Modern Vespa

My dealership is trying to tack on a $280 freight fee when I pick up my MP3 tomorrow. The previous paperwork they had faxed me had no mention of a freight fee, the dealer explained when the paperwork was faxed last month that they did not have the paperwork or VIN numbers yet that is why there was no freight fee on my paperwork. Can you tell me if this is standard procedure across the board?

Here is how the paper work looked:

$6,999 MP3
$180 Documentation Fee
$7,179 Total Taxable Price
$430.74 Sales Tax
$23.00 License Fee
$15.00 Title Fee
$299.00 Labor and Prep
$7946.74
-$500.00 Deposit
$7,446.74 Cash Due on Delivery

Now they want to add $280 on top of this........

I will not be taken advantage of, and told the dealer I would pick up the bike after I did some research to see if this is standard practice. Anyone and everyone please chime in, on your experience.
Thank You in advance[/list]

We paid freight. In California. Don't know where you are. We pay it on our cars too.

Was your freight fee $280 also? My dealer claims its the same across the whole country.

My freight fee was exactly that. $280.

But my dealer charged a bit less for prep. CT also makes the dealers charge a "conveyance" fee (which was only $55).

I trust this dealer and when I asked him about the freight fee, he explained that that was exactly his cost.

I don't think you're being taken for a ride here, (so to speak) but it really should have been explained up front in the original quote.

Freight is charged across the board to all US dealers, as the units have to be physically shipped to the dealers. Most dealers will pass the freight on to the customers. A few (not many) will eat the fee themselves, but there usually has to be a good reason for it, like trying to reduce inventory. Every single dealer in the US has paid the fee for each MP3, though. Your dealer asking for freight is very much in the realm of the normal.

Well here is a quote I just got in Washington State. You can add it to your database.

Bill

Base Price $6,999
Freight/Prep $ 589
Sales Tax (8.3%) $ 638
License Fees $ 72
Documentation Fee $ 35

Total $8,333

The freight fee seems to be pretty normal. I feel that your dealer should have mentioned it much sooner. Personally, I really like dealers who are up front about all of the costs leading up to the "out the door" price. Then again, I tend to support those who tend toward honesty.

The point isn't whether the freight fee is fair or not. They are fair.

But if you were quoted exactly how much was due at pickup -- I wouldn't pay a penny more. Cash due on delivery means... er.. cash due on delivery.

If the dealer screwed up, he needs to say that and eat it.

Here is how the paper work looked:

$6,999 MP3
$180 Documentation Fee
$7,179 Total Taxable Price
$430.74 Sales Tax
$23.00 License Fee
$15.00 Title Fee
$299.00 Labor and Prep
$7946.74
-$500.00 Deposit
$7,446.74 Cash Due on Delivery


It's probably after the fact by now as you've picked up your bike but I revisited my paperwork and found that I was charged $345 which I thought was excessive after reading your story. But, the $345 was for "delivery and prep." . That makes me wonder what the "Labor and Prep" charge of $299 entails (see above) in relation to the $280 they're requiring you to pay.
BTW, after all taxes, fees, etc... I paid $7835 here in Wisconsin. You paid a little over $100 more. That could be chalked up to regional differences.

Hope you enjoy the MP3 as much as I am.

I had a dealer quote me $8100US out the door with a 5% discount. I won't identify the dealer, but smaller dealers, MAY, want to push the their first few units out the door if there are no pre-delivery sales deposits. This is of course hit or miss amd depends upon the dealers cash flow.

Here's the thing. Freight charges are a "hard" expense for your dealer. By "hard" I mean that it's a cost he has to pay out of pocket, no ifs or ands or buts. Your dealer screwed up big time not adding those to the quote he gave you. If you have a written quote, you could probably beat him in court, but you would poison your relationship with your dealer over a $280 charge that he really had to pay. In my experience, your relationship with your dealer is the key to happy Vespa/Piaggio ownership. IMHO, it would not be worth it to try to beat him out of that money even if you could.