Now that’s funny!

negotiating is one thing - trying to fool a buyer by adding extra cost without disclosing them is bordering on fraud IMO and that is what some dealers are doing now days -

And more private sellers juke buyers with non-disclosed issues than all dealers combined so just be a NON-idiot and buy anything (not just a car) with caveat emptor and some good common sense. It's not rocket science. If something is fishy, LEAVE the deal on the desk. Why is this so hard?

Service keeps the dealer bills paid. What would happen if service then made the profits? The world would end. Just sayin'...

You make zero sense

Agree. Was dickering with Mike Terry chevy in Mexia. Last quote had a Government fee of 350.00. Salesman wanted to know why I didn't get back. Told him why would I want to deal with a dealership that is trying to screw me with a BS charge. If they want to charge 350.00 more for the truck that is fine, but don't put a BS government fee. Like you said they should be held for fraud.

Bill Fick Ford in Huntsville cuts all the BS. They quoted my trade via text messaged pics, VIN and mileage. Gave me more than all the local jackwagons were offering. Discounted their truck about the same as anyone else advertised and didn’t have a bunch of made up charges at the end. Drove my new one to my office, signed 4 things, drove the old one back. I can’t see myself using anyone else again.

When I was still working, I went to buy a BMW. Closest dealer to the office was on Houston’s SW Freeway. The young sales guy and I worked out a deal, and the next day I brought my wife with me for signing stuff, getting the car, and then a nice lunch. Thinking I had an agreed-upon deal, I was ready to sign. The sales guy put the papers I front of me, and it was nothing I had agreed to. I brought that little issue up and he said his manager insisted that we do it this way. I stood up, said I was not doing that deal, and we walked. I went to a north Houston dealer that same day and bought the car I wanted for the price I was willing to pay. For a good month, the guy from the first dealership called every day, he wanted me to come back and do the deal I had wanted. I told him that I had bought the car from another dealer. He didn’t believe me, and kept calling every day. Finally, since I wouldn’t talk to him, he’d beg my wife to put me on the phone. Finally I decided to talk one last time. Told him that if selling cars was his chosen path in life, he wasn’t good enough to succeed. Still makes me mad at all the time I wasted with that idiot.

That’s straight up fraud and they should be reported to immediately to the manufacturer.

I wouldn’t tolerate that even for a second.

For reference, I went back thru my paperwork and there wasn’t a cent on there that wasn’t agreed to prior.

My last truck was ordered on line. I had called and asked about several trucks that show to be on the lot and ready to go. only to find that was not the case. I had a guy from aggie chevrolet call me back and asked me of my intentions. Told him what I was looking for but really preferred ordering one from my hometown dealer. Verry nice dude. Said "well hey, listen here if you ordeer it here in the next couple of weeks make sure they have this code attached to it". When i did finally order one the dealer sent me back the order sheet to which i informed him that the special code was not listed. He had no idea what the hell I was talking about. I halfway explained it to him and then after he adjusted the order sheet he got it back approved from GM. That special code was limited time deal that would replace the 8" square monitor and guages with 100% digital guage panel and the 14" rectanguar model that you see on cars now. When it came in he called and said I better hurry as the boss had already been getting calls about everyone wanting it. Supposedly they tried to order a handful more but were told that the loophole for it has expired and they were forced to accept the 8" screen until the next years models came out with them as a stock item. Truck is a 2022 2wd chevrolet, 5.3 litre, cloth seats and stripped of all of the stuff o man really uses after a couple weeks of owning it. It does not have side mirror lights, adjustable side mirrors, front and rear collision detectors.

I'm always shopping vehicles just like guns. Getting close to my "LAST" vehicle.

everything I want is SO freekin expensive. Seems like $60,000 is about the starting point for anything I'm interested in.

How much money do you think they have in a new truck showing an MSRP of 60K?

My question also.

I’ve started thinking about replacing my 2010 Tundra. Other than being high mileage and old, it still starts and runs ok. But, it won’t last forever. My question is: How many people can afford a $50 to $60,000 ride?

Depends on which "they" you are talking about. The cost to produce a vehicle is irrelevant as consumers do not buy from the manufacturer in almost all cases. The cost of labor is through the roof thanks to the UAW. The cost of parts to the manufacturer is extremely low, 1/10 what the dealer pays most often. The dealer then has a cost based on super-inflated union labor and a huge parts margin by the manufacturer. Dealers generally make very little on new cars per vehicle. Don't forget the cars on a lot are not owned by the dealership either, they're the manufacturer's vehicles on a balloon note to the dealer...in most cases. Used cars is where the profit is.

I once toured the OKC plant where Trailblazers, et al were built and they were talking about a design update to a radio chassis and had to scrap a pallet of radios. We asked about the cost. The answer was about $10 per unit...parts the dealers' cost on was $850-ish.

Very true GG. Used cars, the finance department is where the money is made along with service.

When I bought the Tundra the finance dude tried to add some bogus $650 dealer fee. I asked "what's this?". He said "we charge that to everyone". I said "not me" and got up to leave. He took it off. Made me wonder how many people pay it and don't ? it or even notice it.

Like always

1. Do your homework
2. Have a "price" you will pay
3. Have the stones to walk away no matter how badly you want the hooptie.
3a. decide beforehand if you will cave and negotiate. (most will).

yup, this is how you do it.

This ^…

Just note, if you don’t pay then someone will. Dealers know this.

I just got a text from a local dealer. Trucks on lot are priced at MSRP. I thanked him for his time.

I think we're about to trade in the wife's car as it's becoming a money pit. Test drive coming up on Friday. Would love to go with the GX 460, but I believe we'll land on the RX 350.

[quote=Buzzsaw]Like always

1. Do your homework
2. Have a "price" you will pay
3. Have the stones to walk away no matter how badly you want the hooptie.
3a. decide beforehand if you will cave and negotiate. (most will).[/quote



If you decide to negotiate get rid of the salesman and get the manager to come to you. The salesman is just a mouthpiece and can make no decisions. Don't waste your time with the salesman and get a decision maker in front of you as soon as you can.

I think most of us on here know how to negotiate with a car salesman. The point of the thread was be aware of extra charges being added on without your knowledge or being told about them after you agreed to a certain price - it is purely fraudulent but many of them are doing it

No, service generates the income the rest of the dealership operates off of so profit can be shown by sales.


The dealer you mention is setting themself up for a class action law suit by doing so. Any "fee" a dealer charges must be charged to all customers to "justify" it legally. Changing said fee to some and not others is where the law comes in. There are obviously more specific guidelines than what I just mentioned but you get the gist of it.

I think most guys here are older and have seen the crap that dealers can do, or can just afford to be buy a car, a few thousand isn't worth the time or hassle.
Dealers have some tricks, they prey on the young, folks that are inexperienced at their game, and those that want a new car so bad they will do anything. They added $6,000 to a car on me once. I should have kept the paperwork as proof, but I threw it at them.
One of their moves is wearing you down with time. They will take a long time between offers till you take whatever just to be done. All the time they are giving you snacks and drinks, they are so nice and generous.