My campaign to eliminate or combat dealer "doc fees"
#16
Lexus Champion
Depends on what your goal is. I have a RELATIONSHIP with my dealer so I am not going to bicker with them over $500 which will be spread out over years. Cause when its time for them to do me a favor when something is out of warranty etc etc, they WILL remember me being a cheapass!!
While I agree these fees have grown, popped up, so has buying a car with huge incentives, at invoice, below invoice. Just Wednesday I talked to my dealer about maybe buying a vehicle and they knocked 6 grand off without me even asking. I am not going to bicker over a $500 doc fee.
I always recommend developing a relationship with a dealer if possible. They have HUGE leverage to help the consumer out in a variety of situations.
To the O.P I will say I appreciate your efforts to help consumers. The advice is not for me though.
While I agree these fees have grown, popped up, so has buying a car with huge incentives, at invoice, below invoice. Just Wednesday I talked to my dealer about maybe buying a vehicle and they knocked 6 grand off without me even asking. I am not going to bicker over a $500 doc fee.
I always recommend developing a relationship with a dealer if possible. They have HUGE leverage to help the consumer out in a variety of situations.
To the O.P I will say I appreciate your efforts to help consumers. The advice is not for me though.
#17
Doc fees are just a way to undo some of the negotiation you've done in your deal. that's why some dealers don't charge them, some charge $125, $250, $500 etc.
My stance is, I'm not going to pay you to do your job. All of your costs are built into the fact that you're making money on every car you sell. Want to take $100 for registering the car? Ok, that's fine. $60 for the plate transfer and $40 for the person to go there and do it. Fine. I'm not going to pay you $500 to process paperwork you have to process anyway, wash/inspect/maintain your inventory, or other costs of doing business. That's the dealer's responsibility and you're paying for it with your margins on the cars you sell.
My stance is, I'm not going to pay you to do your job. All of your costs are built into the fact that you're making money on every car you sell. Want to take $100 for registering the car? Ok, that's fine. $60 for the plate transfer and $40 for the person to go there and do it. Fine. I'm not going to pay you $500 to process paperwork you have to process anyway, wash/inspect/maintain your inventory, or other costs of doing business. That's the dealer's responsibility and you're paying for it with your margins on the cars you sell.
#18
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Depends on what your goal is. I have a RELATIONSHIP with my dealer so I am not going to bicker with them over $500 which will be spread out over years. Cause when its time for them to do me a favor when something is out of warranty etc etc, they WILL remember me being a cheapass!!
While I agree these fees have grown, popped up, so has buying a car with huge incentives, at invoice, below invoice. Just Wednesday I talked to my dealer about maybe buying a vehicle and they knocked 6 grand off without me even asking. I am not going to bicker over a $500 doc fee.
I always recommend developing a relationship with a dealer if possible. They have HUGE leverage to help the consumer out in a variety of situations.
To the O.P I will say I appreciate your efforts to help consumers. The advice is not for me though.
While I agree these fees have grown, popped up, so has buying a car with huge incentives, at invoice, below invoice. Just Wednesday I talked to my dealer about maybe buying a vehicle and they knocked 6 grand off without me even asking. I am not going to bicker over a $500 doc fee.
I always recommend developing a relationship with a dealer if possible. They have HUGE leverage to help the consumer out in a variety of situations.
To the O.P I will say I appreciate your efforts to help consumers. The advice is not for me though.
Your only leverage is knowledge as to the invoice price, incentives, hold backs, etc.
Rule #1: Never trust a car sales rep.
Rule #2: Don't forget rule #1.
Steve
#20
my method of buying a car from dealer is very simple......i tell them this is the price i want to pay out the door with TT&L. They can add any fee they like as long as the final number is the number OTD. I am a reasonable person so i never lowball them and it works most of the time. My latest purchase was 10' LS460L AWD Executive Seating......... Lexus charged $599 for PRE-DELIVERY SERVICE FEE and $59 ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION FILING FEE.
Last edited by Nick2JZ; 10-13-12 at 02:32 PM.
#21
Lexus Test Driver
Depends on what your goal is. I have a RELATIONSHIP with my dealer so I am not going to bicker with them over $500 which will be spread out over years. Cause when its time for them to do me a favor when something is out of warranty etc etc, they WILL remember me being a cheapass!!
While I agree these fees have grown, popped up, so has buying a car with huge incentives, at invoice, below invoice. Just Wednesday I talked to my dealer about maybe buying a vehicle and they knocked 6 grand off without me even asking. I am not going to bicker over a $500 doc fee.
I always recommend developing a relationship with a dealer if possible. They have HUGE leverage to help the consumer out in a variety of situations.
To the O.P I will say I appreciate your efforts to help consumers. The advice is not for me though.
