Forum Discussion

bullydogs1's avatar
bullydogs1
Explorer
Jul 22, 2013

Dealer "fees"

Are RV dealers doing what the car dealers are doing?...I never saw anything like it....they price things out and when it comes to the money at the last second, they pad the price with a ridiculous documentation fee which is like $500!.....I am very knowledgeable with this and nix it. In fact the supplier program specifically states to the dealer that all he can charge is $75 and he must abide by it....the point being that back in the early 90s , when I was involved with cars..we charged 30 dollars...now it is off the scale...do places like Lazy Days and other motorhome dealers do this as well...When we got our HR, it was 45 for documentation which is justifiable for motor vehicles etc...
Class A
  • ScottG's avatar
    ScottG
    Nomad
    Jul 23, 2013
    My dealer came up with a $1500 inspection fee. Told him it wasn't going to happen and to just give me the bottom line price with everything included. That worked and I think he realized I wasn't the type that was going to fall for that.
  • dougrainer's avatar
    dougrainer
    Nomad
    Jul 23, 2013
    REAL legitimate dealer fees (DOC fees) are to pay the dealers Title clerk to go to the Courthouse and file and get the necessary paperwork done. Usually the MAX is $75. In Texas, you could do this work yourself and avoid the Doc fee, until they changed the law and the retail customer is not allowed to do that anymore when purchasing from a licensed Dealer. The Dealer is required to do this paperwork now if purchased from him. ALL costs are negotiable. Doug
  • rk911's avatar
    rk911
    Explorer
    Jul 23, 2013
    lryrob9301 wrote:
    When you negotiate a price it should always be understood it is OUT THE DOOR, DOWN THE ROAD. That way they can call their fees what they want as long as the bottom line price is the agreed OUT THE DOOR amount.


    that's precisely how we bought our 2010 jeep liberty. I told 'em I could afford X-dollars and I didn't care how they wrote up the sales agreement but X-dollars was what I agreed to pay and not a dime more (sales tax excluded). worked for us.
  • ferndaleflyer's avatar
    ferndaleflyer
    Explorer III
    Jul 23, 2013
    I to have threatened to walk over "doc fees" also..... I don't do business with a thief and any one that is doing that is exactly that--a thief.
  • lryrob9301's avatar
    lryrob9301
    Explorer
    Jul 22, 2013
    When you negotiate a price it should always be understood it is OUT THE DOOR, DOWN THE ROAD. That way they can call their fees what they want as long as the bottom line price is the agreed OUT THE DOOR amount.
  • nevadanick's avatar
    nevadanick
    Explorer
    Jul 22, 2013
    A documentation fee is added profit. A title fee goes the state. I tell them i dont pay a service writers fee but figure thats coming next.
  • pronstar's avatar
    pronstar
    Explorer
    Jul 22, 2013
    That should be called "the cost of doing business".

    If they tell you there's a $500 doc fee, tell them you have a "$500 signature fee" for all the damned paperwork you have to sign.
  • lanerd's avatar
    lanerd
    Explorer II
    Jul 22, 2013
    Seems to me that all of these so called dealer's fees should be part of their profit. I don't understand how they can pad their profit like this and get away with it. As naturist said, we just need to get up and walk out whenever they try this price gouging. Unfortunately, only a very small percentage of buyers will do this and the dealers get away with it much more often than not.

    Ron
  • I_am_still_wayn's avatar
    I_am_still_wayn
    Explorer
    Jul 22, 2013
    Those documentation fees, paint sealant, fabric protectant, undercosting, vin glass etching, and on and on are merely huge profit centers for dealers. Some states have limits for documentation fees, but most do not. It works in the dealer's favor: they negotiate the lowest price, the buyer is happy, and then at the closing the add on is put into the deal. Some buyers may not notice, and others at this point will rarely walk on the deal.
  • naturist's avatar
    naturist
    Nomad
    Jul 22, 2013
    The last time I faced such a thing, I'd bought a car, and when we got the the point of writing the check, they'd tacked on such a fee. I closed my checkbook, said I did not agree to pay that sum, and they could either lose it, or I'd walk. They complained that "that's just our standard fee." I said "fine, goodbye" and stood up. That's when they dropped the idea.

    To be able to negotiate a sale, you have to be willing to walk.

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