Yamaha M450 - Should I do it? How's this price?
Idawg
I am considering buying a Yamaha M450 from a local store, including
delivery and two in home tunings for $3400. I have $600 credit from
the piano store, accrued from renting a Kawai console from them for
the last year. The store has a policy where you can upgrade your
piano at a later date and be credited the price you paid. I am a
semi-pro guitarist (BFA in guitar) proficient in Jazz, rock etc... I
mainly use my piano to play through a Beatles song book, some
standard, write songs and work on beginner/int classical pieces. Oh
yeah and my Hanon exercises. I am not interested in a digital, I have
a Yamaha Motif for any headphone needs and recording.
I'm concerned that the price is too high, and that the trade in policy
is too good to be true. I would love to buy this, keep it for five
years and trade up. My concern with that would be that they would get
me on the price of the next piano. The company does have a lowest
price policy, but I can't find prices anywhere on the internet.
What should I do? 3400?
Thanks in advance for any responses. I tried to get as much as I
could from the FAQ and google archive before posting.
Doug N
firm rotiunely gets $3800 for the piano + $145 local delivery + 4.5%
sales tax, for a total of $4116. If you can get it for $3400, I
suggest you do so. We also do the 100% trade in policy, and it
typically comes off of the MSRP.
Doug N.
ptooner
"Idawg" <ida...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:9f63c710.04051...@posting.google.com...
Trying to only address what you actually asked: $3400 is not all that high
a price for that model. The MSRP is $4195, subtracting the usual 25%
(Which is probably maximum on entry models) you should expect to pay at
least $3100 for this model - possibly a bit more. Soooo, he is actually
giving you $300 for your previous rent, not a bad deal at all if you want
this piano.
Obviously, I can't address his trade in policy, but most piano retailers
have something similar to this. Basically, they give you what you paid, or
a specific percentage of it against the list price of a more expensive
piano. If, for instance you decided to buy his cheapest grand at some later
date (not counting the below 5 foot GA1E) it would list for at least $16000.
If he gave you the $3400 off that, then you would be paying $12600
difference for it. If I came in off the street and offered to buy it with
no trade, he'd be offering me $12k (25% off). In your case, he not only got
more cash, but he got a resaleable used piano too.
Gerry
ptooner
"Doug N" <dnm...@cox.net> wrote in message
news:o9taa097if37h8otn...@4ax.com...
> It depends a great deal on the demand for Yamaha in your market. My
> firm rotiunely gets $3800 for the piano + $145 local delivery + 4.5%
> sales tax, for a total of $4116.
Wow!!! I won't ask you to identify the firm, but I am quite curious as to
the market. If you don't mind saying - perhaps just the size of the area?
Like small town in the deep south?
Gerry
Mizz Marcia Ryder
" >ptooner" wrote :
>
> >"Doug N" wrote
> > It depends a great deal on the demand for Yamaha in your market. My
> > firm rotiunely gets $3800 for the piano + $145 local delivery + 4.5%
> > sales tax, for a total of $4116.
>
> Wow!!! I won't ask you to identify the firm, but I am quite curious as to
> the market. If you don't mind saying - perhaps just the size of the area?
> Like small town in the deep south?
WOW!!!! Tell me the state ! That's half the sales tax of my state.
Sounds like the state of Utopia. Oh wait, I'll bet there's a honkin'
big state income tax, right?
Marsha
Doug N
wrote:
South of DC, metro area of about three million, right on the coast.
ptooner
"Mizz Marcia Ryder" <Mizz...@regrets.com> wrote in message
news:0LUpc.346$4c6...@fe1.columbus.rr.com...
Marsha, I don't know for sure where this is coming from, and I certainly
never heard of a dealer charging for delivery on a new piano - but Virginia
has a 4.5% sales tax. And - it's probably the highest overall tax rate in
the country. I own homes in three states, and in Virginia I pay ten times
the property tax I do on either of the other two. You are correct, it has a
Honkin big income tax too. Even though I am not a legal resident of Va, I
have to pay their tax on any income I earn in that state. They also have a
personal property tax, and every city and county has their own personal
property tax. I believe there is also local city and county sales taxes,
but I'm not sure.
Gerry
ptooner
Well, as a business man, I can only congratulate you. I believe I know the
area you are referring to, and I would have thought there would have been
way too much competition to get away with that kind of pricing. If you can
get by with it, you are certainly doing something right from a business
standpoint.
Gerry
Doug N
wrote:
>
>"Doug N" <dnm...@cox.net> wrote in message
>news:lbgga05bvn6b2ob88...@4ax.com...
>> On Sun, 16 May 2004 16:30:32 -0400, "ptooner" <no...@yourlife.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>> >
>> >"Doug N" <dnm...@cox.net> wrote in message
>> >news:o9taa097if37h8otn...@4ax.com...
>> >> It depends a great deal on the demand for Yamaha in your market. My
>> >> firm rotiunely gets $3800 for the piano + $145 local delivery + 4.5%
>> >> sales tax, for a total of $4116.
