[slocko]

one dealer is charging 179 plus a seperate 47 for credit bureau.

they all want to give you window etching.

 

[CPSDarren]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by slocko:
one dealer is charging 179 plus a seperate 47 for credit bureau.

they all want to give you window etching. </font>

On most vehicles, zero is a reasonable doc fee. Unfortunately, on high demand vehicles like Odyssey, "reasonable" is whatever people are willing to pay. A lot depends on where you live. We got ours at MSRP with no other fees and they threw in the cargo tray and splash guards and didn't require any other add-ons. Granted, I had to travel 70 miles, since all the local dealers were pushing appearance packages and selling cars out from those on the 3 month wait lists to people willing to pay $1500 more for scotchguard and paint sealer. In some areas people report $500-$1000 under MSRP, and a few areas are well above MSRP.

 

[darelldd]

Anything labelled a "doc fee" might as well be labeled "markup." The money you pay over invoice is to cover all the dealer's expenses. To tack stuff like that on is just insulting.

- Darell

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"Some people say you can't take it with you. I'm taking it with me."
Future: 2002 EXL-NAV, TW (with RES wanted!)
Current: 2001 Civic EX, silver
Leaving: 2001 Volvo V70 T5, white/graphite

 

[slocko]

thanks guys. i think this time i will be more patient and be firm with with "no" on these fees. i already have a 2000 ody so i can afford to wait. like i noted in another topic, hopefully with the economy cooling, the only honda selling briskly will be the ody so they should be more willing to deal.

i can't wait to see a salesperson run after behind my van yelling "Stop!!!! I'll take them off!!!!" like someone mentioned in here.

 

[slocko]

when do you negotiate these fees? before the van arrives or do you wait until the van is in and then you say, let's get down to business?

i am thinking they might put you on the bottom of the list, if they aren't milking you hard enuff.

 

[slocko]

just dropped the bomb on two dealers. they weren't in so i left them vmail. i told them i would not pay any extra doc fees above msrp and if they still wanted to do business, to call me back.

probably will not hear from them until next year, but i'll be patient. i will live through the experience of the 2002 through the people on this board till then

 

[Canodyssey]

Thats the way to do it Slocko!
When I bought my Ody for $1500cad under MSRP I noticed the $200 doc fee on the contract.
I said "I'm not paying that!"
He said:"Oh well we have to have the doc fee theres no way around it"
I said: "Well what are going to do then?"
He said:"OKay I guess we can lower the price by another $200 and keep the doc fees."
I said: "Yeah that works."

I use the doc fee as kind of a deal breaker. It shows me if I really want to do business with someone who will let you walk for a measly $200 on a $30000 vehicle...

In a year the supply from the American plant will be in full swing and the deals will follow.

 

[CPSDarren]

While supply will go up, increased production of the MDX and the Honda equivalent will probably eat into a lot of that increase. Granted, any increase in production along with a cooling economy can't hurt when it comes to dealer gouging.

 

[slocko]

We also have to keep in mind that not every body is trading in their vans, so there should be less people looking for vans compared to 1999-2000 or is this a logic fallacy?

 

[darelldd]

Well, I have just a bit of egg on my face. Just called my dealer to make sure I would not be charged a 'doc fee' and was informed that I would be paying $45 for just such an animal. Turns out it is a DMV fee (not something written to the dealer, but straight to the DMV here in CA). I called the DMV to confirm, and sure enough it is true. I STILL say that the dealer could pick that up out of his profit on this vehicle, but at least it is not added profit to him.

- Darell

------------------
"Some people say you can't take it with you. I'm taking it with me."
Future: 2002 EXL-NAV, TW (with RES wanted!)
Current: 2001 Civic EX, silver
Leaving: 2001 Volvo V70 T5, white/graphite

 

[bjk2001]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by darelldd:
Well, I have just a bit of egg on my face. Just called my dealer to make sure I would not be charged a 'doc fee' and was informed that I would be paying $45 for just such an animal. Turns out it is a DMV fee (not something written to the dealer, but straight to the DMV here in CA). I called the DMV to confirm, and sure enough it is true. I STILL say that the dealer could pick that up out of his profit on this vehicle, but at least it is not added profit to him.

- Darell
</font>

I paid $45 for Doc fee.

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'01 GG EX
Mud Guard, Wheel Lock, Cargo Tray, Weathertech Mats, Leather Steerling Wheel Cover, Pioneer 1655 front speakers, 1086 rear speakers, Lojack