Registration fee: 239
Documentary fee: 198
NJ Tire fee: 6.00

This is pretty standard stuff from what I've gathered. I was told up front about these fees by the dealer and when I talked to other people about fees like this I got the idea that this is Business as usual. I didn't even really think about these fees until now....

 

License fees: AKA: registration for the vehicle for one year.

 

=0)



that's crazy expensive! it's like 31.oo here for a year, 63.oo for two!!!

 

Here at Downtown MINI in Orlando, they charge a $300 Documentation fee. This is separate from the registration fees. The $300 Doc fee is in bold and pre-printed on their hand-written vehicle options write-up. Wish I didn't have to pay it, maybe I could show them this thread =)

 

Exactly! It amazes me how many people don't read contracts and then yell that they are being "ripped off" when something happens that is not covered in the contract.

The dealership is being sleazy with this last minute fee, but it is not illegal. Get an out the door price in writing when you order. Or walk away from the deal.

 

I live in SF Bay Area and bought my car from MINI of Pittsburgh. They charged me MSRP + $51 (document handling fee) and $5 (30 day temporary license). They included shipping to my front door!

After getting the car, I had to get a smog check ($50) and then register the car with CA DMV. I paid sales/use tax and the registration fee (which would be the same had I purchased it from a CA dealer).

 

Flow Mini in North Carolina did not add any "dealer packages". A very nice place to do business with IMO. They did have a $395 Document Fee. This is also known as extra profit fee. I bought a Ford truck a month befor I bought the MINI and paid $0 for Documentation. The truck was bought for at least $1,500 below invoice price. The MINI was bought at MSRP. It's like a poke in the eye after paying MSRP for a car. There is not much you can do about the Doc Fee, but if I ever get MINI's dealership survey, I will sure mention this fee.

 

At one dealership where they tried to charge me a documentation fee (preprinted on the sales form no less), I complained that they were trying to rip me off so loudly on the sales floor, with lots of prospective customers milling about, that they finally crossed it out.

 

I got my car through MINI of Charleston, and I only had to pay MSRP, destination charges ($595), and South Carolina sales tax (capped at $300)

 

Interesting! That's another factor to consider when it comes to Carmax vs trade-in, at least in South Carolina. I wonder, does this fulfill the sales tax requirement for people buying from out of state? If so, it would certainly make a cheap plane ticket and a road trip appealing to someone in a state like New York where sales taxes are sky-high.

 

We can all learn from ours and others mistakes: - - contracts: read before signing - - - ask questions before signing - - negotiate before signing. Please make note that most States have an X hour "cool off period" law with purchasing a car. During this time you can return to dealership and have the sales contract cancelled. Take an older person with you and a copy of the law, for support.

It is usually always better to have someone with you when you plan to purchase something that is high in price (cars/homes/etc.). Two heads are usually better than one and the other person can ask the tough questions for you since they are not emotionally attached to the deal.

IMHO-Despite the MINI craze (which is cooling off a little), most everything in life remains negotiable. MINI's sale price in general is not negotiable because the demand is greater than the supply. Those that want the MINI are paying very high dealer profit margins.

Hope this helps you.

 

In general, you pay sales tax in the state in which you register the car, not the state where you purchase it. . . .

sales tax on new cars in Alabama is 2% (if I remember correctly)

 

I have to succumb to desire to say, I hate my sales tax rate! 7.75% for Orange County, California...and there are some states out there like Oregon with absolutely no sales tax...argh. The price we pay to live in this place called Southern California.

 

I called my MA today to add an armrest to my order and asked that he remove the "Dealer Delivery Package" and he was very polite about it. He did however go line by line to see if I wanted to retian any of the options included, which I did keep the locking wheel lugs.

It is all sorted and I feel 100% better.

 

Dang, Yucca. WA sales tax for cars is 9.1%.

I paid $35 for my document fee, and I think that's standardized around the Seattle area since we bought a Saab earlier (obviously) from a different dealership and that was also $35. $399 is nuts.

 

The South Carolina sales tax cap only really helps if you're registering your car there... If I was to register my car in Georgia, I'd have to pay the balance of the taxes (about $1100) for the $24k purchase price of the car . But I'm in the military, so I was able to get a sales tax affadavit to waive the fees. Different states have different regulations, so make sure you do your research before driving to Charleston. It required some paperwork and research on my part, but it saved me a grand. Loopholes are fun!

 

hmmm....car dealers being shady? never heard of that.

my local dealer here in phoenix did a pretty good job of ticking me off. i cancelled my order with them and placed my order with classic mini in ohio. they've been great to deal with frankly a x-country trip in my new whip sounds pretty damn good.

 

It depends on if they're charging you another delivery fee on top of the delivery fee on the window sticker (i forget but around $500 i think?). I paid MSRP for the car + BMW's delivery fee (the one on your window sticker) + $300 processing (which they then send in my out of state taxes, etc for my plates) and i negotiated for $300 in free accessories. This was in North Carolina (I live in VA)