>> >
>> >Wow!!! I won't ask you to identify the firm, but I am quite curious as to
>> >the market. If you don't mind saying - perhaps just the size of the
>area?
>> >Like small town in the deep south?
>> >
>> >Gerry
>> >
>> South of DC, metro area of about three million, right on the coast.
>
>Well, as a business man, I can only congratulate you. I believe I know the
>area you are referring to, and I would have thought there would have been
>way too much competition to get away with that kind of pricing. If you can
>get by with it, you are certainly doing something right from a business
>standpoint.
>
>Gerry
>
Hi Gerry --
Thanks. We actually have five stores in our company, and we are the
only Yamaha dealer, so I guess we're not as shrewd as we appear. :)
Really though, I guess we've done a fair job of establishing the
value of the Yamaha against say the Kawai or Young Chang, which is
what our most immediate competition sells. Not saying that Yamaha is
necessarily a better piano at all levels, but that it offers good
value for the money.
To give you an idea, we also compete against Petrof, Charles Walter,
Steinway/Boston/Essex, and the full complement of Chinese pianos.
Along with Yamaha, we also carry Baldwin and Pearl River. I have
litttle demand for Baldwin at all, but some folks simply won't
consider an Asian piano. I have Pearl River in place for the very
entry level/furniture buyer. I have never put one in a church or
school, but I think they are fine for the casual, occasional living
room player.
Thanks again!
Doug
Idawg
> Trying to only address what you actually asked: $3400 is not all that high
> a price for that model. The MSRP is $4195, subtracting the usual 25%
> (Which is probably maximum on entry models) you should expect to pay at
> least $3100 for this model - possibly a bit more. Soooo, he is actually
> giving you $300 for your previous rent, not a bad deal at all if you want
> this piano.
> Obviously, I can't address his trade in policy, but most piano retailers
> have something similar to this. Basically, they give you what you paid, or
> a specific percentage of it against the list price of a more expensive
> piano. If, for instance you decided to buy his cheapest grand at some later
> date (not counting the below 5 foot GA1E) it would list for at least $16000.
> If he gave you the $3400 off that, then you would be paying $12600
> difference for it. If I came in off the street and offered to buy it with
> no trade, he'd be offering me $12k (25% off). In your case, he not only got
> more cash, but he got a resaleable used piano too.
>
> Gerry
Thanks so much to all who responded. After spending some time with
the M450 this weekend, and thinking about it a bit more. I've decided
not to buy it and wait till January when I have more money saved, so
that I can buy something I really like. The difference between the
M450 and the Kawai I'm renting are negligible, and if I can get a U1
around January I'll be better off for it.
It's good to know about the trade in policy and how its used against
the MSRP. I'm considering going the private party, hire a technician
to look at a used piano route. Either way I have plenty of time to
research.
ptooner
>
> Hi Gerry --
>
> Thanks. We actually have five stores in our company, and we are the
> only Yamaha dealer, so I guess we're not as shrewd as we appear. :)
Well, if you can continually get top dollar for your pianos, I will assume
you are doing something else very right (in the customer service line, I
mean). I have always maintained that price should not be the primary
consideration in choosing a dealer. I don't know your dealership, so I will
assume it must serve the customer well if you can get that kind of price.
>
> Really though, I guess we've done a fair job of establishing the
> value of the Yamaha against say the Kawai or Young Chang, which is
> what our most immediate competition sells. Not saying that Yamaha is
> necessarily a better piano at all levels, but that it offers good
> value for the money.
I agree that nearly every line has some place in this world, or it would not
be produced. In a major metropolitan area, you have to compete against
virtually every brand made.
>
> To give you an idea, we also compete against Petrof, Charles Walter,
> Steinway/Boston/Essex, and the full complement of Chinese pianos.
> Along with Yamaha, we also carry Baldwin and Pearl River. I have
> litttle demand for Baldwin at all, but some folks simply won't
> consider an Asian piano. I have Pearl River in place for the very
> entry level/furniture buyer. I have never put one in a church or
> school, but I think they are fine for the casual, occasional living
> room player.
>
> Thanks again!
>
> Doug
I was under the impression that Baldwin had gone away at least for now.
Could you update us on what their actual status is?
Thanks
Gerry
Doug N
wrote:
>I was under the impression that Baldwin had gone away at least for now.
>Could you update us on what their actual status is?
>Thanks
>Gerry
>
Hi again Garry --
Baldwin the company is gone; however, pianos that are still called
Baldwin (and the other names too, like Chickering, Wurlitzer, etc.)
are still available, sourced from the Gibson Guitar Co. Gibson has
tried their hand at making some pianos, too, but they are strange,
like a Les-Paul ish Hamilton, with LP goldtop finish, and mother of
pearl tuning leys for fallboard pulls.
Doug
Mi...@hotmail.com
>suggest you do so.
But it's still a Yamaha.