What's a dealer fee and why should(n't) I pay it?
12-20-2012, 06:20 PM
#21
4th Gear Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Panama City, FL
Posts: 1,214
Makes no difference to me what they call my money once I pay for it. As long as the bottom line is what I want.....done deal. I always work on the "out the door price" so they get to figure out how the money is divided. Has worked good for many years.....
12-20-2012, 07:06 PM
#22
1st Gear Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: NV
Posts: 74
Go to Edmunds and look up the TMV (True market Value)
It will depend on the exact car, color and your location.
But then you have to add your local sales tax, and title fees
Most dealers here charge $399 for title/doc fee, probably about $300 over real cost.
My dealer, with considerable effort (3 hours), came down to the TMV price, which was under invoice. But I was buying a mundane version (not hard to find) so I used the threat to go to one of the other 3 Ford dealers in town several times. And I was paying cash, no financing to confuse things, no trade.
It will depend on the exact car, color and your location.
But then you have to add your local sales tax, and title fees
Most dealers here charge $399 for title/doc fee, probably about $300 over real cost.
My dealer, with considerable effort (3 hours), came down to the TMV price, which was under invoice. But I was buying a mundane version (not hard to find) so I used the threat to go to one of the other 3 Ford dealers in town several times. And I was paying cash, no financing to confuse things, no trade.
12-21-2012, 09:43 AM
#25
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: NW AR
Posts: 705
Look at it this way, just say your stealership sells 200 cars per month, and each person pays the $595 doc fee (which is the highest I've ever heard of, around here is around $100) that's $119000 of pure profit every month, or $1,428,000 in their pocket a year. The biggest problem I have with it is they try to throw it in when you're in finance AFTER you've negotiated a price with the salesman. When they tried it with me I told the FI guy I never agreed to a $125 doc fee, take that off or I'm leaving with my old car, they took it off.
12-22-2012, 09:37 PM
#27
4th Gear Member
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: California
Posts: 1,495
This thread made me curious enough to dig out my "Vehicle Order Confirmation" from 2006. This shows the retail and dealer invoice prices side by side. Included in the dealer invoice column is $420 for "FDAF assessment." There is nothing listed as an amount in the retail column. I think the "FDAF assessment" is the amount for Ford Dealer Advertising. So if you are paying $xxx over dealer invoice and then they add an advertising fee on top of that, the dealer should include a large bottle of petroleum jelly when they deliver the car.
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