Buying A New Car In NC (Hickory: sales, DMV, sales tax)

[TheEmissary]

Not that I'm contemplating buying a new car at this time, but I always read the car ads and I'm wondering about the Documentation Fee. It always seems to be around $500 or so. This seems really excessive to me! Also is the tax on a car at 7% or so and if not what is the rate?

[LakesideAnnie]

Originally Posted by TheEmissary

Not that I'm contemplating buying a new car at this time, but I always read the car ads and I'm wondering about the Documentation Fee. It always seems to be around $500 or so. This seems really excessive to me! Also is the tax on a car at 7% or so and if not what is the rate?

Documentation Fee...ugh!

Several years ago, I was shopping all the local dealers for a specific vehicle. Dealership_A had a doc fee of $299. But they didn't have the car I wanted. Dealership_B had the car I wanted, but their doc fees were about $600. I told them about the doc fee difference at Dealership_A and they reduced their doc fees as part of the deal.

[groove1]

Yes, you can use it as part of negotiating. I used to think they were BS, but Saturn of Hickory did a good job. Those fees save you a lot of time and headaches of going to the DMV yourself. I think $600 is a bit much though. I contacted a fdew dealers and said I wouldn't do business with them because of that being so high.

[TheEmissary]

Originally Posted by LakesideAnnie

Documentation Fee...ugh!

Several years ago, I was shopping all the local dealers for a specific vehicle. Dealership_A had a doc fee of $299. But they didn't have the car I wanted. Dealership_B had the car I wanted, but their doc fees were about $600. I told them about the doc fee difference at Dealership_A and they reduced their doc fees as part of the deal.

Annie - Good to know. The last time I bought a car in NJ they were starting the same thing. I can see the advertising fee that I paid there as being somewhat legit, but when they start throwing in computer fees doc fees, I hit the roof and told them that I wanted a price for the car to be negotiated up-front and not be "nickled and dimed" on the back end by this fee and that fee. I think it's just a scam to get more money by tacking on these "doc fees" that many people think is a standard of some sort. You should only pay for the car and sales tax. Even the licensing is a rip-off. If you tell them you're going to register the car yourself, which you can do, they have a hissy-fit.

[groove1]

Originally Posted by TheEmissary

Annie - Good to know. The last time I bought a car in NJ they were starting the same thing. I can see the advertising fee that I paid there as being somewhat legit, but when they start throwing in computer fees doc fees, I hit the roof and told them that I wanted a price for the car to be negotiated up-front and not be "nickled and dimed" on the back end by this fee and that fee. I think it's just a scam to get more money by tacking on these "doc fees" that many people think is a standard of some sort. You should only pay for the car and sales tax. Even the licensing is a rip-off. If you tell them you're going to register the car yourself, which you can do, they have a hissy-fit.

It's a lot harder to register the car yourslef if you are making payments because then you have to get the lienholder get the title to the DMV.

[TheEmissary]

Originally Posted by groove1

It's a lot harder to register the car yourslef if you are making payments because then you have to get the lienholder get the title to the DMV.

I always bought a car by writing a check - not the way most people do it these days, but that's just me.

[groove1]

Originally Posted by TheEmissary

I always bought a car by writing a check - not the way most people do it these days, but that's just me.

Well that will save a lot of headcahes and interest. The dealers will definitely knock off the doc fee if you do that.