Setup fee charges on a used FJR

[MCRIDER007]

Unfortunately this deal was made online and on the phone, then between my Credit Union and the dealer. The 395.00 setup fee and 80.00 document fee were over and above the agreed price. I didn't see the P.O. until I went to the CU to sign paprers. This is a 2015 with 4K on it, there were no new tires or service. The most they might have done was wipe dust off it. I'm calling the dealer Monday. I've bought 26 bikes and god knows how many used cars, there's never been a setup fee on a used bike or vehicle.

That is much different than what I thought you had described in your original post and it certainly is a ripoff....in the interest of full disclosure, my question now is why you bought the bike under those circumstances since it appears you could have "walked" at your CU rather than agreed to the markups/ripoffs.

 

[Madmudder]

Unfortunately this deal was made online and on the phone, then between my Credit Union and the dealer. The 395.00 setup fee and 80.00 document fee were over and above the agreed price. I didn't see the P.O. until I went to the CU to sign paprers. This is a 2015 with 4K on it, there were no new tires or service. The most they might have done was wipe dust off it. I'm calling the dealer Monday. I've bought 26 bikes and god knows how many used cars, there's never been a setup fee on a used bike or vehicle.

Maybe even let him know you have an equal amount irritation fee and expect it taken off the agreed upon price

Then ask him if he would like a glass of water with that pill!

 

[Pterodactyl]

Selling motorcycles is no different than selling condoms. If I were buying a condum I would expect to pay the price marked for the condom at the store's checkout. I would object if the store attempted to add a condom packaging fee, a stocking fee and/or a fee for having the 18 year old checkout girl refrain from giggling at the delusional geezer. If I were buying a motorcycle I would expect the dealer's price to include everything except tax, however, I would realize that the seller's goal is the same as it is when selling a condom.... somebody is getting screwed.

It would be fun to go shopping for a bike and when the sales guy presents you with the contract that shows there are additional fees you just nod your head. Then write a check for about a $1,000 less than the contract indicates. Then explain to the puzzled salesperson that you have deducted fees for waiting, transportation and bullshit tolerance.

 

[DocFJR]

Whenever I buy at a dealership, I don't finance, and I've done enough research to know a reasonable price that allows them some profit. I'll make an offer and state how much I'll write a check for, which includes tax, tag, setup, etc.; they can arrange line items any way they want. I tell them that if they accept my offer and later increase it by a single dollar, I'm out. Takes the stress out of the process for me.

 

[escapefjrtist]

Unfortunately this deal was made online and on the phone, then between my Credit Union and the dealer. The 395.00 setup fee and 80.00 document fee were over and above the agreed price. I didn't see the P.O. until I went to the CU to sign paprers. This is a 2015 with 4K on it, there were no new tires or service. The most they might have done was wipe dust off it. I'm calling the dealer Monday. I've bought 26 bikes and god knows how many used cars, there's never been a setup fee on a used bike or vehicle.

That is much different than what I thought you had described in your original post and it certainly is a ripoff....in the interest of full disclosure, my question now is why you bought the bike under those circumstances since it appears you could have "walked" at your CU rather than agreed to the markups/ripoffs.

Echoing '007, that changes the deal entirely. Re-read the fine print and if there's no mention of these additional fees then you have a valid complaint.

Good luck.

--G

 

[Horsefly]

My boneheaded failing was not line item checking the numbers before signing at the Credit Union. Lots of forms to sign etc. I assumed the bottom line was including loan interest.

 

[Wlfman]

When I bought my '13 I had found it advertised on MotorcycleTrader.com I called the dealership and asked them their OTD price. They quoted me a little higher than what was in the ad but still a good deal under MSRP. I told them I'd be there Sat (a couple days latter) and to have the paperwork ready.

Arrived on Sat and the price for OTD was as agreed upon over the phone, $13,970 (and that included the 4 year Y.E.S.). I signed the papers, loaded the bike up and headed home. The bike had 0.0 miles on the odo.

I was at the dealership for less than 20 minutes.

 

[AdamK]

My boneheaded failing was not line item checking the numbers before signing at the Credit Union. Lots of forms to sign etc. I assumed the bottom line was including loan interest.

I made the same mistake when I bought an RX-8. I financed part of the purchase to get a $1k rebate from Mazda. The dealer asked me to make a couple of payments before paying off the loan or it would make his dealership "look bad". When I got home and looked closer through the paperwork I found they had charged me their WA State Business and Occupation (B&O) tax as a line item next to sales tax!! That's one of their costs of doing business. I called to complain but got nowhere. It's like them charging you electricity for the lights while you were there buying the car! Needless to say I paid the loan off the next day!

After further research I found it's actually illegal in the State of WA for them to do this. We bought a car for my wife there in November. I related the story to the salesman so it wouldn't happen again. We didn't pay their B&O this time. They either new better this time or were busted for what they were doing 10 years ago....

 

[WHS]

A good deal is when you leave happy... That's it. There will always be somebody else who did better and there are always people who will tell you how bad you did, blah blah blah.

As far as $395, this is just one of the ways of covering profit. I spent 25 years in the business and am very familiar with many of the different tactics. Would you feel better if they just built into the cost of reconditioning? Or as one dealer I worked at used to do, they took every trade into the service department (where I worked) and then charged themselves List +25%. Yup, they essentially gouged themselves on the invoice and then when they sold it, showed people the invoice on how much they spent. Nobody was the wiser the dealer made extra bank. And there are literally a million tricks like this...

My advise, as long as you are happy, then go with it and just be happy.

 

[Old Guy]

Would you feel better if they just built into the cost of reconditioning?

Yes. As long as the check I write is the same amount we agreed on before it got to finance.

But in the OP's example, the charge was slipped in at finance. I, personally, would not be happy and would probably tell them to forget it.

 

[WHS]

I missed that! In the initial post I thought he said he noticed it after looking over the paperwork after the deal. I just read his later post where it was over and above the initial deal. So that kind of changes things for sure!

 

[Old Guy]

Actually, I prefer they reduce the price and add other charges to make up the difference. It reduces the sales tax

 

[Auron]

I'd show them the invoice for my middle finger and buy from a motivated private seller.