In my weekly update from TruCar I noticed in very small, very light gray print the note that "TrueCar Estimate including Documentation Fee ($599)". This appeared to apply to 2 of the 3 dealers (the 3rd had not submitted a price yet).

North Carolina has no caps on Doc Fees. Whats has been you experience (in any state)?

 

$599 is ridiculous. I thought the local dealer here was bad at $149.

 

Go with X-Plan and it is limited to $99 I think.

Negotiate it as part of the price. The deal is $xx,xxx with $0 (or any number up to $100) doc fees and make sure they agree to it. At signing, make sure they don't try to sneak it in. I threatened to walk out when the dealer I bought my truck from tried to sneak in a $50 doc fee after we had agreed on a FINAL price.

Any more than $100 is just a ripoff.

 

X-plan is $100 or state law, whichever is less.

Truth in advertising - they should be required to call it "additional dealer profit".

 

When I bought my 2003 I actually ripped up the paperwork and flipped the pen up in the air as I got up and walked away. We had agreed to an out the door price but they thought they could tack on $500 in paperwork and triple the interest rate. I gave the sales management a proper cussing as I was walking to the door. In my diatribe I let them know my absolute limit for interest rate and price. The next morning they called back with those exact numbers.

 

Some dealers try to slip in other charges too on the final deal. There is a Ford dealer in Birmingham, AL that does not charge doc fees and they sell cheap, a volume dealer. Or at least that was the way they used to be in 2006.