DEALER SURVEY 2000 REBUTTLE

Are you people crazy!

So we started running the results and I thought, "Oh, well, you know who's going to win in that category, the guy who spent the most money remodeling his store," I said.  And then the numbers came up and I said "Mehren, run 'em again, it couldn't be right," and we ran 'em again and I was amazed.  What are you people thinking?

Maryott's wins for best overall store?  What?  Yeah, well they might be freeway close and all, but I can't say I ever walked in there and said to myself , "This is the way a store should look and feel, or gee - I better drive all the way up here to get my parts.  Hey, but what do I know, I'm just one customer!"

And then you vote for best sales store and Cascade motorcycle wins.  I know Sean is handsome and funny, but is that a guy you'd be inviting over to dinner anytime soon, or be leaving your baby with the next time you go out for a ride?  Give me a break, he's only human, and yet you rated him at an unheard of 95%!  Okay, okay, he's probably not your next best friend, but apparently he gave you a good deal and that's all you really care about.

And then you go and rate Maryott's number one for parts.  Should I be driving all the way to Timbuktu for my parts?  Well, you know, now that you mention it, maybe I should...  I haven't actually bought parts from them, but I hope my local guys learn the tricks that make Maryott's number one because I'm tired of getting the wrong parts here two weeks after they're ordered.

And then the masses go and rate Tom Sill at Lake City Honda the king of service!  Since when?  Last time I took my bike to that broken down dealership it was there for fourteen weeks and they charged me an arm and a leg to get it 'out of hawk'!  

I rolled at the thought of Maryott's having the best overall vibe. Okay, I agree the parking is fine, it's freeway close and it's easy to walk around in, but after all the money Boltz spent on Cycle Barn it seemed like a no-brainer.  

Anyway, I'm looking forward to next year's results.  Sound RIDER! is still a fairly new kid on the block and as the years go by, this will probably become a very serious barometer for local businesses.  I only hope I can contribute to this column each year as I love to get my  two cents in about anything stupid having to do with Puget Sound motorcycle industry.

Ted Knecht/Summer 00

(editor's note - Knecht is a regular rebuttlist for Sound RIDER!   He was severely slapped by the publisher after turning in this rubbish.)