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Reader Darrell was shopping recently for a new car and snapped a picture of the College Park Hyundai dealership in Maryland that's charging $1495 for dealer-installed door edge guards. "They were on every car on the lot," wrote Darrell.
I almost bought a Mazda ten years ago. The dealer tried pulling some similar stunt, and wouldn't give me the car without paint protection, VIN etching, rustproofing, or whatever other snake oil the car had for $1000 or so. I left and the dealer was gone a year later. My local Chrysler dealer may do this too, from what I've seen on the lot, but his markup on his dealer add-ons is only slightly unreasonable.
And? When I bought the Mazda everything on the lot was marked up $3,000+ above MSRP. I paid $1,800 under. That's just how car buying at a dealership is... it's not like anyone pays asking price.
Reader Darrell was shopping recently for a new car and snapped a picture of the College Park Hyundai dealership in Maryland that's charging $1495 for dealer-installed door edge guards. "They were on every car on the lot," wrote Darrell.
A local Hyundai Dealer here in New Jersey (BRAD BENSON'S HYUNDAI) advertises on the radio "35% off the posted dealer price on every new Hyundai in stock"! I'm sure his cars are loaded with high markup items like door edge guards, pin stripes and the likes. What a ripoff.
My point was that every Mazda on the lot, before it even saw the showroom floor, got some dealer-installed options at an insane markup. I asked to get a car there that did not have $1000 VIN etching, et al, and the dealer refused. It had nothing to do with the price of the car itself- it was the dealer-installed options that were ridiculous. The dealer lost a sale when I refused to accept a car with his options, and he later lost his franchise because that sort of thing is rarely tolerated around here. From what I've seen over the years, even the foreign car dealers here don't typically do this.
Actually, I don't think the "markup" has anything to do with the edge guards.
The way I read it, is the dealer, yes installed the edgeguards but not charging anything.
BUT, they are offering a market value adjustment. Basically saying this car is so desireable it sells for more then MSRP.
You usually only see it on rare specialty models, like a ZR1 Corvette. Yes it's MSRP is say 100k, but dealer knows its 1 of 5 cars just like it, and its the only availible Zr1 within 500 miles. The dealer will take on a market reference cost.
Its the flipside of an incentive.
I think they are stupid for thinking a hyundai will get a car like this.
A local Hyundai Dealer here in New Jersey (BRAD BENSON'S HYUNDAI) advertises on the radio "35% off the posted dealer price on every new Hyundai in stock"! I'm sure his cars are loaded with high markup items like door edge guards, pin stripes and the likes. What a ripoff.
I've seen dealers put strips on some cars when they hit the lot. they they slap the letters SE on it & call it a SPECIAL EDITION! Customers tend to buy into this crap & so dealers are more then willing to sucker them.
All for a low price of $3,000.
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