While I agree these fees have grown, popped up, so has buying a car with huge incentives, at invoice, below invoice. Just Wednesday I talked to my dealer about maybe buying a vehicle and they knocked 6 grand off without me even asking. I am not going to bicker over a $500 doc fee.
I always recommend developing a relationship with a dealer if possible. They have HUGE leverage to help the consumer out in a variety of situations.
To the O.P I will say I appreciate your efforts to help consumers. The advice is not for me though.
last new car i bought last month, dont even recall what the doc fee was, didnt care, the deal was right and they took care of me....
#22
good post.... i have never haggled over the doc fee, if the sales price \ trade in is what i want, i am not *****ing over $150 which is what, a tank of gas these days?
last new car i bought last month, dont even recall what the doc fee was, didnt care, the deal was right and they took care of me....
last new car i bought last month, dont even recall what the doc fee was, didnt care, the deal was right and they took care of me....
They took care of you and the bottom line is the bottom line...
Example both dealers very nice and pricing is as follows:
Dealer A: Final offer is Car: $41,000 Doc Fee: $0 Total Cost of vehicle: $41,000
Dealer B: Final offier is Car: $1 Doc Fee: $39,000 Total Cost of vehicle: $39,001
Who will you buy the car from?
#23
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Exactly
They took care of you and the bottom line is the bottom line...
Example both dealers very nice and pricing is as follows:
Dealer A: Final offer is Car: $41,000 Doc Fee: $0 Total Cost of vehicle: $41,000
Dealer B: Final offer is Car: $1 Doc Fee: $39,000 Total Cost of vehicle: $39,001
Who will you buy the car from?
They took care of you and the bottom line is the bottom line...
Example both dealers very nice and pricing is as follows:
Dealer A: Final offer is Car: $41,000 Doc Fee: $0 Total Cost of vehicle: $41,000
Dealer B: Final offer is Car: $1 Doc Fee: $39,000 Total Cost of vehicle: $39,001
Who will you buy the car from?
On my last Lexus purchase from a dealer in Massachusetts (I live in NH), they wanted to add a $29 license plate fee. Since I wouldn't be registering the car in MA, there is no reason for me to pay the $29. They agreed to remove it. My feeling is why throw money away. $29 is better in my pocket than theirs.
Steve
#24
Lexus Champion
Exactly
They took care of you and the bottom line is the bottom line...
Example both dealers very nice and pricing is as follows:
Dealer A: Final offer is Car: $41,000 Doc Fee: $0 Total Cost of vehicle: $41,000
Dealer B: Final offier is Car: $1 Doc Fee: $39,000 Total Cost of vehicle: $39,001
Who will you buy the car from?
They took care of you and the bottom line is the bottom line...
Example both dealers very nice and pricing is as follows:
Dealer A: Final offer is Car: $41,000 Doc Fee: $0 Total Cost of vehicle: $41,000
Dealer B: Final offier is Car: $1 Doc Fee: $39,000 Total Cost of vehicle: $39,001
Who will you buy the car from?
#25
I suppose when I'm faced with this scenario, it will be an easy choice. But you know it doesn't work this way. You work hard to negotiate the best price of the car, then you get the invoice, and there's $500 tacked on. Depending on what car you are buying, you may have been $500 apart from another dealer. And...if you are, then you just tell them thanks, but no thanks.
it is valid thing to complain about - customer is always right, but at the same time, cars have never been cheaper with huge discounts, so it seems a bit silly to fixate on that.
#26
On my last Lexus purchase from a dealer in Massachusetts (I live in NH), they wanted to add a $29 license plate fee. Since I wouldn't be registering the car in MA, there is no reason for me to pay the $29. They agreed to remove it. My feeling is why throw money away. $29 is better in my pocket than theirs.
Steve
Steve
#27
I suppose when I'm faced with this scenario, it will be an easy choice. But you know it doesn't work this way. You work hard to negotiate the best price of the car, then you get the invoice, and there's $500 tacked on. Depending on what car you are buying, you may have been $500 apart from another dealer. And...if you are, then you just tell them thanks, but no thanks.
I showed up to pick it up and a $75 document fee was on the invoice, I worked pretty hard to get it removed. I had no idea about document fees etc but made a few calls and was told that some dealers are starting to charge them. I reluctantly paid it.
The internet wasn't very active then so I learned my lesson the hard way. Since then I've bought, for myself and others, over a dozen cars and have never been presented an invoice that wasn't exactly what I negotiated. Simply by stating up front the terms of how I prefer to negotiate (as in my first post in this thread) I've had good car buying experiences.
#28
my method of buying a car from dealer is very simple......i tell them this is the price i want to pay out the door with TT&L. They can add any fee they like as long as the final number is the number OTD. I am a reasonable person so i never lowball them and it works most of the time. .
Best Method. I love it.
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