Dealer fees in Florida for used car

[911TerryT]

My son in Florida is trying to buy his first car(used) and sent me the no trade buyers order and I was floored at the dealer fluff.

I worked in a dealership in my early days and know how all this works. I don't think the goals have changed for dealers and that is to make profit but how you arrive at selling prices has.

For example, a car advertised on Autotrader at $16,500 that has a great price rating is really $20,500 before tax. I am astute enough to look past all this and determine if the 20,500 is a good deal or not but I bet there are customers that don't get hit with this until it comes time to paying or financing. But....thought it was interesting how these dealers end up at the selling price. Some of the fees from a VW dealer on a used Passat were...Inspection fee of 795.00, Preferred Vehicle Benefit $1,395(fabric treatment), Documentation fee $1198, Electronic filing fee $560, PTA $189, Tag fee $425. Another dealer discounts the car by 25% that you need to make up in cash and the same dealer you must add $1,500 if you don't finance with them at a terrible rate compared to what you can get at your own bank.

The fine print says fees may apply. Some fees are listed but most are not. So you have to go through the painful back and forth to get an actual price.

I just wish dealers would advertise the price that you would pay if you wanted to buy.

[Rick Lee]

Gotta insist on an "out the door" price. I really don't care how the allocate the funds or what their internal processes are. I care about my final price to drive it off the lot.

[Dixie]

My friend is currently dealing with this. She was looking at a car for $14,500. Dealer fees were another $4,000, so she walked.

Then there was the great deal on a Mazda CX5. That went south when the title had SALVAGE in big letters on it.

[jcommin]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

Gotta insist on an "out the door" price. I really don't care how the allocate the funds or what their internal processes are. I care about my final price to drive it off the lot.

^ this. The add on fees has gotten ridiculous. It is the out the door that counts.

[Rick Lee]

Same thing with "resort fees" at hotels. This BS allows them to advertise a much lower nightly rate.

Obviously, it'd be nearly impossible for a deal to advertise an OTD price, since a customer can buy so many add-ons. But other than taxes and titles fees, they need to be pretty close.

[id10t]

Most are BS, the dealer I bought a used car from in March was very honest about it and actually sent me a $40 refund a few weeks later since I had a plate already. The real state cost of dealer -> my existing plate was around $100.

on the other hand, buying as a PP here in Florida a new plate will set you back $175ish plus the sales tax on the declared price of the car. If you have an existing plate, then it is just sales tax on the declared price of the car.

[CurtEgerer]

[masraum]

Originally Posted by 911TerryT

My son in Florida is trying to buy his first car(used) and sent me the no trade buyers order and I was floored at the dealer fluff.

I worked in a dealership in my early days and know how all this works. I don't think the goals have changed for dealers and that is to make profit but how you arrive at selling prices has.

For example, a car advertised on Autotrader at $16,500 that has a great price rating is really $20,500 before tax. I am astute enough to look past all this and determine if the 20,500 is a good deal or not but I bet there are customers that don't get hit with this until it comes time to paying or financing. But....thought it was interesting how these dealers end up at the selling price. Some of the fees from a VW dealer on a used Passat were...Inspection fee of 795.00, Preferred Vehicle Benefit $1,395(fabric treatment), Documentation fee $1198, Electronic filing fee $560, PTA $189, Tag fee $425. Another dealer discounts the car by 25% that you need to make up in cash and the same dealer you must add $1,500 if you don't finance with them at a terrible rate compared to what you can get at your own bank.

The fine print says fees may apply. Some fees are listed but most are not. So you have to go through the painful back and forth to get an actual price.

I just wish dealers would advertise the price that you would pay if you wanted to buy.

The last time we bought a used Subaru, the dealer tried to tack on something like $1500 as a "reconditioning fee". I told them to remove it or I was out the door. I usually let them get away with the "admin" or "paperwork" fee, but then that's normally only $150-200. I'd tell that dealer they'd better think again or I would be gone. Did the finance guy tell your son "you got a real purdy mouth, boy," or "I wanna hear you squeal like a pig."

I'd never do it, but I'd love to hit back at one once in blunt, graphic terms just to see what they'd do. Get the sheet full of crap, ask if they can get the sales mgr in, and then ask them "you tryin' to pork me with no kiss or lube first?"

[masraum]

Originally Posted by Dixie

My friend is currently dealing with this. She was looking at a car for $14,500. Dealer fees were another $4,000, so she walked.

Then there was the great deal on a Mazda CX5. That went south when the title had SALVAGE in big letters on it.

Years ago, when we were getting a car for one of the kids, we ran across several cars that seemed great, and were surprisingly good deals, right up until we found out that they'd been rental cars. No thanks!

[masraum]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

Same thing with "resort fees" at hotels. This BS allows them to advertise a much lower nightly rate.

Obviously, it'd be nearly impossible for a deal to advertise an OTD price, since a customer can buy so many add-ons. But other than taxes and titles fees, they need to be pretty close.

Yep. $150/night. Then when you get the bill there's $25/ni city fee, $33/ni santa claus fee, $7.50ni telephone in the room fee, etc.... By the time they're done, it's $225/ni.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by id10t

Most are BS, the dealer I bought a used car from in March was very honest about it and actually sent me a $40 refund a few weeks later since I had a plate already. The real state cost of dealer -> my existing plate was around $100.

on the other hand, buying as a PP here in Florida a new plate will set you back $175ish plus the sales tax on the declared price of the car. If you have an existing plate, then it is just sales tax on the declared price of the car.

