Motorhome Purchase - Sales and Admin fees

[Patrick and Lesley]

When a dealership advertises + sales and admin fees along side the marked price of a Motorhome does it usually bump up the price significantly?

 

[Yorick]

I'd tell them to stick any fees where the sun don't shine.

 

[movan]

Agree with Yorick ... they should have made their money on buy in and sales price. Why should YOU pay for their business costs?

 

[Gromett]

This type of thing should be banned. Along with airlines advertising one price then adding taxes and other fees.

Anyone selling to the public should set the sticker price to what the public will have to pay to get the product or service. It is an underhanded tactic to artificially lower the sticker price and get you to talk to them.

 

[Yorick]

Imagine being charged extra when you reach the checkout at Tesco ?

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[Patrick and Lesley]

Interesting. As I’m new to dealships I wasn’t sure if it was normal or not. Anyway, I’ve emailed them and asked for an example of sales and admin fees. Let’s see if they bother to reply. Thanks all for the replies.

 

[Flamenca]

Anyway, I’ve emailed them and asked for an example of sales and admin fees.

I would email them asking for examples of discount.

 

[Gromett]

Interesting. As I’m new to dealships I wasn’t sure if it was normal or not. Anyway, I’ve emailed them and asked for an example of sales and admin fees. Let’s see if they bother to reply. Thanks all for the replies.

I would email them and tell them you won't buy until the sticker price actually reflects the full sale price before discounts so you can do direct comparisons with their competitors.
If they don't you won't buy from them on principle of hidden and unclear charges.

 

[Deleted member 29692]

Why would anyone do that?

Yes, they can charge whatever they like and call it "fees" if they want to but why on earth advertise the fact?

Just add it into the ticket price and nobody would be any the wiser.

 

[tonka]

I looked at a car recently and there was a £99 admin fee involved ??
There is a large car dealership almost across the road from where i live, I know they charge an admin fee ??
No idea what it's all about but just buying a car from Arnold clark, no fee's there

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[Deleted member 29692]

Just a thought.

Could this perhaps be a vehicle they're selling on behalf of someone else and the sticker price is what the actual seller wants for it?

In that situation the dealership would obviously charge a commission or fee.

If that is the case then it might be that their fee is a set figure that will be added to whatever price is eventually agreed with the seller.

 

[Stealaway]

Imagine being charged extra when you reach the checkout at Tesco ?

You'll be familiar with motorcycle parts suppliers continually quoting prices and then adding vat! They dealing almost exclusively with the general public. It makes me spit.

 

[Lenny HB]

You'll be familiar with motorcycle parts suppliers continually quoting prices and then adding vat! They dealing almost exclusively with the general public. It makes me spit.

I thought retail sales you had to include VAT in the price but trade sales can be ex VAT.

 

[Deleted member 29692]

I thought retail sales you had to include VAT in the price but trade sales can be ex VAT.

You can choose to include VAT in the quoted price or not as you see fit.

Anyone who sells to both trade (i.e. VAT registered) and retail customers will usually show ex VAT prices on everything just for simplicity. It makes no sense whatsoever to run separate systems.

 

[SuperMike]

Just a thought.

Could this perhaps be a vehicle they're selling on behalf of someone else and the sticker price is what the actual seller wants for it?

In that situation the dealership would obviously charge a commission or fee.

If that is the case then it might be that their fee is a set figure that will be added to whatever price is eventually agreed with the seller.

I suspect you may be right Nick, but of course that is neither the buyers concern or business. As all have said, the price should be the price. Not sure if it would do any good, but I wonder what Trading Standards would think of it.

When buying vehicles of any type, I walk into the dealership and up to the salesman and say to him "bearing in mind you will have one go at this, what is your best price ? "
Its funny sometimes to see there reaction when you turn to walk out. Sometimes I have to explain what "one go" means. Miserable old SuperMike.

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[Deleted member 29692]

I suspect you may be right Nick, but of course that is neither the buyers concern or business. As all have said, the price should be the price. Not sure if it would do any good, but I wonder what Trading Standards would think of it.

When buying vehicles of any type, I walk into the dealership and up to the salesman and say to him "bearing in mind you will have one go at this, what is your best price ? "
Its funny sometimes to see there reaction when you turn to walk out. Sometimes I have to explain what "one go" means. Miserable old SuperMike.

Trading Standards wouldn't give a monkeys. There's nothing hidden, the dealer has every right to charge whatever they like and break it down in any way they like. If they chose to then they could have "compulsory donation to the tea fund" as a listed charge.

