Document preparation fees--RIPOFF

[grsthegreat]

When i purchased my Dodge ram diesel in 1994, i had all the prices and options agreed upon ahead of time, and the price negotiated. I get to the dealer with the checkbook and deposit money (i took a loan out way back then...stupid me) I COME TO SEE ALL THESE ADDITIONAL FEES ON THE BILL....Document prep fees, window tinting fees, undercoating fees.

I started to argue that these were not talked about, i did not want undercoat and tinting. They just did it and tried to get me to pay for them. And it added up to alot of money.

So the wife and I got up and walked out. He chased us into the lobby, and decided he'd just throw these things in for nothing....big of him (not)

I wonder how many suckers they swindled doing this. It still pisses me off.

 

[4Rook]

fargo salesman - YouTube

The OP's original fee of $50 seems valid, because the dealer provided a service for the fee. I'd gladly pay someone fifty bucks to run to the DMV.

My Kubota dealer charged a $20 fee for public record filing. Since there is no title transfer it is the "official" record of the transaction. It was disclosed at the time we shook hands on the price.

I pressed my nose against the windows of some new cars on Sunday. Dealers in the Bangor Maine area are charging 250-350 for a Doc fee. At least they're not trying to sneak it in on the contract. It is prominently displayed next to the window sticker with the new total. Doc fees are pure profit for the dealer and something that should be negotiated as part of the sale.

 

[buck12]

I guess I should have mentioned before that the "out the door price" or total price is the only thing I negotiate for. So I don't really care what they put on the paperwork as long as the bottom line is what we agreed on.

A few times in years past, it's been comical watching some young salesman trying to calculate backwards from a total price to figure tax, title, license, and base vehicle price.:laughing:

I do the same as Bird. One car dealer said they were required to charge a $400 documentation fee. I told him fine as long as the price did not go up.

 

[JJZ 109]

I don't know about other states, but in New York many times a dealer will simply bundle a bunch of new registrations/title apps together and ship them out to a DMV in a county other than their own for processing.
Apparently many times a more rural county isn't so busy as a metro area and has a much faster turnaround time.
The processing county pockets more money from the state for the transaction and the dealer gets the documents back to the customer without physically sending an employee to DMV.
Dealers that do that must really rake it in from their "document fees". They aren't paying anyone to travel to DMV and stand in line to do anything.

 

[JDgreen227]

I don't know about other states, but in New York many times a dealer will simply bundle a bunch of new registrations/title apps together and ship them out to a DMV in a county other than their own for processing.
Apparently many times a more rural county isn't so busy as a metro area and has a much faster turnaround time.
The processing county pockets more money from the state for the transaction and the dealer gets the documents back to the customer without physically sending an employee to DMV.
Dealers that do that must really rake it in from their "document fees". They aren't paying anyone to travel to DMV and stand in line to do anything.

OP here, that is exactly what my situation was, the dealer didn't have to send anyone to the DMV office, just mail in the papers and mail the new plates etc. to owners.

4Rook....must be really nice to have $50 to throw away on nothing. Service? I can get to my local DMV and back in 30 minutes for $5 worth of gas and be in and out in 5 minutes...I live in a mostly rural county.

But if you go to the DMV office in the township my in-laws live in, it is a 45 to 60 minute wait.

 

[DAY]

Reading these comments reminds me of the movie "Fargo"
-We buy cars every once in a blue moon, but these guys sell them every day

 

[4Rook]

OP here, that is exactly what my situation was, the dealer didn't have to send anyone to the DMV office, just mail in the papers and mail the new plates etc. to owners.

4Rook....must be really nice to have $50 to throw away on nothing. Service? I can get to my local DMV and back in 30 minutes for $5 worth of gas and be in and out in 5 minutes...I live in a mostly rural county.

But if you go to the DMV office in the township my in-laws live in, it is a 45 to 60 minute wait.

I just read your signature line.. now I understand...

So i guess you wont be getting the TruCoat either?

 

[ToadHill]

Never had a problem with document fees but I bought a used car once and told the salesman I wanted it inspected before I picked it up. When I got there the sticker was on it and the tires were all almost bald.

I told him I wanted one last test drive before I handed over the check. He got in the car and I drove it about 300 yards to the local police station. I got out and asked one of the officers to check my tires to see if they were legal.

The salesman sat there stammering. When the tires didn't pass I asked the officer what I could do to report the dealer for issuing a inspection sticker on a vehicle that should not have passed inspection. He told me it wasn't a problem because he'd report it to the state department of inspections.

We went back to the dealership and they put on 4 new tires. I read in the paper about 2 months later that the dealer had lost its inspection license.

 

[MoKelly]

Never had a problem with document fees but I bought a used car once and told the salesman I wanted it inspected before I picked it up. When I got there the sticker was on it and the tires were all almost bald.

I told him I wanted one last test drive before I handed over the check. He got in the car and I drove it about 300 yards to the local police station. I got out and asked one of the officers to check my tires to see if they were legal.

The salesman sat there stammering. When the tires didn't pass I asked the officer what I could do to report the dealer for issuing a inspection sticker on a vehicle that should not have passed inspection. He told me it wasn't a problem because he'd report it to the state department of inspections.

We went back to the dealership and they put on 4 new tires. I read in the paper about 2 months later that the dealer had lost its inspection license.

Wow. That is a great story.

MoKelly

 

[RollingsFarms]

Another trick they will do is have those extra fees already printed on the documents you sign so it appears as they didn't add them on at the last minuite and it's standard procedure for everyone to pay. I have a feeling they do this to take alot of heat off the salesman so you cant blame him since it's already on the document.

I had a little fun with the local Ford dealer one time. They tried to charge me that extra $250 documentation fee/dealer prep fee and when I went to sign the papers I crossed through it and the final price and deducted the charge, then wrote in the new price we had initially agreed upon and signed my name. I handed it back to the salesman after I did my little magic trick and he almost didn't catch it. We went back and forth about me paying for the extra charges or not and I ended up walking. I now drive a GMC if that tells you anything.

The dealer I buy from doesnt jerk you around like alot of them do. I deal with one salesman and have bought a car and a truck from him so he knows he has my business because he is square with me. He also will let you test drive any vehicle on the lot by yourself for as long as you want.