Many years ago FL added some jacked up "new plate" charge of some sort to gouge the snow birds. It was taken to court and overturned. I think I got something like $350-375 as a refund several years after I left the state.

[Targa68]

Call the Dealers out on social media, they hate that.Not only the fees that you can see. If you finance through the banks, the dealership also bumps the Interest rate. The dealership gets a buy rate from the bank and adds points to the interest. If anyone needs help purchasing a vehicle please let me know. I'm doing it for a friend right now.

[dad911]

Originally Posted by 911TerryT

My son in Florida is trying to buy his first car(used) and sent me the no trade buyers order and I was floored at the dealer fluff.

I worked in a dealership in my early days and know how all this works. I don't think the goals have changed for dealers and that is to make profit but how you arrive at selling prices has.

For example, a car advertised on Autotrader at $16,500 that has a great price rating is really $20,500 before tax. I am astute enough to look past all this and determine if the 20,500 is a good deal or not but I bet there are customers that don't get hit with this until it comes time to paying or financing. But....thought it was interesting how these dealers end up at the selling price. Some of the fees from a VW dealer on a used Passat were...Inspection fee of 795.00, Preferred Vehicle Benefit $1,395(fabric treatment), Documentation fee $1198, Electronic filing fee $560, PTA $189, Tag fee $425. Another dealer discounts the car by 25% that you need to make up in cash and the same dealer you must add $1,500 if you don't finance with them at a terrible rate compared to what you can get at your own bank.

The fine print says fees may apply. Some fees are listed but most are not. So you have to go through the painful back and forth to get an actual price.

I just wish dealers would advertise the price that you would pay if you wanted to buy.

Dealers here(florida) try that with new vehicles also. I told dealer I would buy today if they cut out all the fluff charges or I would walk. As I headed to the door, they agreed to cut the fees.....

[Alan A]

Same in NY.
Finding a used car dealer that doesn’t have a load of extra fees is like finding hobby horse poop. Just went through this getting something for #1.

Your franchised dealers for better marques - here at least - are usually your best bet for non-padded sales and less BS, but they deal in newer used cars.

[gchappel]

I will be going through this shortly with a new car.
Wife wanted another Jeep Grand Cherokee- last one has been great for 10yrs.
They had nothing close on the lot and one of the options I wanted was not available if I tried to custom build on line.
They asked if I wanted to see if they could build the car. I said sure.
Salesman said if the build was accepted I would have to put $1000 down. I agreed to that, but only if we finalized the price out the door first. Build was accepted. I actually reached out to the salesman- and he texted back he was on vacation. I have heard nothing since. Car is built and presently being shipped.
So I have signed nothing, my only agreement would be if we agreed on pricing- which we have not. I have all the texts and emails saved. I will walk if they try any of the crap I hear about.
This is not a car they will turn around easily.
This might be fun.
gary

[Mike Andrew]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

Gotta insist on an "out the door" price. I really don't care how the allocate the funds or what their internal processes are. I care about my final price to drive it off the lot.

This is the only way that I operate. Last 3 Subarus from the same dealer and sales guy. I write a number on a sticky note and tell him this is my out the door price and they can meet it or not. My number is a fair price, in my estimation, allowing both of us to walk away satisfied, which I view as a successful negotiation. I don't overpay and they make some money. Also, all deals are cash, no financing which I drop when I go to see the money guy with an agreed upon price.

This approach started after the worst buying experience of my life; trying to negotiate removal of $75o " Destination fee" on a demo car that they had used to sell other cars. When I headed for the door, it finally went away but I had to take the car on the spot and write a check.

I spent about 40 years in aerospace procurement & did lots of multi million deals that were more pleasant negotiations than this deal. Consequently, developed my out the door approach and have never been back to that dealer, even for a price comparison.

[id10t]

The place I bought from in March advertises as "no BS pricing and no haggling", and they were right

'04 4Runner, 85k miles (yes, 85k...) I paid sticker price (9700) plus state sales tax plus the estimated state tag/registration fee (which they unexpectedly refunded $40 on a few weeks after the deal). My private party purchase a few weeks prior was car cost plus sales tax on the amount paid plus the cost for a new plate (was not replacing a car). Only haggling was my back-of-napkin math was short on the amount by under $5 and I had already gotten the bank check (they wouldn't give me the actual cash, didn't have it on hand)

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

Same thing with "resort fees" at hotels. This BS allows them to advertise a much lower nightly rate.

Obviously, it'd be nearly impossible for a deal to advertise an OTD price, since a customer can buy so many add-ons. But other than taxes and titles fees, they need to be pretty close.

And same for Airline tickets. Lots of add on fees that are never mentioned when booking the flight.

[aschen]

BS they do of course to make it look like they are advertising decent prices on the major sites.

In my experience they can be negotiated away, but it gives the dealer a chance to let the buyer think they are winning by talking them down to the advertised price.

I used to see advertised prices and Assumed I could get another 5-10% off or whatever.


Now I just look at advertised prices as completely arbitrary. Gotta figure out what you think the car is worth on the very bottom line and then hold strong.

Remeber trying to buy an 8k mile 1 owner forester about a decade ago........got into a near shouting match with the salesman over what exactly was reconditioned on the car before its first oil change. Shame on dealers they have a war on informed customers.

[DWBOX2000]

My daughter bought a car on carvana. Price was the listed price, no additional fees. Car came, we had inspected, requested new tires, calipers and discs all around. Carvana took care of it. From my own perspective, I’ll pay just to avoid the games.