I have been occasionally checking out a vehicle listed on their website over the course of the past…read moreseveral weeks. Yesterday, I saw the price finally reach something I was willing to pay (about $15k), so today I went in for a test dive.
I called and scheduled an appointment. The sales guy promptly met me, and let me inspect all of the features of the car. I asked him several questions, about half of which he couldn't answer, because he has too many cars on site to memorize all their features. We briefly discussed price, and he mentioned that the cash price and $599 fee were not negotiable. I liked almost everything I saw, so after making a photocopy of my license, we went for a test drive, with a quick loop from the 60 around the 101.
After the test drive, he asked how soon I was interested in buying. I told him I liked the car, and was ready to buy it outright. He told me in addition to the listed price, and $600 fee, I had to pay a $2,500 reconditioning fee, and sales tax. Uncle Sam wants his cut, I get it, so I agreed that paying sales tax is understandable and acceptable. The $2,500 reconditioning fee is something I just couldn't accept. After tax, the total price difference without ($16.9k) and with ($19.6k) reconditioning fee, was like $2,700.
Having to pay $600 documentation fees, I get it. Having to pay another $1,300 in tax, not ideal, but maybe keeps the business by the book. Another $2,700 reconditioning fee, that is in fact mentioned on the website in fine print, but without any actual quantity or percentage disclosed, totally scummy. The car was generally in good condition, but there were several noticeable condition issues (exterior scratches, trim falling off, gross leather condition on the arm rest) that lead me to believe nothing was reconditioned, and that fee is merely a way to keep the vehicle at the same initial intended sales price while being able to claim it's been discounted.
Sad to say, we did not come to an agreement, and my search will continue.