About ready to purchase then... Dealer Service Fees!
10-12-2012, 05:57 AM
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About ready to purchase then... Dealer Service Fees!
So I've been going back and forth with a used car dealer for about a month now. The first time I went and looked at the car, a 2009 Prestige, he tells me they're rare, has all the options, someone is flying in from out of state to pick it up that weekend. Wait, what? No they're not, it's rare, but not that rare. I almost called him out to his face. Come on. This is the first sign that something is up.
The car has 27k miles on it, has good carfax (he originally sent me a copied, outdated one), and is pretty clean apart from a poorly repainted rear bumper, which he claimed he had repainted because of scratches. This alone is suspicious. All I know the car has been rear ended and was never reported.
Anyway, I wasn't ready to buy just yet, and waited a couple weeks. Fast forward last week this time, the car was still for sale, and he lowered the price a couple thousand. I put a deposit on the car and requested an inspection by an Audi dealer, and new carfax report. He agrees.
Yesterday he sends me the results of the inspection, which are written on an Audi complimentary inspection form - only half of the information is filled out, doesn't even have the car name or vin, and isn't signed. It didn't include some things I specifically asked for, like any stored codes in the system. It's just shady all around.
When he sent me the report he recommended I talk to the service guy who looked at the car. I called and left a message in the morning. By 4pm I hadn't heard from him.
At the same time I'm trying to plan to pick up the car. He sends me an invoice and I see a $600 item added on top of the price of the car. The dreaded "Dealer Service Fee" is lumped in with "Inspections". I asked specifically what this was for. He said for the dealer inspection, state inspection, and a standard $395 fee for paperwork & delivery. I noted that there was already a $108 doc fee. To make sure I wasn't crazy I looked at 5 previous car purchases to see if they had something similar. None of them did. In fact, none of them had a doc fee either.
So at this point I ask if he can compromise a bit. He won't budge. I asked if we can keep the fee, but lower the price of the car $200. He says no. At this point he says he'll give me my deposit back. WTF?
Now this just makes me mad. It's an obvious, and backhanded attempt to add some back end profit to his books. There's no reason I should pay his overhead. I told him this straight.
I should have given up right there, but I actually want the car. It is a good price for what is it. At the same time the Audi service guy calls me and says the car is great. So, I gave in and agreed to the fees. He says 'maybe it would be best if we just part ways'. WHAT THE?!
What dealer in their right mind would give up a sale like this? I checked and he's been trying to sell the car for months. Am I going nuts here or what?
The car has 27k miles on it, has good carfax (he originally sent me a copied, outdated one), and is pretty clean apart from a poorly repainted rear bumper, which he claimed he had repainted because of scratches. This alone is suspicious. All I know the car has been rear ended and was never reported.
Anyway, I wasn't ready to buy just yet, and waited a couple weeks. Fast forward last week this time, the car was still for sale, and he lowered the price a couple thousand. I put a deposit on the car and requested an inspection by an Audi dealer, and new carfax report. He agrees.
Yesterday he sends me the results of the inspection, which are written on an Audi complimentary inspection form - only half of the information is filled out, doesn't even have the car name or vin, and isn't signed. It didn't include some things I specifically asked for, like any stored codes in the system. It's just shady all around.
When he sent me the report he recommended I talk to the service guy who looked at the car. I called and left a message in the morning. By 4pm I hadn't heard from him.
At the same time I'm trying to plan to pick up the car. He sends me an invoice and I see a $600 item added on top of the price of the car. The dreaded "Dealer Service Fee" is lumped in with "Inspections". I asked specifically what this was for. He said for the dealer inspection, state inspection, and a standard $395 fee for paperwork & delivery. I noted that there was already a $108 doc fee. To make sure I wasn't crazy I looked at 5 previous car purchases to see if they had something similar. None of them did. In fact, none of them had a doc fee either.
So at this point I ask if he can compromise a bit. He won't budge. I asked if we can keep the fee, but lower the price of the car $200. He says no. At this point he says he'll give me my deposit back. WTF?
Now this just makes me mad. It's an obvious, and backhanded attempt to add some back end profit to his books. There's no reason I should pay his overhead. I told him this straight.
I should have given up right there, but I actually want the car. It is a good price for what is it. At the same time the Audi service guy calls me and says the car is great. So, I gave in and agreed to the fees. He says 'maybe it would be best if we just part ways'. WHAT THE?!
What dealer in their right mind would give up a sale like this? I checked and he's been trying to sell the car for months. Am I going nuts here or what?
10-12-2012, 06:01 AM
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why would you want to buy that car from him after the experience you had? as you said yourself, "it's just shady all around." seems like he's trying to pull a fast one on you... and you let him. that certainly isn't the only 2009 prestige q5 with low miles in the country - i would've gone elsewhere long ago.
at any rate, i hope you're happy with the car!
at any rate, i hope you're happy with the car!
10-12-2012, 06:09 AM
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why would you want to buy that car from him after the experience you had? as you said yourself, "it's just shady all around." seems like he's trying to pull a fast one on you... and you let him. that certainly isn't the only 2009 prestige q5 with low miles in the country - i would've gone elsewhere long ago.
at any rate, i hope you're happy with the car!
at any rate, i hope you're happy with the car!
10-12-2012, 06:21 AM
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I should have mentioned that this guy works out of another dealership. He doesn't technically have his own dealership, but uses the parent dealerships service dept and such. This makes the 'dealer service fee' a little less transparent when he says it's for paperwork - no, it's to pay your leasing bills.
10-12-2012, 06:42 AM
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Probably a good idea.
I should have mentioned that this guy works out of another dealership. He doesn't technically have his own dealership, but uses the parent dealerships service dept and such. This makes the 'dealer service fee' a little less transparent when he says it's for paperwork - no, it's to pay your leasing bills.
I should have mentioned that this guy works out of another dealership. He doesn't technically have his own dealership, but uses the parent dealerships service dept and such. This makes the 'dealer service fee' a little less transparent when he says it's for paperwork - no, it's to pay your leasing bills.
i'm sure you can get a CPO 2009 Q5 from somewhere - you may have to go pick it up or have it shipped to you, but that's better than paying this dealer's outrageous fee! plus you get the peace of mind of purchasing from an audi dealer, and an audi warranty.
10-12-2012, 06:49 AM
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if it had a warranty on it, that would be one thing. but, since you're buying from a non-audi dealer, and the car is more than 4 years old, i'm guessing there is no warranty - which is another reason not to buy the car from this guy.
i'm sure you can get a CPO 2009 Q5 from somewhere - you may have to go pick it up or have it shipped to you, but that's better than paying this dealer's outrageous fee! plus you get the peace of mind of purchasing from an audi dealer, and an audi warranty.
i'm sure you can get a CPO 2009 Q5 from somewhere - you may have to go pick it up or have it shipped to you, but that's better than paying this dealer's outrageous fee! plus you get the peace of mind of purchasing from an audi dealer, and an audi warranty.
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10-12-2012, 07:23 AM
#8
Just realized that the guy you're dealing with is not even an Audi dealer. This situation has all the classic warning signs and red flags. No Audi warranty, poorly repainted rear bumper, no acknowledgement of a rear-end accident, unsigned and probably misleading inspection papers, etc. RUN away, don't walk! There are many other Q5's out there. Wait for the right one. You'll be happier in the long run!
