Additional Fees

[sdousley]

Hi

I'm in the process of purchasing a used Seat Ibiza from a Seat dealership.

On going through the order process, they have added £149 onto the window price of the car for their admin fees. To me, this isn't something that I feel I should be paying, or should be included in the price of the car?

Is this common for dealerships to do this, if so, is it easy/possible to avoid paying this?

[DoubleD]

Does it say anywhere in the dealership about this admin fee?

Is it still good value with the admin fee?

[ScoobyChris]

sdousley said:

Hi

I'm in the process of purchasing a used Seat Ibiza from a Seat dealership.

On going through the order process, they have added £149 onto the window price of the car for their admin fees. To me, this isn't something that I feel I should be paying, or should be included in the price of the car?

Is this common for dealerships to do this, if so, is it easy/possible to avoid paying this?

Negotiate a £149 discount on the deal?

Chris

[Deerfoot]

sdousley said:

Is this common for dealerships to do this, if so, is it easy/possible to avoid paying this?

I've not heard of a franchised dealer adding these charges, only car supermarket style outfits.

Personally I don't like this practice, especially if they're not open and up front about them from the very start.

Can you avoid paying them? Of course you could ask them to drop them or walk away, it all depends if the deal is good enough...

[talksthetorque]

sdousley said:

Hi

I'm in the process of purchasing a used Seat Ibiza from a Seat dealership.

On going through the order process, they have added £149 onto the window price of the car for their admin fees. To me, this isn't something that I feel I should be paying, or should be included in the price of the car?

Is this common for dealerships to do this, if so, is it easy/possible to avoid paying this?

It sounds like you're paying screen price for a used car, as well as an admin fee for them to take money off you. I hope it's a good deal to start with.

[Sheepshanks]

sdousley said:

On going through the order process, they have added £149 onto the window price of the car for their admin fees.

It's not part of a finance deal, like a doc fee, is it?

I can't believe a dealer would just add a £149 sales fee - surely no-one would cheerfully just pay it, so the hassle would be immense.

[Johnnytheboy]

My boss tried to get me to buy a van from some bargain used place a few years back. A small sign in the showroom said they added £695 "admin fee" to every vehicle they sold.

I walked.

[DoubleD]

All places will have an admin fee, its just that most places wont mention it as its hidden in the price. Its pretty simple really, if the deal is better than elsewhere then why worry.

[Momentofmadness]

One the biggest chains in the country do this too... and when I tried to take the car back for warrenty work I was told that I couldn't have a Saturday appointment as that was reserved for 'paying customers' - their cars are usually shambolically prepared too.

In fairness I rejected the car under the CRA 2015 (I paid my local garage to prepare a quote for the repair work needed) and they took it back without any quibble.

The other trick I've seen is to add the road fund cost and £20 for fuel to the sticker price too

So personally I'd vote with my feet on any dealer doing the admin fee trick unless the numbers stack up and even then tread carefully...

[Dimebars]

Momentofmadness said:

The other trick I've seen is to add the road fund cost and £20 for fuel to the sticker price too

Why wouldn't they add the cost of road fund unless you'd negotiated it separately?

[egomeister]

Momentofmadness said:

One the biggest chains in the country do this too... and when I tried to take the car back for warrenty work I was told that I couldn't have a Saturday appointment as that was reserved for 'paying customers' - their cars are usually shambolically prepared too.

In fairness I rejected the car under the CRA 2015 (I paid my local garage to prepare a quote for the repair work needed) and they took it back without any quibble.

The other trick I've seen is to add the road fund cost and £20 for fuel to the sticker price too

So personally I'd vote with my feet on any dealer doing the admin fee trick unless the numbers stack up and even then tread carefully...

Bristol Street/Vertu?

[kurt535]

Bike traders do this. I refused to buy from one who told me the fee as an afterthought.

It's a pretty pathetic stealth charge.

[hyphen]

Car supermarkets do these admin fees, didn't realise normal traders had joined in too.

As long as it is clearly stated upfront then no issues.

[Adz The Rat]

Evans Halshaw do this, add lots of hidden fee's on. They will waive it if you push them hard enough though the salesman does get paid a bonus on it...

[Sheepshanks]

hyphen said:

Car supermarkets do these admin fees, didn't realise normal traders had joined in too.

As long as it is clearly stated upfront then no issues.

They couldn't do it as new cars as they're obliged to quote an on the road price, so you wouldn't be expecting a franchised dealer to do it on used either.

[Momentofmadness]

Dimebars said:

Momentofmadness said:

The other trick I've seen is to add the road fund cost and £20 for fuel to the sticker price too

Why wouldn't they add the cost of road fund unless you'd negotiated it separately?

In the older days, paying screen price would get you the road road licence and a tank of fuel but now the sales-shift is to add everything as an extra including the admin fee (which I was told ensures that I don't buy a write-off lol) after the 'mandatory because of FCA regulations' run through paint protection, dent protection cover.

I much prefer buying from auction or a decent dealer that doesn't need to 'process me' (their terminology)

How are you getting on OP? Did you decide to take the plunge?

[DoubleD]

In the "older days" the screen price would have been higher in the first place with all those items added for "free"

[Sheepshanks]

Momentofmadness said:

I much prefer buying from auction...

Yet you have to pay additional fees there on top of the price...?

[Momentofmadness]

DoubleD said:

In the "older days" the screen price would have been higher in the first place with all those items added for "free"

Possibly, do you think margins now are less for dealers? I really don't know

[Momentofmadness]

Sheepshanks said:

Yet you have to pay additional fees there on top of the price...?

Yes of course, but i think you need to look beyond the obvious if that's your argument?