• This thread is just the tip of the iceberg.The people ahead of the curve aren't Googling for answers — they're already in here, having the conversations you haven't found yet. DealerRefresh is free.Get the full picture →

Car Dealers are suffering from #FakeNews.

And yet, having just completed a used car purchase myself, I can tell you that an $899 “doc fee” is every bit as offensive to car buyers as a “resort fee” is to you who like to stay at resorts.

Another tactic being used by multiple franchised dealers in my area: “See this online price? Yeah, it’s really $1,000 higher if you don’t finance with us and then another $1,000 higher if you don’t have a trade.”

Would you be happy paying more for a room at your resort because you brought your own golf clubs instead of renting theirs?
 
And yet, having just completed a used car purchase myself, I can tell you that an $899 “doc fee” is every bit as offensive to car buyers as a “resort fee” is to you who like to stay at resorts.

Another tactic being used by multiple franchised dealers in my area: “See this online price? Yeah, it’s really $1,000 higher if you don’t finance with us and then another $1,000 higher if you don’t have a trade.”

Would you be happy paying more for a room at your resort because you brought your own golf clubs instead of renting theirs?

@lightnup uhhhhhh wow. Where the hell did you come from? :bow:
 

✨ AI Highlights

Dealers complain that car buyers perceive them as deceptive when similar "bait and switch" tactics—hidden fees, price increases at checkout, complex pricing structures—are rampant in airlines, cable, hotels, and travel booking sites, yet those industries face less public backlash. The thread reveals that while dealers may use aggressive pricing (doc fees, financing incentives), the car industry unfairly bears the reputation for being dishonest when many other industries employ identical or worse practices; one participant notes that cars simply generate stronger emotional reactions because buyers see them daily, making any perceived deception feel more personal and memorable.

Replies Views 12 5,645 Started Last Reply