Dealer fee ? WWYD

[mjk1967]

HI.
I'm talking with a dealer in a nearby state about a vehicle (which would ultimately be shipped).

This is going to sound naïve, but I've never had a straight 'dealer' fee on any vehicle I personally have bought. It amounts to about 900.00

Is this normal ? Is this negotiable?

I appreciate it.

PS - used car.

 

[We're Metals]

What does the dealer fee consist of when you ask them what the dealer fee consists of?

 

[Rand]

sounds like they are raising the price 900$ without raising the price 900.

This isnt TTL?

 

[gman2304]

ExtraDealerProfit……

 

[JohnnyG]

The last time I asked a car salesman what that was for, he said "That's for the owners 401K"! I gave him points for honesty.

 

[64bawagon]

Everything is negotiable. If you think automotive fees are bad ask anyone who has bought an RV.

 

[fdcg27]

As Nancy Reagan would have said, just say no and let the car go if the seller won't come off of this charge.

 

[dnewton3]

Always discuss it as an out-the-door price. OTD is the ONLY way to negotiate.
Establish the OTD first, then discuss (if appropriate) financing costs separately.

The "asking price" of a vehicle (or any item, for that matter) is to be ONE price; not flexible. This is per multiple FTC laws and rulings.

 

[TheOilWizard]

What does the dealer fee consist of when you ask them what the dealer fee consists of?

Oil change and running it through the car wash.

 

[The Critic]

Always discuss it as an out-the-door price. OTD is the ONLY way to negotiate.

Assuming the dealer knows your tax rate, yes.

The easiest method is to ask for a deal sheet that outlines all of the charges.

 

[I<3oil]

Negotiable for sure. If they say it’s not, offer on the vehicle a price minus that number.

 

[JohnnyJohnson]

Better known as the Stealership rip-off fee!

 

[Propflux01]

Doc fees are usually not negotiable unless you're really good at negotiating, but a dealer fee is simply a $900 bonus for the dealership. Tell them to drop it or walk away. They'll call back in a couple of days...

 

[D60]

When I bought my JL in '19 I was paying cash. They had a ~$320 "dealer service transfer fee" and just breezed over it in final paperwork like of course this is there.

I told them no, they had to take that off. He said it was non-negotiable and I politely said I understood and I'd just keep looking. I was in no particular hurry to buy and this was true. In his best I'm shaming you voice he said, "You'd let $300 keep us apart?!?" to which I simply said "Yes"

Suddenly the fee vanished. Weird, eh?

As Trump said in The Art of the Deal, just don't be afraid to walk away. I really did not think they'd waive the fee and was truly getting ready to just walk away and keep shopping. It wasn't a bluff and it wasn't a power struggle in my mind -- it just was, period.

 

[factorytuned2012]

Will they take $900 off msrp

 

[AZjeff]

Apparently they didn't get the memo the Covid shortages are over, there's a surplus now and sales are slow. No need to pay Added Dealer Profit on anything.

 

[Cujet]

I flat out refuse to pay a dealer fee. I've found the best way to purchase is to use the internet, compare and negotiate via email.

My 2024 F150 5.0L Lariat rolled out the door with all the dealer installed accessories (at no charge) and no dealer fee, no nonsense. Just an agreed upon total price, taxes included. Which was $12K less than sticker.

Don't tell me they lost money. They were thrilled to sell it to me.

So I had to drive 2 hours to pick it up. I spent a lot less.

 

[wag123]

If the $900 fee is on a used vehicle you are hosed because you can't purchase an identical vehicle anywhere else. IMO this fee is dishonest because the dealer should tell you about it up front. The reality is that the price they are advertising is "false advertising" because they are actually charging $24800 for a vehicle they are advertising for $23900. They ALL do it and they ALL get away with it! There should be a law.

 

[SC Maintenance]

I have never found a dealer here that doesn’t charge a dealer fee.

Out the door price is all that matters. Negotiating over this or that fee makes no difference. It’s the illusion of doing something. Total OTD is all that matters.

 

[RhondaHonda]

Ordered a 2021 Raptor at MSRP from a local dealer with a $199 doc fee at the time ordered and on the paperwork.

Went to pick it up a few months later and they had raised the fee to $349 or something like that. I was mad and tried all I could to get out of it. They knew I wouldn’t walk away since everyone else was marking Raptors up at the time $5,000-$10,000+. It pained me to pay it and felt like a real scum move for them to switch it. I said “you are going to let a 5 star review become a 2 star review over $150?” They did, said they couldn’t remove it.

I otherwise negotiate on the basis of our the door price.