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Most dealers here in FL charge high doc fees like that. On the flip side, some dealers advertise no doc fees. However, most often attach a bunch of other stuff to every vehicle they sell (paint protection and the usual dealer fluff). You have to carefully comparison shop to figure out what the best deal is.
I purchased my last new car several years ago. I don't remember what the charge was, but today I was told there is a $698 doc fee. Is this reasonable?
You would be surprised how the doc fee can go down as you walk out the door to the next dealership. On my last two vehicles, the fee has been $100-150.
In my old age, my days of grinding salesmen for the best deals for three or four hours is over. If we are making no progress in the first twenty minutes, I pull out a list of dealers in the region and start for the door.
You would be surprised how the doc fee can go down as you walk out the door to the next dealership. On my last two vehicles, the fee has been $100-150.
In my old age, my days of grinding salesmen for the best deals for three or four hours is over. If we are making no progress in the first twenty minutes, I pull out a list of dealers in the region and start for the door.
BINGO!! Never paid a doc fee, lot fee, or whatever they choose to call it. I make a deal, that's the deal or I walk out. Done it more than once. IF the fees are included in the final price, fine, but don't let them add it later.
My recent purchase included $150 in doc fees, but I negotiated (and walked out at one point) an out of door price. Some 'mandatory dealer options' disappeared, the trade price went up and the purchase price went down. You are right, they can list details any way they want.
I know these guys are just trying to stay in business with a squeeze on net and competition limiting gross, but the pressure on each deal / buyer is distasteful.
When purchasing a widely available vehicle you can just put out a request on the net and wait for the lowest price, but still have to fight these details. On a vehicle with limited availability it is even more difficult to negotiate a good price.
My recent purchase included $150 in doc fees, but I negotiated (and walked out at one point) an out of door price. Some 'mandatory dealer options' disappeared, the trade price went up and the purchase price went down. You are right, they can list details any way they want.
I know these guys are just trying to stay in business with a squeeze on net and competition limiting gross, but the pressure on each deal / buyer is distasteful.
When purchasing a widely available vehicle you can just put out a request on the net and wait for the lowest price, but still have to fight these details. On a vehicle with limited availability it is even more difficult to negotiate a good price.
All true but you just need to widen the net. All dealers have Internet Sales guys now and you just go find dealerships that you could drive (or take a bus) to visit. There are plenty out there. The more quotes you get the more your price will approach a real market price. Drop the guys that do not deal.
It is good time to buy a car but you need to be patient and wait out the dealers. After a couple weeks the target price you need to aim for will become clear.
And you can do the paperwork yourself. The dealer is simply doing it for you for “your convenience”
You can take all the paperwork walk in the DMV pay the tax transfer title and registration. Those are the ONLY three costs you should be paying other than the vehicle purchase price. Anything else is just add on for the dealer.
I purchased my last new car several years ago. I don't remember what the charge was, but today I was told there is a $698 doc fee. Is this reasonable?
No.
When I make a deal for a vehicle, and the paperwork comes back with $XXX.XX tacked on as a 'doc fee' I tell them I'm not paying it for someone to spend 10 minutes on the computer setting up and printing out the paperwork. I didn't agree to it and I won't pay it. I have walked out the door when they insisted I 'had' to pay it. Nope, I don't, it's a BS add-on specifically to pad the profit.
The last time I walked, I got a call-back the next day, from the dealership manager. He was very unhappy that the salesman had let me walk out with my cash. Yes, it was a cash deal. The manager told me that if I still wanted the vehicle, I could have it for the originally agreed price with no BS fees tacked on. An hour later the deal was done as originally agreed.
When you are wheeling and dealing, you have to be prepared to walk if the deal does not meet your specifications. Sometimes, a dealer will not budge (especially if they think they can easily find a sucker who won't balk at the 'extras') and you will have to look for another deal.
Many, many moons ago I worked at a dealership owned by mobsters, I have seen some of the shadiest, scammiest crap you can imagine. They made your 'average' dealers look like saints, in comparison. They eventually got put out of business.
And you can do the paperwork yourself. The dealer is simply doing it for you for “your convenience”
You can take all the paperwork walk in the DMV pay the tax transfer title and registration. Those are the ONLY three costs you should be paying other than the vehicle purchase price. Anything else is just add on for the dealer.
Yes, but depending on circumstances and what the dealer charges for doc fees, it might be a lot less hassle for them to do it, than for the customer to do it themselves.
For example, the DMV's hours are 8-5 M-F, but your work hours are 8-5 M-F. No way you're getting through that line on your lunch hour, either. Been there, tried that. In that case, best thing is take a couple of hours paid leave, and get in line outside their door early in the morning before they open.
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