Used Car - Documentation Fee ???

shelbyscarab · Post by **shelbyscarab** » Fri Nov 20, 2009 6:04 pm

What is this exactly? Anyone?

I'm negotiating for a used car and they are trying to slide this "fee" in.

19cobra93 · Post by **19cobra93** » Fri Nov 20, 2009 6:40 pm

Just about every dealer I know charges "doc fees". They charge anywhere from $100-$400. This pays for title transfer, the title clerks time, and various other things. I've never agreed with it, but I've always had to pay it. Used or not.

shelbyscarab · Post by **shelbyscarab** » Fri Nov 20, 2009 6:47 pm

sounds like a BS fee to me........ thanks for the response cobra...

The one I'm dealing with is $250......

Sandy, you out there? I'm sure you can talk for a day on this......

19cobra93 · Post by **19cobra93** » Fri Nov 20, 2009 6:53 pm

I once bought an '81 Capri that was traded in to our dealership for $250. They sold me the car for the same $250, but I also had to pay the $250 doc fee. I worked there and still had to pay it. It's rediculous if you ask me, but from my experience, there's no way around it.

Sandy · Post by **Sandy** » Fri Nov 20, 2009 7:53 pm

THE TRUTH, even if it burns...a bit

It's pretty much "B.S." - to a point......

90% of retail buyers haggle haggle hagle hagle hagle hagle hagle hagel
haggle haggle hagle hagle hagle hagle hagle hagel
haggle haggle hagle hagle hagle hagle hagle hagel
haggle haggle hagle hagle hagle hagle hagle hagel

and by the time the buyer & seller have FINALLY come to terms.....
there just plain is not much meat left on the bone.

SOooooo, to put a little meat BACK on the bone, they charge Documentary Fee.
Pay it. It's not worth dickerring over, making enemies at the dealership and bitch-moaning.

Percentage=wise, retail dealers make less profit, per car/truck than any other item you purchase !!

Example: You buy a comforter for your bed at a big-box store. You pay around $79 dollars for it. The store paid around $19 dollars for it, as it's made in China or some other similiar place. They have made $50.OO
pre-expenses on your comforter.

When I sold cars (for 27 years) we'd (if we had to_ blow a car out for $150.00 OVER Invoice ! We'd then have to pre=road service it (costs $$$) and do all the paperwork! ((documentary))

In the bitter end, Target, K-Mart...whomever, made more PROFIT on the comfortor !!!

If the car is decent. if your are okay with the price, if they have treated you fairly, pay the man the money and enjoy the car. Don't worry 'bout how big the hole is.....enjoy the donut. Life is short.

shelbyscarab · Post by **shelbyscarab** » Fri Nov 20, 2009 8:06 pm

Sandy wrote:THE TRUTH, even if it burns...a bit

It's pretty much "B.S." - to a point......

90% of retail buyers haggle haggle hagle hagle hagle hagle hagle hagel
haggle haggle hagle hagle hagle hagle hagle hagel
haggle haggle hagle hagle hagle hagle hagle hagel
haggle haggle hagle hagle hagle hagle hagle hagel

and by the time the buyer & seller have FINALLY come to terms.....
there just plain is not much meat left on the bone.

SOooooo, to put a little meat BACK on the bone, they charge Documentary Fee.
Pay it. It's nor worth dickerring over, making enemies at the dealership and bitch-moaning.

Percentage=wise, retail dealers make less profit, per car/truck than any other item you purchase !!

Example: You buy a comforter for your bed at a big-box store. You pay around $79 dollars for it. The store paid around $19 dollars for it, as it's made in China or some other similiar place. They have made $50.OO
pre-expemses on your comforter.

Wen I sold cars (for 27 years) we'd (if we had to_ blow a car out for $150.00 OVER Invoice ! We'd then have to pre=road service it (costs $$$) and do all the paperwork! ((documentary))
In the bitter end, Target, K-Mart...whomever, made more PROFIT on the comfortor !!!

If the car is decent. if your are okay with the price, if they have treated you fairly, pay the man the money and enjoy the car. Don't worry 'bout how big the hole is.....enjoy the donut. Life is short.

I understand Sandy, $250 isn't that much of a big deal, and I won't be arguing that tonight, but the numbers I've crunched considering the agreed upon price, my down payment, the interest rate, tax & title, and the term length are not coinciding so I'm just wondering where he is hiding some other money..... around $2,640! that is a big deal.

The guy I'm dealing with seems like a good guy and doesn't come off as a "slick willie" kind of guy..... the dealership is a medium to large one though. I do prefer the smaller ones.

we'll see

shelbyscarab · Post by **shelbyscarab** » Fri Nov 20, 2009 8:06 pm

Thanks for your input Sandy!

Sandy · Post by **Sandy** » Fri Nov 20, 2009 8:18 pm

WAIT !!

Now THAT IS SOMETHING ELSE ! When you state that the numbers don't look right >> "term length are not coinciding" THAT I don't like !

1st, NEVER EVER get your $$$$ from the dealer ~ BUY your $$$$ at the bank, and buy youir car AT the dealer ! Dealers charge extra fees, percentage points, etc, for making the loans and the connections with the bank. Only folks with crap credit need to go thru a dealer, UNLESS the car's brand maker (NEW CAR) has a spif on ! That is probably where you are having math problems.

Cost of Car + State Sales Tax + Doc Fee + TOTAL Interest for loan + license Plates, (if needed) should be your bottomline, minus any deposit allready given. Next time, buy your money at the savings & Loan in the town you reside in.

Sandy · Post by **Sandy** » Fri Nov 20, 2009 8:21 pm

IF you are not happy, ask your sales rep to write down each & every cost and the amount you are being charged.. BEFORE you continue on.

shelbyscarab · Post by **shelbyscarab** » Fri Nov 20, 2009 9:00 pm

Sandy wrote:WAIT !!

Now THAT IS SOMETHING ELSE ! When you state that the numbers don't look right >> "term length are not coinciding" THAT I don't like !

1st, NEVER EVER get your $$$$ from the dealer ~ BUY your $$$$ at the bank, and buy youir car AT the dealer ! Dealers charge extra fees, percentage points, etc, for making the loans and the connections with the bank. Only folks with crap credit need to go thru a dealer, UNLESS the car's brand maker (NEW CAR) has a spif on ! That is probably where you are having math problems.

Cost of Car + State Sales Tax + Doc Fee + TOTAL Interest for loan + license Plates, (if needed) should be your bottomline, minus any deposit allready given. Next time, buy your money at the savings & Loan in the town you reside in.

I've done that Sandy, I've already procured my own financing thru my bank for the loan, so I don't have to use the dealer. However, Ford is offering great interest rates on CPO cars.......

Sandy · Post by **Sandy** » Fri Nov 20, 2009 9:31 pm

1. Check duartion of loan
2. Read fine print
3. Read late fees
Double check everything.
If unsure, ask & have sales rep or mgmnt write it down.
Don't complete until you are satisfied and happy

shelbyscarab · Post by **shelbyscarab** » Fri Nov 20, 2009 9:35 pm

I'm just curious as to what they are going to give me for trade-in of the McLaren.

shelby2404 · Post by **shelby2404** » Fri Nov 20, 2009 10:13 pm

do not trade it in they will not give you much ,sell it outright. you will get more money.they are thiefs when it comes to trade ins

lightning95sc · Post by **lightning95sc** » Fri Nov 20, 2009 10:52 pm

I don't agree with the "Documentary Fee", and I don't pay it. I've walked away from several cars because of it.

Nobody seems to be able to come up with a "reasonable" breakdown of what their fees include, so I don't pay.

Transferring a title in Michigan is less than $20. Filling out paperwork to sell the vehicle is the cost of doing business.....factor it into your price. Just like me putting gas in my car to come to the dealership is in my cost (thin analogy, I know.), but I don't ask the seller to pay me to come look at the product.

Chuck

Sandy · Post by **Sandy** » Sat Nov 21, 2009 12:18 am

Shelby 2404, I have to both agree and disagree with you.

Dealers are IN the business. You (meaning the public are NOT in the business...) In business, especially where there is a PRODUCT, every product, tangable product, hard goods.....these goods have 2 values!
Retail and Wholesale. It is no different with vehicles.
They have a wholsale and a retail value. We buy at wholesale - just as the liquor stores buy their beer, wine and booze, and then re-sell it at a profit. Ditto food, cosmetics and clothing and most other items.
That is business ! This in no way makes us or any other business THIEVES. Some of those bottles of wine on the shelf cost the store's owner $8 dollars and they sell them for $42.00 !! (and) YOU and millions of others gladly fork up the $$$ .