit.

Mad

 

[two wheel tramp]

Did you contact a manager there?

 

[biomimetic]

After two sort of long abusive tirades over the course of a couple of minutes that went something along the lines of:

Q: Did you really turn in this app after two and half weeks without bothering to contact me? Is this some sort of mistake? Can you contact VW about this so my credit isn't ding'd?

Long unintelligible how dare I ugliness and vitriol ending in the above nastiness including creepy statements like the above. I forgot: 'You don't know how serious we are'. Yikes.

Me trying to interject at points: whoa, wait, whoa, what, why are you, whoa...

So after that, no, not so much. Normally I might, but I have to wonder anyone who is willing to employ someone like that is probably not someone who will work with you. And there's only so many hours in the day. It's not like I want more time with them.

 

[zammer]

That seems waaay out of line. I've been in there multiple times, I buy all my parts from them. Their service guys are sort of jackasses but they don't make money of me so that's kind of expected. The sales ppl always seemed OK. This just seems crazy vindictive especially with that language, to the point where I'd be trying to let the manager know they may have a wildcard on their hands.

 

[afm199]

Ask to talk to Nick.

 

[Rumbo Sur]

Ask to talk to Nick.

THIS ^^^^^^^
To OP:
I can see a few things that may have led to confusion and left Munroe staff thinking you were a FLAKE and wasting their time.

If you weren't even SURE that you wanted to buy a bike ... AND ... you weren't even sure WHICH bike you wanted ... Why in God's name would you sit down with a salesman and fill out a Credit app?

This is really Wrong Way Round thinking.

Didn't you say you could just "pay cash"? :wtf

My advice to you is to ask for some TEST RIDES ... but I doubt Munroe's would allow it at this point.

So, you just walk away after filling out all the paperwork ...without a word? (Sorry if I got that wrong, but that's sort of how I read it)

If you really do have CASH ... then why the HELL would you buy a NEW bike on Credit? There are absolutely fabulous "new-ish" USED bike deals out there for way less than new ... many even have warranties.

If you're not sure what bike ... TELL the sales guy that UP FRONT. Get a test ride if you can. Then say ... Thank You ... go think about it (at least over night) then come back with an offer ... or NOT.

(But if NOT, be sure to Call the guy and thank him for his time)

If they accept your offer ... NOW you're ready to fill out paperwork for Credit Ap.

And don't be a fool ... put as much of a down payment down as you can. loan amount will be less thus lower monthly payment ... and overall, will cost less and is more likely to be approved. BASICS!

But really ... BUY USED! and hopefully from a BARF member! :ride

I can't account for behavior of finance person ... but if what you say is accurate then I doubt she'll be in that job much longer.

PS: I've known Nick and Matt at Munroe's for 30 years and Pat and Jim as well. (RIP) Sounds like you should meet them both. Best guys I know in any shop anywhere ... anytime!

 

[biomimetic]

Not without a word - more like: Hm... am I going Monster or Desert Sled? Let's figure out a ball park of what it's going to be while I think for an hour. 'Well... we can't figure it out without the paperwork...'. To which I said ok having intended to do it. If you mean I didn't t communicate effectively after leaving Munroe, I guess you'd have a point. I also don't feel like I need to make the sale for them. I also have not really had any problems before, but not bought a bike there either. I've been on just about every type of Ducati ( and other Italian manufacturers) there is to ride, so not particularly worried about test rides.

Status update: I have not received any communication from Munroe. Or VW. (I was surprised after posting this I didn't.). My credit has taken a 50 point hit. I did file a complaint with CFPB about lack of explanation regarding finance's 2 week delay in filing the app with VW Financial and the complete lack of response when I contacted VW Financial. I fully expect this will be useless... Yeah, I dunno. Maybe I seem cavalier or something so people just thought yeah, let's go, not realizing even if I know what I'm going to do it doesn't mean I'm going to rush it.

I really appreciate what you're saying about a vote of confidence for the owners.

 

[budman]

I would file it under lousy employee??

Perhaps ask for upper management.

 

[Rumbo Sur]

Only other thought is ... it's a shame you were pressured into doing things their way. As you say, you've not bought a lot of bikes (most aren't experts in this area) so you were an easy Mark for them to pressure and intimidate.

You let them control the negotiations. This is what they do. They are scum and feed off you.

But it IS incumbent upon you to know more about WHAT YOU WANT ... and what things cost. Go on line and STUDY reviews of bikes you might be interested in. Look at Utube reviews until you puke. Now, go on Craig's list and peruse models and prices to get an idea who's offering discounts and who is not.

Now you have a clue. If at any time you feel pressured, get up, thank the guy WALK. There are Ducati dealers all over ... and often you can set up a deal over the phone if you know what you want. If they won't budge on price ... SEE YA!

