Outrageous Dealer Add-Ons and Fees - When Will They Learn?

UncleDave said:
Learn ?- They know what they are doing and prey on people that don't push back.

They wont stop because they get away with it 90+ % of the time, and because they can.

All you can do is give the straight shooters your business and avoid the tru-kote pushers.
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You are right, and when you do push back, some of them act like you’re the bad guy.
 
BHopkins said:
Unfortunately, it is not the dealership that has anything to learn about these methods used to increase dealership profit margins. Rather, it is the consumer. As long as consumers continue to accept these sort of dealership practices as the norm, and buy cars from these dealerships, the dealerships will continue to use them.
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Totally correct! Of course
 
john_pifer said:
Shopping for a new 2024 Odyssey, as we just found out we're expecting our 4th child, and, by the end of the year, we'll have 4 children under 4 years old!

My SOP is to treat the car-buying process as a bid, emailing multiple dealerships to inquire how much they're willing to discount their stock.

Our closest Honda store, Darrell Waltrip Honda in Franklin, has several Odysseys, and every one of them has over $3000 in dealer added garbage, including "LoJack Connect", a $1500 system for locating your car if it's stolen (Apple AirTags are $29), $300 for door cups (clear film under the door handles), $500 for window tint (that much for only the front windows!). And their doc fee is $750!

When will they come to the realization that most people don't want this stuff, and recognize that it's simply a profit-padder for the greedy dealerships? And it just aggravates the customer and creates ill will.

After contacting about a dozen dealerships, I will say that I've found one dealer - Classic Honda out of Galveston, that proudly advertises zero add-ons, and has the lowest price I've found - about 8% off MSRP on a Touring model after local Texas taxes and fees (not including my Tennessee taxes), and a (reasonable for 2024) $150 doc fee.

I guess Tennessee dealers are just extra greedy. I've bought 3 new vehicles since 2007 (2007 Tacoma, 2016 WRX, and 2021 4Runner), and I had to go out of state to find a dealer that would sell for a fair price on all 3 of them. Got the Tacoma and the WRX out of AR (Central Toyota in Jonesboogie and the WRX out of Little Rock), and the 4Runner from Vandergriff out of DFW. And it's looking like that's going to be the case again.

I've had a couple of closer dealers offer discounts of 2-3 grand, but they had a bunch of add-ons that are sinking their offer.

Glad the new vehicle market is softening a bit after the craziness of MSRP and "market adjustments" of 2021 into 2023.

If you're in the market for a vehicle (depending on what it is), don't be fooled into paying markups and paying for silly dealer add-ons that just serve to line the dealer's pockets. Just don't buy from those dealers. EVERYTHING is negotiable, as long as it's not a model that's super in-demand (yes, of course, demand sets price - that goes for anything).
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It happens in GA also. I found a Ridgeline that was the color and trim package I wanted. When the dealer wouldn’t remove the $3000 dollars of garbage, I left and purchased one at another dealer nearby that doesn’t do the add on garbage.
 
I always love the "Paint Protection Packages" or "Ceramic Coatings" for $500+

At least with the add-ons like roof racks, door guards etc im getting something thats going to last the life of the vehicle likely. Even window tint. I paid $400 for the tint they installed at the dealer for my most recent car telling myself at the time its a scam and being mad about it. In 4 years I still havent changed it out and I likely wont. Ive got bigger things in my life to be worried about rather than $400 of window tint on a $45,000 vehicle.
 
Within @100 miles of my home there are only 6 dealers that I will patronize. Two BMW, two Jeep, one Mazda and one M-B. They sell vehicles I actually want and don't play games. Looking elsewhere is simply not worth the aggravation.
 
Houston is where we go when we buy a car. central Louisiana here. the dealers are friendly and they move you in and out quickly. they have other people waiting in line to get their car.
 
john_pifer said:
Shopping for a new 2024 Odyssey, as we just found out we're expecting our 4th child, and, by the end of the year, we'll have 4 children under 4 years old!

