I talked to Hank Aaron BMW here in Atlanta, and the salesman said there would be a $400 "documentation" fee for a new Cooper S. He said $300 is BMW's fee, while $100 was for the dealership. Has anyone else been stuck with this? I understand this is normal for a new car, but I was wondering if you guys were charged a similar fee when you got your Mini. Thanks!

Cheers,
Ross

 

In California I was hit with a $550.00 dealer destination fee. Normal for here. Plus a $45.00 document fee (dealer) $221.00 License (State) and $5.00 Tire Fee (State). The price of the car and dealer mark up of 2K.

 

Mini of Charleston, SC charged $169 as the documentation fee, but added nothing else. I gladly paid it instead of waiting 10 months! Flow Mini in NC (where I still have a deposit) does not add any fees.

Enjoying the ride! :smile:

 

Bill Jacobs MINI of Chicago only charges $51.44 documentation fee with no other mark-up. You are getting hosed if you pay more.

 

Global Imports in Atlanta has one also, I don't think it was 400 more like 250 to 300 and I complained and moaned, no luck, got stuck!

:evil:

 

Lauderdale Imports MINI in Ft Lauderdale, FL charges a documentation/dealer car prep fee of $299, which is the lowest fee amount among all South Florida MINI dealers.

Here it is customary for al dealers to charge doc fees in the $200-$400 ballpark.

This item is non-negotiable. I tried.

 

The limit on documentation fees is dictated by the state, so it will vary accordingly. Dealers will go as close to the state limit as they can.

 

"We got hosed, Tommy...we got hosed."

Documentation fee?! Now, I've only bought one other new car, and I don't remember any "documentation fee". When I was originally looking at Hank Aaron in Atlanta, they didn't mention anything about a documentation fee...and neither has Roadshow MINI in Memphis, which is where I ended up going. So, it sounds like another thing the dealers can do to get some more $$...and if it were more common, I'm guessing more people would have brought it up by now? But then again, I have been wrong once or twice

 

There has been a doc fee on every new car I've ever bought. It's always under $100 though so I don't mind. I'm in NJ - they always claim it's a fee for the whole Motor Vehicle thing - the paperwork and messenger service to bring your paperwork. I don't care, again in Jersey it's cheap enough.

 

Agreed on MINI of Charleston. I think every dealer has that fee in some way. I used to work for dealerships long ago, and they all did. It basically covers the paperwork and the person who takes it all to the Department of Motor Vehicles to get it all recorded. But, there is also mark-up in there.

These days here in Charleston I was happy to pay the dealer's fee though. Our DMV is totally screwed up and average wait times in live are running as high as 5 hours! I was told that with the current DMV backup, I wouldn't get my plates for 6 weeks to 2 months! Geez....

Michael

 

zwoman, at Roadshow it's called the processing fee. I wasn't aware of it until an extra $199 showed up on my buyer's order. I asked for an explanation and was told it was for "paperwork."

 

It's amazing the difference between dealers on doc fees. I charge $20 for the doc fee, $80 for registration (unless you are transferrring plates, it's cheaper), and $10 for inspection fee. A grand total of $110.00.

 

>>zwoman, at Roadshow it's called the processing fee. I wasn't aware of it until an extra $199 showed up on my buyer's order. I asked for an explanation and was told it was for "paperwork."

Man, that's cr@p. Oh well...I guess since everyone else has to do it :smile: Someone else mentioned that their CA fee was $550 - is that different than the $550 destination fee that everyone is charged?

So, what do they end up charging you if you're going to register your car in another state? I don't live in Tennessee...Opal, TOTALLY different topic, did Roadshow mount the front-plate on your MINI? Would you mind PM'ing me? Guess I could have done that :smile:

 

>>
>>Man, that's cr@p. Oh well...I guess since everyone else has to do it :smile: Someone else mentioned that their CA fee was $550 - is that different than the $550 destination fee that everyone is charged?
>>



Cheers!
Clover

 

My mini is about to be delivered and they are saying I will have to pay a $459 DOC fee. I'm going to fight it since it wasn't disclosed when I ordered and I did ask.

 

Sorry, meant to add that this was at Flwo mini

 

Document preparation fees are total CRAP!
It's pure gravy to the owner of the dealership. You may as well just hand the owner the cash and watch him (her) put it in their pocket.
Then they try to justify it by saying it covers the registration and runner's fees. That's just one of the costs of doing business, pure and simple.
Some years back, I bought an '89 Thunderbird SuperCoupe, and they tried to spank me with a $250.00 Doc prep fee. I told the salesman he was out of his mind, and got up and walked out.
He caught up to me in the parking lot after talking to his sales manager, and said they could "waive" the fee.
The lesson I learned from this is, as long as I was willing to let the deal go, I had all the power.

 

I agree with you but if you do that with a MINI dealer they will probably just wave bye,bye to you

 

When I bought my MC at Roadshow there was a $249 documentation fee and a $52 Memphis, TN tax, (I live in Arkansas). I said no way I was paying more than list for the car, including any fees. They knocked $350 off the price of the car.

 

Not trying to hijack the thread, but I recently bough an '05 MCS and have an appointment for service next week at FLOW MINI. Any feedback in terms of customer service? Here in Durham we have no dealership choice other than Flow MINI or driving up to Virginia(Crown MINI).

Thanks