I checked thru my invoice before finalizing the sale and $55 was listed for doc fee from Otto's. I thought it was a very fair price so this sale was DONE!!!

 

$50 doc fee

 

There was no dealer prep or doc fee at my dealer Mini of Concord. I paid MSRP + CA sales tax for my county and CA license fee.

 

$489.50 'administration handling doc and notary fee' at Tom Bush Mini of Jacksonville Florida.
plus $650 destination handling charge, and $191 tag/registration fee

They threw in mats (front back and boot) and sunvisor.

To their credit they did try to give me free installation on driving lamps. I decided to take them off the car before ordering.

 

I paid about $45 at Westchester MINI for processing. For the free mats and swag I got from Steve, my MA, I think that this is a very reasonable price!

 

MiniCS

All tire retailers/dealers have to charge that fee, since it is mandated by the government of NY. This is to fund the recycling costs of the old tires you turn in when you get a new set.

 

Sasha, thx for explainning. One would think they tag that on when disposing the tires.. I guess this way it prevents people from dumping the tires on the side of the road.

 

Services,Preparation of Documents,Affidavits $599 preprinted on the buyer's sheet.Florida Law Acid Battery & Waste Tire Fee $6.50 preprinted and Motor Vehicle Warranty Enforcement Act $2.00 preprinted.

Total $607.50 non negotiable.

 

$55 here, not worth worrying about.

 

Don't know what you deposited or signed, but other Florida MINI Dealers charge more and then there will likely be another long 'wait' for delivery.

Ferman MINI in Tampa Bay area "PRE-DELIVERY SERVICE*" was $599.95 (Pre-Printed on Invoice) No negotiatian on that, but you can always negotiate the price and might have the best luck near the end of a month, this worked well for me.

The Florida Dealers (and not Just MINI Dealers) all seem to have this 'extra profit' "Non-negotiable" fees of $4-600 tacked on to your cost.

After you have placed a deposit or signed a purchase order, your ability to "Negotiate" would be limited.

You need to consider the value of your time as well as the cost of travel for visiting all eight (or so) Florida MINI Dealers for a possible 'best deal'.

You Do Need to be there and feel comfortable with the purchase and your MA and his Dealer before you make a comintment on a 'deal'.

After you think your 'deal' is done, your MA is going to turn you over to the financial office (often over at the BMW side) and now you need to use great care and judgement as this is the place where car dealers expect to add a few more thousand in profit by signing you up for overpriced 'extras' and plans.

Ferman MINI(/BMW) was very fair and easy to deal with at this point with no 'extra's added and even mailed a refund on an extra tag I needed, since I did not leave a 'trade-in' but phoned him three days later to transfer my original Tag. My MA was Oliver Morris and he presented the most comfortable automobile purchase I had ever experienced.

My MINI was perfectly prepared with none of those 'cosmoline' or other issues that NAM buyers have had to deal with, the floor mats were never discussed but were added to the car before I left with a full tank of gas.

I was completely pleased to accomplish in one day, what I had expected to spend several days to complete and especially that there was such a large inventory to see and choose one that was exactly what I would have expected to 'order'.

 

I paid the $50 doc prep fee but that was it. :D

 

pilotart I actually got a great deal from Vista MINI after visiting the 3 local Mini dealerships in my area and they gave me a lot more for my trade in and discounted off the MSRP which certainly reduced the standard charge prep/doc fees plus I received a check in the mail for a refund on the tag transfer.

I just looked at the Ferman MINI/BMW link you posted and 65 MINIs is a big inventory to have right now which is great to see although they could be including the ordered ones too in that.

 

Anyone know what I can expect from Mini of the Main Line outside of Philadelphia?

I'm planning on getting a break down before the car is delivered, but I was going to wait until I was a little closer and had my financing in place....

 

Are you in DFW? Did you use Mini of Dallas or Moritz? Mini of Dallas would only give $250 in acc allowance I said ok I'm out the door to order from Moritz and they didn't stop me so I did.

 

They ARE including ones that are already sold, as I found mine listed in the inventory!! I will say.. they did throw in car mats and lic. plate holder... however, I do feel I am paying A LOT for the driving lights and mudflaps to be installed (1295.00) Oh well... Our MA at Ferman's has been a pleasure to work with - +1 there!

 

Hmm, just checked my invoice and there's a $195 doc prep fee listed there. Ugh. Not as bad as the others, but still. It's at MoP so I assume I won't be able to negotiate either.

 

What do you folks know about Mini of Murray in SLC?

Thanks, Don

 

I in no way meant to imply that you did not make a great deal on your purchase from Vista.

In fact your 32nd Post on NAM was very valuable information for my quest, thank you for writing it.

I had just quoted your post to show one of the Florida 'FEE's to expect.

When I went to Ferman in April, they did have 60+ cars in stock to look at and nearly 40 of them were available to purchase, my objective had been to see the colors and sit in the interiors. Turned out that my MINI-USA Configurator choices did not 'look' or 'sit' very well at all for me. Luck for me that the Color which looked best 'in-person' was also equipped exactly and I was its first (and last) 'test-driver'.

Yes, that MINI Dealer site is like most of the others in that the cars on it are not available to buy as they have been sold already.

Fermans other website only lists two R53 MINI's in stock (2006 models).

A flight on August 14th had taken me within two miles of Downtown MINI in Orlando, so I visited for my post-break-in oil change supplies, their showroom was full of nice used MINI's but just two new ones. From what I saw, they would be an excellent MINI Dealer as well, but just twice as far for me to travel.

 

My dealership charged only what it would cost me to go register it myself. I don't see a problem with that line of thinking.

 

I never have nor ever will pay the extra fees dealers try to charge. They will remove the fee or I walk out and buy elsewhere. I deal only in "Out-The-Door" pricing. Once the deal is made I will not accept one extra cent added to the contract.

 

Texas law limits dealers to a $50 doc fee which they almost all charge. In our town, it would take you at least an hour in line at one of the tax accessor/collectors to register it yourself so $50 is a bargain to me. Here in Houston, Momentum (owned by Sonic) used to charge a $497 "dealer services package" that wasn't going to come off no matter what. Once their competition MINI of the Woodlands came to town and didn't charge a fee like that, Momentum eventually dropped their's. The manufacturer's delivery/shipping charge which is on the window sticker covers transportation and dealer prep. Anything they are charging you extra is just added gravy for them. That said, if local practice allows them to get away with it, don't just expect them to drop it because someone on NAM in another part of the country says so.

 

Here's a link on Edmund's site pertaining to max. doc fees broken down by state. Also, taxes and advice as to what you shouldn't have to pay for.
http://www.edmunds.com/advice/buying...4/article.html

Cheers.

 

That's out of date or wrong, it says the California maximum is $45, we were charged $55, so I looked it up. The CA vehicle code section 11713.1(b) says "The dealer document preparation charge shall not exceed fifty-five dollars ($55)."

 

No I'm in Houston. I got free mats, wheel locks (didnt' even ask for these) and free grocery bag holder :D

 

Wow thats good to know! I am glad I bought my car after Momentum dropped that outrageous charge! Yup, I paid the $50 and that is fine to me so I don't have to go get my own tags and plates :D