2013 PC's Pre order limited offer...so cheap u wont believe it!

Sounds like a great opportunity for some people to score some great deals on some cats! I hate to let the cat out of the bag........ but small town dealerships don't make a lot of money from selling units. Successful small town powersports dealerships make money from their service. VOHK is one of the highest regarded performance shops in the country. They work very closely with multiple highly respected aftermarket companies and contribute countless ideas and improvements to the mountain sledding industry. Most people that purchase a sled from them bring that sled back for additional improvements from a simple shock revalve to a full on lightweight 300+ horsepower turbo setup. Very few if any other people put more time testing every imaginable setup to assure their customers of a great setup. The only way to truly understand and appreciate their real world testing, is to spend a day out on the snow with them when you pick up your new sled.

Good on VOHK for making an attempt to get more of these sleds on the snow!

VOHK said:

,,I would let some go at a loss and let word of mouth do the work. ...

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but the new cat 800's have a little problem about word of mouth being an advantage..it would be better if all the current owners didn;t spread the word..

Selling at a loss compared to invoice is somewhat of a gimmick whether it is cars, trucks or sleds. Most dealers make their money on holdbacks and sales incentives which are based on how many usits are sold per year. So selling a bunch of sleds at an invoice loss could make you more money than selling a few at a profit.

Anyway it sounds like a great deal.

sorry for being a skeptic and thanks for the good explanation.
I have a 2012 M1100T that I am very happy with or I would be
getting with you for prices.

The margins on sleds are just retarded. I sell retail and I wouldn't touch a sled at the margin dealers get. If they sell at full boat retail, there is maybe 12%, usually 10%. But nobody gets MSRP. They nearly all cut out half the profit. Then get the 5% back. So the so called "stealers" make a whopping 10% on a bulky, heavy, hard to ship product that is dependent on mother nature blessing them with a good winter. Trades, service, parts and accessories seem to be the only thing they can make a buck on. I think you would have to be a pretty sharp cat to make a real living in the sled business.

My passion for car audio prompted me to open a retail a/v store 16 years ago that has been very successful from hard work and a great reputation. Retail electronics is a very tough business, look at how many chapter 11 Big Box stores have had, just about all of them. Margins are extremely tight and it is all about moving boxes. When i became a partner of a motorsports shop the similarities are very much the same. I can say MM has hit it right on the head. If you want to stay competitive in retail motorsports you're lucky to get 5%. And if another dealer in your area is $200 less, then you make the decision to match and make $300 on a 12k unit or you hope your good name and your shop's reputation are enough to make the customer value that over $200. As easy as it sounds to just order less, like VOHK said, they don't let you do that without huge penalties, like no rebates on non current stock (yikes, how can you sell those at same prices as new models without rebates?), or start charging you interest on non-current inventory on your floor, etc. The industry is driven on moving units and you can lose the $200-$300 profit in a heartbeat, let alone paying for someone to take it off your lot cause that "costs" you less money than keeping it. Anyone in retail anything knows that inventory is the killer and the older it is the worst it is. It's a very tough business, has to be run tight, there's a reason a lot of dealers are in the same building as vehicle or farm implement dealerships, deeper pockets. Independents do it for the love of the sport, not to get rich. Something to think about the next time you kid your favorite sales guy to throw in that belt and a jug of oil, that could be his profit on that deal.

Big manufacturing companies develop sales strategies according to the economy and there predictions. Been happening for decades.

For awhile now they have been giving consumers good deals (lol, I know, it just doesn't seem that way) and taking advantage of the dealers.

Corporate profits continue to rise and dealer struggles to continue to make a profit. Sort of symbiotic relationship with a predator lol. Only one reason this can happen and that is because there is no profit in a bank deposit and the stock market is very risky.

I grew up in an era where a grumpy old mechanic or ex-racer could open a shop get a dealership and make a living. Put up with the attitude and eventually you got your answer or service but it was special and unique to "that guy". Good advice and the place stayed open through word of mouth, bad advice and the place changed hands. It was a great evolutionary system IMO. Today those places are closed or closing.

They are being replaced with "auto mall" type dealers with deep pockets. The manufacturers (predator) sence this and try to create it. They offer volume buying discounts that force the little guy out simply because of market size sometimes.
We the consumer caused this because of our demands for the best price and "super" service. The all mighty dollar that came out of your wallet demanded it, right?

These new super dealers de-sensitized our sport. The new model intros focus more and more on BNG's than dependability or performance. The owner's dad is counting the beans in the office and relaying daily to his son to keep the inventory down. The sales guys spend their time waiting for a customer reading how-to-sell books and dream of the day they can move on to a car or auto dealership. The parts guys and service manager get tired of hearing "why don't you have that in stock?" and need to kiss a** to keep their job. The showroom changes to the next season products and accessories as soon as the promo dates pass so don't expect any conversation about the last season products. And, they all have to work weekends and don't get a chance to ride or enjoy the sport enough.

I'm sad with the changes but it is what it is if you want a new machine. There is the aftermarket still. I wish the best for them.

Well said geo.

I'd like to think that in our industry the customers are passionate enough about the sport to realize at some point the more they try to nickel and dime the dealers the less manufacturers there will be for the aftermarket "fun" stuff. Without new sled sales there is only so much aftermarket companies have to built stuff for. Who is pushing that aftermarket segment....the little guys, not the superstores. Ask anyone there at the counter if they have tried this or that on their sled and wait for the blank stare. Most don't even ride. Sad really.