I've a friend that hates the "sales" process so much he hires friends to go buy the bike he wants. (Cars too!) I've bought and sold two bikes for him! (nice commission!)

Anyway, don't sweat it. Good time to buy a bike, try to enjoy it .. if you're not having fun and it's not a friendly scene .. just walk out on them. :thumbup

 

[afm199]

Plus one on Nick. Great guy.

 

[biomimetic]

Hm... I've had 10 minutes to think about this now and here's the conclusion I have come to:

Manufacturers (in this case VW Finance) have quotas of apps dealerships have to meet to maintain their access to certain brands (along with show space and techs).

I did not finish the app and walked before making it into the finance officer (the crazy person's) office.

However, it's October and sales are low. Never fear: holding on to those apps through the month and then submitting them, in this case wherever the process stopped, gets the dealer to their quota.

This would not be just an unpleasant finance officer. This is the sort of directive that comes from the top.

If this were not the case - if this were the Munroe I remember - I think I would have heard something from someone there by now.

 

[mrzuzzo]

That is bullshit.

I would call and yell at Nick or whoever others here suggest.

There is no reason for them to submit your application weeks down the road.

And "wasting" their time is what these people get paid for. New bike purchase is a big deal, and tire kicking is part of the job of a salesman. If they can't take it they shouldn't be in sales.

Treating potential customers like this is pathetic, especially in such a slow motorcycle market.

 

[johnparjr]

That is bullshit.

I would call and yell at Nick or whoever others here suggest.

There is no reason for them to submit your application weeks down the road.

And "wasting" their time is what these people get paid for. New bike purchase is a big deal, and tire kicking is part of the job of a salesman. If they can't take it they shouldn't be in sales.

Treating potential customers like this is pathetic, especially in such a slow motorcycle market.

:thumbup

 

[FreeRyde]

When I worked at Honda, if the sales manager or sales guys pulled that they would have been fired the next day. We had to have the customers physical signature on the app before submitting it.

I don't know how you guys are so "ok" with this, and just tell him to "talk to Nick". I would never ever give them a single second of my time, ever again. Thanks for posting this, I will never step foot in that shop for the rest of my life (unless ownership changes, cause business culture is top-down)

Just WOW!

Also, I'd consider going the route of reporting and or contacting the following:
Better business bureau
Ducati HQ
VW Finance HQ
Various credit agencies
Maybe even local news stations

This is why people HATE going into dealerships (auto and moto)
It doesn't matter what that sales manager thought of you, she's in the SERVICE INDUSTRY, people are shitty and waste your time every day... It's part of the job. Get the f over it.

 

[Brokenlink]

Hm... I've had 10 minutes to think about this now and here's the conclusion I have come to:

Manufacturers (in this case VW Finance) have quotas of apps dealerships have to meet to maintain their access to certain brands (along with show space and techs).

I did not finish the app and walked before making it into the finance officer (the crazy person's) office.

However, it's October and sales are low. Never fear: holding on to those apps through the month and then submitting them, in this case wherever the process stopped, gets the dealer to their quota.

This would not be just an unpleasant finance officer. This is the sort of directive that comes from the top.

If this were not the case - if this were the Munroe I remember - I think I would have heard something from someone there by now.

This sounds like a crappy situation. But I have to ask, do you think that posting ha complaint here is supposed to get them to contact you? This isn't the Munroe Motors complaint forum. Call and talk to the guy in charge (and I don't mean budman).

 

[FreeRyde]

This sounds like a crappy situation. But I have to ask, do you think that posting ha complaint here is supposed to get them to contact you? This isn't the Munroe Motors complaint forum. Call and talk to the guy in charge (and I don't mean budman).

This is a review and recommendation forum.
I took it as "Don't go here" type recommendation. :laughing

 

[biomimetic]

Been about 4 and half weeks since I received it, but I did indeed have a response from VW Finance via CFPB for this. It said basically what I proposed in a slightly more lawyerly fashion: They wish dealers would not do this, and they advise them not to, but they are within their rights to. They can give numbers but they have metrics they have to meet in order to remain in good standing to sell the bikes, and some of them use this to do it. They seemed reasonable and sorry about it; unlike Munroe. I had filled out an app last year, which was not submitted (or at least I never received anything about it and it doesn't appear on any credit reporting) which was run by Andy Goebbels over there for an MV back when I though I might have time for such annoyances. Also a very low volume bike... Had thought about going back in and just forking over the cash for a little Guzzi as a daily hack even. But... I guess I'm glad I didn't.

 

[KooLaid]

Good to know. I am about to put up my sumo for sale and step back into the Ducati side with a new Panigale V4