I have a question for fellow Hackrs, How many of you guys end up paying the bogus doc fee? Do brokers typically negotiate that for you or is their job to help you get the max off on the MSRP? Do you risk the deal set-up if you push back on the doc fee?
Also, I’ve seen $499 to $799…what do guys typically pay.
Thanks
Doc fee is doc fee. It’s something almost every deal will have in one way or another. It’s not bogus, for my Land Rover deals, doc fee includes a runner service for plates, a notary coming to your home and signing papers, etc.
In some states, dealers have to charge everyone the same fee, and they can’t let you ‘negotiate’ the fee. I’m sure what I’m saying isn’t true for every state, but if you’re looking at an X3M, a doc fee isn’t going to kill or make your deal, if you don’t want to pay it and want a great deal, check the transfer section.
Unfortunately there are few videos/blogs/etc out there that talk about how one should never pay the doc fee. The reality is, you’re not getting away from it. If you are successful in negotiating your way into not paying a doc fee, it’s because you left so much meat on the bones that they’re just shifting it into the selling price and telling you they’re not charging it.
Most (all?) brokers on here advertise their percentage discounts excluding the doc fee. It’s very rare for dealers to remove it as a line item. On one of my deals, I actually had it removed, because I was quoted without it by the SM accidentally and he honored that price. Most of the time, however, keep the fee in mind when negotiating and try to get the sales price lower to compensate.
In addition to what the others said
No. It’s up to you to consider the total lease cost including the doc fee and basically take it or leave it.
In New Jersey it is particularly crappy because there is no cap and the dealer can make it whatever the hell they want. I’ve seen Jersey dealers with no doc fee and I’ve seen dealers with $799 doc fee (crazy).
If your worried about the doc fee, you can try shopping a New York dealer where they are capped at $75, so if the dealer that’s giving you X discount has a $799 doc fee and you can get close to that discount with a New York store, your saving $725 off the rip.
See above post. If you’re so worried about a high doc fee you can shop in a state that has low docs fees, like NY which is capped at $75.
NJ can get you for $799 and most BMW stores will charge that high
MSDs not allowed in NY. Usually worth it to eat a few hundred to save close to or into 4 digits. As HersheySweet mentioned, the doc fee usually has some substance to it, too. Worth the time and effort.
That’s correct, but if you’re saving $700 in docs fees then you need to run the numbers to see if it’s worth it get it in NJ. Considering same discount, you’re prob better saving the $700 bucks in doc fee and not doing MSDs (which is about $1k over 3yrs in savings )
1 reason why Jersey dealers turn me off
Assuming you can get a similar deal. For me, the difference was about $300 in my favor which really doesn’t matter over 3 years. Finding what I wanted (mineral white!) plus the better experience/easier process going through a broker is why I ended up buying from a NJ dealer despite being single digit miles from a NY dealer. The dealer closest to me is one of the biggest and is not going to play ball with me when they could swindle a walk-in instead. Their advertised loaner “special” on the same MSRP comes out to over $2,000 more… plus $2,600 down.
The states with capped docs fees just have dealers that add other crap to make up for it, nitro fill, lifetime blinker fluid fills, etch etc.