TimmyC230boy

I paid full msrp and nothing else. except the dmv and stuff like that. There are too many dealers in so/cal and other places that the fee is just stupid. I will never pay it if its not on the window sticker

Vince

I paid $32,000 out the door. That includes everything all taxes and what not. They even threw in the cd changer and window tinting. How's that compare to what you guys got?

But i have been waiting since July.

jpgroom

I paid $349 Documentary fee at Fletcher Jones. No other fees that were significant.

renncpe

The invoice is the invoice. Edmunds states "Advertising Charges:
Most vehicle invoices include a legitimate advertising fee levied by either the manufacturer or regional dealer groups. Ad fees can range from less than 1 percent of the vehicle's MSRP to more than 3 percent, depending on region. Metropolitan-area dealers are more likely to charge higher advertising fees than rural dealers. When you comparison shop for a car, be sure to ask the dealers how much the advertising charge is on the vehicle."

If the dealer pays, you can call it what ever you want you pay it, I do not know any one that will sell a Mercedes for less than they paid for it. If the invoice is 23,849 plus advertising that is net. a 1000 over would be 23,849 +(300 add)+1000 = 25129 sale price.
It's not an extra fee.

Randy

revstriker

I couldn't agree more! I always get them to agree to a final price (not including tax, title, etc.) This is the amount that I will pay. It doesn't matter if it's invoice plus $$, invoice plus %%, or MSRP minus something. The dollar amount is agreed to, and there are no misunderstandings.

btw - What is a "Tire Fee"? I've heard of paying a tire disposal fee when you get new tires, but I've never heard of anything like this on a new car. I guess if it's only 5 bucks, then I wouldn't worry about it. But I am curious what the fee is, and why I am paying it.

MB-BOB

IMO, SoCal is exactly right on this. Agreeing to "invoice plus X%" is like a fella kissing his own sister... it accomplishes nothing. You don't have a deal until:
1) you have an ITEMIZED list of each and every charge the dealer expects you to pay, AND,
2) you agree to that list, in writing. Once you have agreed, ruthlessly deny any additional tack-ons... afterall, you both agreed to the list.

Further, I wouldn't ASK the dealer what his advertising charge is. Tell the dealer you want the itemized list, and if it's on there, then you can decide whether you want to haggle. IMO, asking a dealer what the ad fee is represents a tacit concession that you expect to pay one, which gives the dealer license to invent the amount (when there may not be at mfg ad charge at that time of year).

My $.02...

revstriker

LOL!! Thanks MB-BOB. Once again you explained the situation better than I ever could!!

Flashman

I'd just come up with my own price, then ask the dealer to sell you the car for that price, no extra fees of any kind, no dealer prep, no documentation, no nothing. Come to think of it, that is what I did... :p

nboyd

I have a fax with the invoice plus X and extras and it does not include the advertising fee. My concern is that the invioce will be edmunds plus advertising fee.

Andre told me he can provide the final price until he receives the car. Do you think this is a scam to add some extras on once I have made the trip south and the car is in front of me?

Nathan

Rick

My salesmonkey tried that, and it lasted about as long as it took for him to get the words "advertising f" out of his mouth before I pushed my chair back and started to stand up to walk...

(Funny re-cap: When I ordered, I told them I didn't want any dealer logo's on my car. At delivery, I noticed they had placed their badge and plate frames on it. After I handed him a banana (yes Dr. Iggy, I really took it that far)I told the dealership there would be a $1500.00 per year advertising fee due to me at the end of each year I owned the car. You should have seen how fast they scrambled to change it back.)

SoCal240/6

Look at it this way: You have an equation where only 2 of the 3 numbers are known. Unless you know all 3 numbers, you cannot know what the sum total is.

"Invoice," what does that mean, what is included in it and who makes the determination?

I just don't understand why you can't get a final price, now. I assume you are talking about a C class car, all the prices are out now.

(I can see them not having the price for a brand new model, for example, when they first started taking orders for the C240/320. the price was not set yet by the factory. But, all the Cs are priced now. That makes me wonder what is going on with the salesguy).

SoCal240/6

BTW, the whole "deal up from invoice" thing doesn't work anymore. "Invoice" has now become a meaningless term.

For example, a friend just bought a V6 Camry LXE. Edmunds, etc. show "invoice" at something like $26,400. He bought the car for less than $24,000. Does that mean that the dealer lost money on the car?? (Sold for less than "invoice"). Of course not. It just means that the "invoice" number, which purports to be the dealer's cost of the car, is useless.

BTW, I think that the salesman's claim that the price is subject to change is BS. If you order a car today, for delivery in 3 months, they know exactly how much the car will cost and can tell you, right now, to the penny, what their selling price will be.

I think when they see someone willing to agree to "invoice + X," they salivate, because they now have the advantage (they control the "invoice" number).

snoopy_dog

I have no clue what a tire fee is but from the name, it sounds like a California Tire fee. I assume it's somewhat legitimate because when I looked at my brother's invoice for his Ford truck he bought last year in a different county, there was the same fee for the same amount. Now that I look at my MBZ sales receipt, I see the little footnote which says "seller may keep a part of these amounts."

If it's not legitimate, then I paid $455 over invoice instead of $450 (and my invoice did not included any advertising fees.) But since I negotiated an out-the-door price, I didn't care which categories they put things under.

LK