My SOP is to treat the car-buying process as a bid, emailing multiple dealerships to inquire how much they're willing to discount their stock.

Our closest Honda store, Darrell Waltrip Honda in Franklin, has several Odysseys, and every one of them has over $3000 in dealer added garbage, including "LoJack Connect", a $1500 system for locating your car if it's stolen (Apple AirTags are $29), $300 for door cups (clear film under the door handles), $500 for window tint (that much for only the front windows!). And their doc fee is $750!

When will they come to the realization that most people don't want this stuff, and recognize that it's simply a profit-padder for the greedy dealerships? And it just aggravates the customer and creates ill will.

After contacting about a dozen dealerships, I will say that I've found one dealer - Classic Honda out of Galveston, that proudly advertises zero add-ons, and has the lowest price I've found - about 8% off MSRP on a Touring model after local Texas taxes and fees (not including my Tennessee taxes), and a (reasonable for 2024) $150 doc fee.

I guess Tennessee dealers are just extra greedy. I've bought 3 new vehicles since 2007 (2007 Tacoma, 2016 WRX, and 2021 4Runner), and I had to go out of state to find a dealer that would sell for a fair price on all 3 of them. Got the Tacoma and the WRX out of AR (Central Toyota in Jonesboogie and the WRX out of Little Rock), and the 4Runner from Vandergriff out of DFW. And it's looking like that's going to be the case again.

I've had a couple of closer dealers offer discounts of 2-3 grand, but they had a bunch of add-ons that are sinking their offer.

Glad the new vehicle market is softening a bit after the craziness of MSRP and "market adjustments" of 2021 into 2023.

If you're in the market for a vehicle (depending on what it is), don't be fooled into paying markups and paying for silly dealer add-ons that just serve to line the dealer's pockets. Just don't buy from those dealers. EVERYTHING is negotiable, as long as it's not a model that's super in-demand (yes, of course, demand sets price - that goes for anything).
Click to expand...
I had a similar experience purchasing a Honda CRV Sprt Touring. Most wanted 2-3k in add ONS. Found a dealer that gave it to her for about 2k off MSRP and no add Ons. One dealer wanted to add Propack for $1999.00 which consisted of floor mats, mud guards and wheel locks!!!!

Crazy dealer add on

My daughter looking at purchasing a new Honda CRV hybrid. One dealer had an accessory of $1999.00 for propack. Propack consists of wheel locks, mud flap and a cargo liner. I asked him 3 times if he forgot a few other items. Needless to say we didn't bite. I am trying the Costco vehicle...
bobistheoilguy.com

Costco car purchase experience.

In a previous thread ( link Below) I stated looking for a car for my daughter. Costco deal on a 2024 CRV sport Touring MSRP 42,005 was about $700 off MSRP and $600 doc fee and $400 DMV which are pretty much standard honestly there are many charging upward of $900 on doc fee in this area...
bobistheoilguy.com
 
Congrats on 4!

We had 2. Wish we had a couple more but back then we didn't think we could afford it.

I was one of 3 - it was like a zone defense - someone was always open.

My wife was 1 of 4. From her stories it was more like a jail break - or free for all.
 
SC Maintenance said:
Congrats on 4!

We had 2. Wish we had a couple more but back then we didn't think we could afford it.

I was one of 3 - it was like a zone defense - someone was always open.

My wife was 1 of 4. From her stories it was more like a jail break - or free for all.
Click to expand...
Jail break or free for all is accurate! Mine are 8, 6, 2, and 1, all boys. And in the nicest way possible, I have a child who’s smart enough to design a parachute and another willing to try said parachute…
 
Some of the dealer add-ons made sense for a while; my grandmother before she stopped driving, she would was willing to pay sticker back in the day if the dealer put those add-ons in at no extra cost. It was her favorite tactic to negotiate prices, she could figure out real quick what they see value as.

That said, I remember seeing for a while here in the NW at Chevy Dealers that was an "NW Edition" that was an special color and just had "NW Edition" embroidered everywhere.
 
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