Hello I was just in Toyota trying to lease a Tacoma. They gave me the price an I saw security code $389 asked what this was and they said oh it’s a security an I cut him off an asked if was etch he said yes. I was like sorry I am not paying $400 for a sticker. So the sales manager comes out and tells me it’s already on the truck and I have to pay it. I asked him so Your telling me you won’t sell me the truck unless I pay 400 for a sticker and he said yes. It’s the only money we will make. I said thanks for your time and walked out. I’m blown away they would loose a deal over a damn etch fee. Or is this a Toyota thing!? I have never paid for this garbage I sold cars and put them on cars. I have never paid for that garbage on any car I bought. Is this like a thing with Toyota!?
It’s a thing with a lot of dealerships in general. Probably has nothing to do with Toyota.
But to not sell a car do to the fee alone!? Blows my mind
If they give a big enough discount, who cares. I wouldn’t walk out just because they charge it.
Tell them to knock 1000 off the price and you will pay 1000 for the sticker. It’s all about where and how they make their money. Don’t get too caught up in it.
I might have done the same. ESP since I prefer to negotiate everything over email and if this was sprung at the last minute inside the finance person’s office…
Wow. This reminds me of window etching back in the days which I believe now is the barcode sticker?
Take note: If your dealership has stupid useless bullshit markups like lojack, etch, and nitrofill and whatever else you’re trying to pull like “market value” I won’t even negotiate, I’m straight up leaving because you’re insulting my intelligence.
My old store used to do it too. $199 etch. Managers wouldn’t let us remove it. One day the owner asked how we got 100% of the deals to take it. Then told the managers that its optional to customers…
Managers get a cut of the etching markup even if the car sells for under cost.
Commissions for the sales people on profitable cars are all reduced.
Yea I sold cars for about a year and use to put etch on the windows. An we would charge 199 for it. It’s 2018 now blows my mind they still pull that garbage. I’m suprised no one has sued some dealers pants off for charging a customer for the sticker and when thier car get stolen they ask about the “theft” code protection.
As an UPDATE i went to Broadway Toyota and lease a tacoma and wasn’t even brought up. I told em i was coming to buy an wasnt paying for a sticker.
The deal they were offering was not anything out of the ordinary. I was just being upfront when they brought the numbers out. Told em I wasn’t paying it I’d rather slide the sales guy a 50. Esp in today’s market. All worked out as went to a dealer that did want to sell a car an got it for 352 under invoice
An no sticker charge lol