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Ok, you may get some hot shot that says, "bull...., I negotiated the destination off the price". Well, what they really did was they got the dealer to lower their sales price by about the amount of the destination charge. Dealer doesn't care what you call a discount, they just care about the bottome line price. Same way with doc fees. Some states regulate the fees as to how much they can charge and then say if they do charge a doc fee, they have to charge the same to everybody or leave themselves open to discrimination risk. So they all charge and when some "expert negotiator" says they will not pay that exhorbitant doc fee the dealer just says ok and lowers the sale price of the vehicle by that amount and joe blow negotiator thinks they really showed that dealer what for.
Bottome line ---quit worrying about what it's called and just negotiate to your price, it doesn't matter how the dealer breaks it down on the paperwork.
"Oh, everyone has to pay for destination... why would we include that in the negotiated price?"
So... it goes both ways..
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I've lived in states where the doc fees are reasonable(as reasonable as it can be I guess) of $150 or less. In Illinois I think it may be something like $151.50. In those states that the dealers want to charge $300, $400 and even $500 I guess you just have to be real diligent and ask up front before you even start negotiating. Nothing wrong with "hey, before we start, what's your doc fee and do you include the dest chg in the negotiation?"
Thx,
Nagesh
Documentation fees, on the other hand, are not a cost to a dealer, not part of the price of the car, and most certainly not a fee. Dealers attaching the word fee is clearly designed to enforce the belief, to many buyers, the "fee" is a required part of the deal. In fact, the documentation fee is nothing more than profit for the dealer.
One thing to recognize is the dealer most likely must segregate the fee in the deal. Dealers selectively charging the fee to only some customers will likely run afoul of discrimination laws. However that does not mean a buyer has to pay the fee. A smart buyer will negotiate a price, say $20,000. The dealer would likely try to add the fee, say $300, and make the price $20,300, A savy buyer would say no way and demand the deal be stated as $19,700 + $300 = $20,000.
It astounds me how many people posting on Edmunds seem to have accepted this dealer scam!
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
If true. New target price! Though they may make it up in misc doc fees....
any other doc fees i must to pay?because this is my first car
THANKS
On a side note, I have spoken with one another dealer and he said he can do only 500 off of Sticker price, i was like really???? Is it becos of low inventory that these prices are not reduced much?
Here in the upper Midwest it is hit or miss with pricing on the RDXs. Dealers that don't have much inventory are quoting retail, or $300-$500 off sticker. Find the larger dealerships with inventory in the larger cities. Was able to get quotes of $38,500 & $38,800 for an AWD Tech w/dest +ttl in Chicago which I considered a good deal.
However, I am disappointed my local dealer wasn't even in the ballpark @ $300 off sticker. Considering they don't have any on the lot, simply taking my order for a RDX would have netted them a $1,500 profit. I am still stunned they would turn this opportunity down.
Took delivery this week and am very pleased so far. Good luck. Car is great so far.
note...plus freight>>> why not give you that figure..another deceptive practice.
and that was with no add ons or fluff. just DMV and doc fees.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
In any case, astute buyers understand the intent of the dealer fee (additional price not dealer cost) and will negotiate accordingly. Personally, I have bought many vehicles in both Virginia and Maryland, as well as other states, and I have yet to find a dealer who will not "negotiate" the dealer "fee."
As a side note, use of the term "fee" is effective. Too many people see the word "fee" and incorrectly assume the amount is legally required. I imagine if dealers called it what it is "additional dealer profit", most people would balk.
Virginia dealers, as well as Maryland dealers, clearly disclose destination is not included in their published prices. People familiar with Edmunds understand the concept of destination charge. I am sure those folks are capable of adding the two numbers (price and freight). My experience shows dealers in many states exclude destination from their published prices.
When buying a vehicle, people need to be most alert when in "the box." That is where the "wow" can disappear in a heart beat.
Of course such ADP are excessive but so is what dealers charge for overpriced wax jobs, fabric protection, service contracts, or window etching.
Dealers do have so many avenues of additional profit.
for a base AWD ($36,600 MSRP), is this lease a strong deal?
36 mo. 10K/year
just DMV fees + 1st mo payment down.
$419/mo (including NJ tax).
Thanks.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.