If you don't like it don't buy from them.

Most traders don't bother breaking the ticket price down because it avoids discussions like this. I'm sure pretty much every single one of them has similar things built into their price but choose not to advertise the fact.

I don't sell vehicles but if anyone ever asks me what my best price is on something or for any other kind of discount I invite them to take their business elsewhere.

 

[Patrick and Lesley]

Trading Standards wouldn't give a monkeys. There's nothing hidden, the dealer has every right to charge whatever they like and break it down in any way they like. If they chose to then they could have "compulsory donation to the tea fund" as a listed charge.

If you don't like it don't buy from them.

Most traders don't bother breaking the ticket price down because it avoids discussions like this. I'm sure pretty much every single one of them has similar things built into their price but choose not to advertise the fact.

I don't sell vehicles but if anyone ever asks me what my best price is on something or for any other kind of discount I invite them to take their business elsewhere.

I would rather just see the full asking price advertised. I don’t care how they arrive at that price.

 

[Lenny HB]

You can choose to include VAT in the quoted price or not as you see fit.

Anyone who sells to both trade (i.e. VAT registered) and retail customers will usually show ex VAT prices on everything just for simplicity. It makes no sense whatsoever to run separate systems.

Yes but if the prices are only for the general public they have to include VAT, that is what our government says.

 

[SuperMike]

I don't sell vehicles but if anyone ever asks me what my best price is on something or for any other kind of discount I invite them to take their business elsewhere.

I specifically stated vehicles. So you have never haggled when buying anything, interesting. Further, if as the provider, you spoke to me in the tone of your post in this thread, then you would not need to invite me to do anything, as I would have already taken my business elsewhere.

 

[Yorick]

You'll be familiar with motorcycle parts suppliers continually quoting prices and then adding vat! They dealing almost exclusively with the general public. It makes me spit.

I've been buying and riding bikes for 42 years. Never, ever, seen prices without VAT. Online or in shops.

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[Norfolk Nomad]

This time of year, motorhome sales are slow, you should be able to negotiate a decent discount. Not pay an admin fee. I would look elsewhere.

 

[Minxy]

When a dealership advertises + sales and admin fees along side the marked price of a Motorhome does it usually bump up the price significantly?

Who is the dealer?

 

[Yorick]

If a shop asked me for an admin fee, I'd ask if I also had to pay for his sandwich at lunchtime ?

 

[Rob Hammond]

If a shop asked me for an admin fee, I'd ask if I also had to pay for his sandwich at lunchtime ?

Haha.

 

[Spriddler]

That reminded me of when my fiancée and I were buying a washing machine for our first house (1970). A plug wasn't already moulded on to the mains lead in those days and the salesman added 2/6d for the 13 Amp plug to go with it.

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[Paul an Jane MK]

Some car sales adopt same approach and I would not deal with someone like that on principle.

Just seems devious to me, not heard of it on motorhomes before though.

I knew someone who would offer customers “A free year warranty”

Sounded incredibly like “three year warranty”

Seems like a dodgy practice, I prefer when people are up front so would avoid.

Just my opinion.

 

[Patrick and Lesley]

Who is the dealer?

4frontcarsales in Hayward’s Heath.

 

[Badknee]

What rattles my cage is car dealers charging a delivery charge, sometimes hundreds of pounds on a car your buying. That's like Asda etc charging delivery on your tin of peas, wtf?
Service areas charging say twenty pence a litre higher than anywhere else, that's a pound a gallon over the top when the effing tanker is passing the place to get to his next drop!

 

[Lot lover]

All such charges are payable only at the customers' discretion.

 

[Lazyboy]

You need to be aware that if you are buying something on a finance agreement (many motorhomes are) that there will almost certainly be an "admin fee" which is the "fee" charged by the relevant finance company for the documentation on top of the monthly payments.(it is normally charged with the first months payment) There is no "set" fee and it is also possible for the finance company to waive the fee. (on some agreements I have seen it as high as £250.00!!) This can make a significant difference to the overall "cost of borrowing" The other fee, which is a legal requirement, is something called "the option to purchase fee". This is paid at the same time as the final payment on an HP agreement, It legally passes title from the finance company to the customer. I believe that there is no set fee as long as something is paid (minimum £1.00). Buyer beware, this can be extremely high. £50, £75, £150 etc!! (whatever they feel they can get away with!!) My advice is ask what those fees are up front if buying on finance and be prepared to walk if you do not want to pay them.