Guys, I think it’s unfair to be critical of the brokers for charging $500+ to broker these deals. These are the same guys who brought each of us the opportunity to drive vehicles for free the last few years and the ability to flip $60-70k Jeeps for $5,000+ equity checks (more equity for other builds).
Most of these guys work with a team of a few people and answer calls/emails/text messages all hours of the day. For every (1) vehicle they sell, they may send (100) messages. This is in addition to constantly contacting dealers, GMs, finance managers, etc for issues we have with our deals.
After using a broker on my last deal for my Ram, I 100% recommend using one. Their fee is minimal for the amount of time and effort I had to spend to get a unicorn deal on a $67,000 Ram.
The same people complaining about these fees are the people who get a quote from a broker then contact the dealer behind their back to get the same deal.
Everyone is complaining now because the “free” jeep parade is slowly drying up, but they’ll be praising the brokers when the market turns around and they’re driving $400 E-trons.
Step back and look at the whole picture. These guys are a luxury for this community. They need to be compensated for their time and connections and the members of their team deserve to make a healthy wage as well. Especially when we are all flipping these vehicles as quickly as we can.
Next time you cash a equity check, thank a broker for finding the opportunity for you, whether you used one or not.
fellas, got my 4XE’s check engine light fixed at the dealer. They had to replace one of the coolant pumps. Now i’m ready to get the smog/dmv stuff done.
What exactly do I have to do at the DMV? Is it just a VIN verification? Do you fill anything out? Do you make an appointment? I cant seem to find the type of appointment on DMV’s website for this process.
Clutch’s PDF file says you just roll up to the DMV and go in the vehicle inspection line, is this accurate?
Most CA DMV has a drive through VIN verification line right next to the driving test lane. Pull up and pop the hood and someone will come out and do your VIN cert. (remember you don’t need to sign it)
No appointments, no form to bring. They fill it out for you.
Just follow the signs for Driver Test and then look for the Vin Verification lane.
My DMV guy actually had to show me how to pop my hood; my first Jeep, sort of embarrassing.
Not every trail is narrow, and for me personally, if it gets narrow enough to where pinstripes/scratches are an issue, I turn around. In the southwest, trees are few and trails are mostly wide open and the only time my soft top got damaged was user error, a friend turned into a tree branch (and poked a hole into soft top) at night.
On my way home tonight, WAZE diverted me off of the Merritt parkway and through the back roads of Greenwich. Ahead of me I saw a very old pickup truck in almost perfect condition in a Blue not too many shades off from my Wrangler. As fate would have it, there was a large branch in the middle of the road. The pickup stopped in front to clear. As I got out to help, I had to ask. A completely restored 1955 Willys. In the age of the iPhone, pics or it didn’t happen:
