I know that I will be buying a new bike at the end of this year and I am not sure what to get. I have been reading a lot about different bikes and test riding potential buys. I spoke to Cray at BMW in Newmarket (North side of Mulock, East of Yonge St) a few months back about checking-out an R1200GS and he invited me for a demo ride, told me it would be May 26th at 1pm and that I should come an hour early as there is a BBQ for charity. I came an hour early and went to register to ride the bike and was asked for a $20.00 donation to the charity. Despite being a student and not having any income I often try to donate money here or there to different charities and, as I had been told that there was a bbq for charity I was fully prepared to eat some grub and kick-in some dough. However, I was now being told that I must give them at least $20.00 or I may not ride the bike!
I explained that I was a student and didn't have $20.00 to just give away which was met with a "then how the heck would you buy a BMW attitude." I then politely explained that I am in a professional program and that I already have a job arranged for when I graduate in August and thus am planning on buying a new bike in the late fall/early winter and am here because, from my reading, the R1200GS is one of the top 3 bikes on my list. The woman at the registration desk then decided to go get Cray and he told me again that if I don't pay the $20.00 to charity they will not let me take a demo ride. He then claimed that he told me on the phone that I would have to donate $20.00 to charity in order to ride. He was lying. He did tell me it was a charity event with a bbq and that proceeds go to a charity he never told me that it was mandatory to donate at least $20.00 in order to ride.
I waited several months for this demo ride and had to take time off a school-related duty in order to attend. I explained this to him and he once again said no 20 bucks, no ride.
I politely said "good afternoon" and left.
I thought that was a pretty chitty way to treat a potential customer interested in dropping $20,000.00 on a brand new bike. They could have made me a customer for life, instead they just lost my business and gained someone who will tell people not to go there.
I explained that I was a student and didn't have $20.00 to just give away which was met with a "then how the heck would you buy a BMW attitude." I then politely explained that I am in a professional program and that I already have a job arranged for when I graduate in August and thus am planning on buying a new bike in the late fall/early winter and am here because, from my reading, the R1200GS is one of the top 3 bikes on my list. The woman at the registration desk then decided to go get Cray and he told me again that if I don't pay the $20.00 to charity they will not let me take a demo ride. He then claimed that he told me on the phone that I would have to donate $20.00 to charity in order to ride. He was lying. He did tell me it was a charity event with a bbq and that proceeds go to a charity he never told me that it was mandatory to donate at least $20.00 in order to ride.
I waited several months for this demo ride and had to take time off a school-related duty in order to attend. I explained this to him and he once again said no 20 bucks, no ride.
I politely said "good afternoon" and left.
I thought that was a pretty chitty way to treat a potential customer interested in dropping $20,000.00 on a brand new bike. They could have made me a customer for life, instead they just lost my business and gained someone who will tell people not to go there.
, I guess. Please, write to me directly at: 