I’m considering purchasing a used car from a dealer (Alfa Romeo Giulia to replace my E90 BMW, sorry for non-996 post). It’s a 2019 advertised at $31,450+tax/title/doc.

I drove the car and it checks out. Talked some initial numbers with the sales manager and now he says there is another $2,800 in fees they have to charge for “handling” and “dealer preparation”. Non-negotiable. This is BS, right?

I know this varies by state (I’m in IL), but don’t they have to sell the car for the advertised price + tax/tile/doc fee?

This kind of garbage is why I usually buy from private parties.

 

Might be a state-by-state thing but I think dealers can sell whatever they want however they want. Adding fees is pretty common, usually, its in the print somewhere although $2800 seems excessive. The last two cars I bought advertised X price but somewhere it says $300 dealer fee for paperwork.

 

In IL vehicles are always listed at price + tax/title/document fee. The doc fee is about $300. The fees this dealer is claiming are on top of that and weren’t advertised. They claim one is for their online marketing, detailing the vehicle, etc, and the other is the salesman’s commission. This seems like they should be baked into their advertised price or or it’s deceptive advertising.

 

I agree but dealers do shady stuff all the time, that stuff should be built into the price but for whatever reason, they chose not to. I would just walk away.

 

It's a used car. When I do it, everything is negotiable, including any dealer fees. If everything from the asking price and fees (except state fees) is non-negotiable, I walk away. Check back in with them in a week or two, say you might still be interested and ask where things stand now.

 

That sounds like B.S. markup tactics to me! Handling and dealer prep on a used car!!??...Come On Man!

Have you reviewed the Alfa Giulia reliability and customer satisfaction ratings? Not the best...

 

Some things never change. This dealership obviously believes in the expression, "A sucker is born every minute" and YOU might be one of them. A common tactic is to lure someone in with a lower than market average advertised price, get them emotionally attached to the car, but then stick them with unusual dealer add-ons and special fees that are over and above the advertised price. It's all a game, don't play it.

If you really must have a used Alfa, then make a "drive out" offer. If they reject it, then get up, and walk out.

 

Most of the interesting European cars out there aren’t very reliable. I’ve had my share of issues with Audis, BMWs, and Porsches. I’m not interested in a Lexus but I am interested in owning an Italian car at least once. The majority of reported problems seem to be on the Quadrifoglio models with the Ferrari derived motor. I’m looking at the 2.0T motor that has been more reliable. Plus, I’m only shopping for cars that are still under warranty.

 

To be clear, I did walk out of the dealer. I’m trying to figure out where to lob in a counter offer, or whether to just cut bait.

They have the exact spec I’m looking for, and I would service it at a different dealer closer to my house. I mean, it’s a lovely car, but I’m not so in love with it to fall for BS tactics.

 

I took a job for about a couple of weeks years ago one summer as a Renault mechanics assistant and all-around shop gopher to fund my college expenses. During one day, I was charged with sandblasting and repainting a half shaft with rattle can black paint and then helped the mechanic place it back into the car. I found out later that the dealer without using a gun and a mask had charged the owner for a new half shaft and a pound & a half worth of abuse! Preventing Burmese gas worms from infecting various owners' gas tanks by adding off-the-shelf fuel additives at inflated prices to the refurbishing of existing parts charged as new.....while only working there a few weeks, gave me a real on the job education. There are a few dealerships but the majority are dealer****s.......and used cars help pay for the big the floor plans that dealerships are now saddled with, especially if you finance through them.

 

I once had a dealer tack on $3k of bull **** fees for prepping the car and etc. I simply declined and walked out. I'd be happy to pay that fee if he would like to deduct it from the cost overall cost of the car. This goes as advice for purchasing a car anywhere and anytime - always negotiate with the out the door price and ask what that is.

BTW, great choice on a Giulia! They are fantastic and one of the best driving sedans out there. There is plenty of them out there and I'm sure the same spec will come along.

 

On a used car, the only fees you should be seeing are the ones associated with registering your new vehicle (even on a certified preowned at an Alfa dealer)...anything else is just horsecrap.

 

20 years ago I used to represent a Lincoln Dealer. At the time their dealer/doc preparation fee was $79.99. Now most dealers now charge in excess of $500.00. It's all made up. Except for tax, the title fee and a year's registration (assuming you have a tag to transfer) actually paid to the State of Florida is maybe $150.00. It takes the clerk in back 20 minutes to do the paperwork. Even if an ad that got you in there said that fee existed (but didn't give specific number) that would be a deceptive trade practice.
I've been searching for a 1998-2003 Jaguar XJ8 to drop in an LSx so I don't care if the engine and tranny are shot. Found one on autotrader.com for $3,600 a couple of hundred miles away at a Mazda dealership. When scroll down it reads, "Price excludes $99 Electronic Filing Fee, sales tax and dealer pre-delivery service fee in the amount of $1099 which represents cost and profit to the dealer for items such as cleaning inspecting and adjusting new and used vehicles and preparing documents related to the sale." One picture shows the check engine light on, so I ask the salesman to have the mechanic pull the codes. He calls back, battery dead and when they tried to jump it the car would crank but not start. Doesn't look like they spent much of that $1099 on "inspection and adjusting."
Send him an email how much you'll pay bottom line except fees to the state. They will either say yes or no. If no, another one will pop up.

 

 

@SoCal911t I forgot about that scene! It just perfectly captures the misery of the car buying experience.

So, I did find the applicable law in IL, taken directly from the Illinois Dealer Association’s web site:

Section 475.310 Advertised Price
It is an unfair or deceptive act to advertise the total price of a motor vehicle without including in the advertised price all costs to the purchaser at the time of sale , or which are necessary or usual prior to delivery of such vehicle to the purchaser, including any costs of delivery, dealer preparation and any other charges of any nature; provided, however, taxes, license and title fees and a documentary service fee, as defined herein, may be excluded from the advertised price if clearly disclosed in the advertisement that these costs are excluded from the advertised price. Purchasers shall be able to purchase all vehicles described by the advertisement at the advertised price.

I’ll remind the sales manager of this whether I buy it or not.