Check out this deal, need your input

John Walker · Jul 27, 2005

We finally settled on a FreeStyle. Heres the numbers:

Suggested retail 28850.00 Invoice cost 26469.00

Destination & Delivery $675.00

Family Plan Cost $26364.55

What intriges me is that the sheet they gave me has the

X-Plan cost $27469.53

D-Plan Cost $26464.55

A/Z Plan Cost $26364.55

Looks like they took out the holdback($865) and dealer financing costs($230) too.

So when they where doing the numbers they started with $26364.55, added Reg Fee of $165 (I'll give them that), $195 Document Fee (Not sure on this) and $165 for Insurance? WTF is that? I have to give them the tax, for a total of $28493.02.

So I'm not to sure of the Doc fee and that Insurance thing.

Kinda going to make the deal by tomorrow night, let me know what you think?

Troy Shumate · Jul 27, 2005

Yes the doc fee is bogus, but some states allow dealerships to charge this...AZ is $249 at my dealership. If the dealership decides to charge this, they have to charge everyone and then it's not negotiable. My work charges the $249 and even I have to pay this as an employee. Some states vary on this though...find out what your deal is. The insurance sounds like they're throwing in GAP insurance without you noticing. FIND OUT what this is.

David Torres · Jul 27, 2005

From my past experience buying new cars the registration fee is normal but in CA they call it Licensing/Registration. I've also always been charged a non-negotiable doc fee but it has always been $50 (but that's in So Cal). I'd question the $165 insurance fee. My guess is that they're either setting you up with a temporary 1 or 2 month coverage policy or more likely some type of gap insurance. Your existing Auto policy should cover a new vehicle (you do typically have to register with your existing insurance within 30 days). If your putting 15% or more down I'd also pass on the gap insurance if they're trying to sell you that.

TrainTrac · Jul 27, 2005

In most states, it's the law that your existing insurance automatically covers a newly purchased vehicle for up to 30 days. That allows you to have coverage and give you time to transfer everything over to the new vehicle with your insurance company. So any insurance they're trying to sell you is B.S.

As far as the "processing fee", I bought a truck once and just flat out told the dealer I wasn't going to pay it, and they acquiesed. You can also ask the dealer to give you the Manufacturer's Statement of Origin (MOS) and go down to DMV and do the license/title processing yourself, paying only the fee that the DMV charges. I did that on that truck as well. An MOS is a certificate that the manufacturer sends with every new vehicle produced certifying that it's brand new and never been titled.

Another way to not have to pay the processing fees is to actually buy using the A/Z/X plans with a pin. If you buy on these plans, the dealer's not allowed to charge you any processing fees, just the purchase price, tax, and state DMV fees.

You can get X-plan eligibility by joining the Experimental Aviation Association for $40/year.

My advice is to wait until the last day of this Family Plan promotion and go into the dealer about seven o'clock at night and just haggle and stall... keep them there as late as you have to to get your best deal. They're not going to kick you out if it means a sale. Especially on the last day of the month. It's nothing more than a mind game and test of wills. I once haggled on a new car until eleven o'clock at night, but I finally got the deal I wanted. And have fun with it!