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Dealer question on charges/fees

AZwoodman

Member
Joined
February 14, 2013
Messages
38
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City, State
Gilbert Arizona
Year, Model & Trim Level
2013 EX XLT Impact blue
Question
Bought my EX XLT mid February. Standard all day pain then 2-3 hours with the very nice person in finance. Noticed that they were charging me for an “alarm system” that all dealers put on their cars and something called ‘etching’. Next day looking over my bill of sell I noticed several errors. Like why would I pay for 2 alarm systems when the car came with factory installed alarm system. Finance guy very upset with me when I requested their alarm gets removed and my $300.00 refunded. He said no way would I get that money. He would only give to Ford Motor Credit Company. No biggie to me who gets the refund. So they removed the alarm in early March.

After numerous phone calls, voice mail, and texts I get a check last week made out to me and FMCC. Called FMCC and they were dumb founded that they would write the check that way. FMCC said it should have been made out to me. So now I am hoping it clears ok…I signed it and seen to FMCC. Question is now that I have lost confidence in the dealer can I take my car somewhere else without missing up my warranty? And can dealers charge me for things the factory puts on like the etching?
:eek:

Thanks
"woody"

A quote
Chickens aren't reputed to be the smartest animals, but, if given the vote, I doubt they'd opt to be led by Colonel Sanders.
 



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It etching is where they put the vin number on the glass. That's not factory. If you didn't negotiate it out of the deal, I'm thinking you are stuck. My truck has this but I didn't pay for it.
 






Question
Bought my EX XLT mid February. Standard all day pain then 2-3 hours with the very nice person in finance. Noticed that they were charging me for an “alarm system” that all dealers put on their cars and something called ‘etching’. Next day looking over my bill of sell I noticed several errors. Like why would I pay for 2 alarm systems when the car came with factory installed alarm system. Finance guy very upset with me when I requested their alarm gets removed and my $300.00 refunded. He said no way would I get that money. He would only give to Ford Motor Credit Company. No biggie to me who gets the refund. So they removed the alarm in early March.

After numerous phone calls, voice mail, and texts I get a check last week made out to me and FMCC. Called FMCC and they were dumb founded that they would write the check that way. FMCC said it should have been made out to me. So now I am hoping it clears ok…I signed it and seen to FMCC. Question is now that I have lost confidence in the dealer can I take my car somewhere else without missing up my warranty? And can dealers charge me for things the factory puts on like the etching?
:eek:

Thanks
"woody"

A quote
Chickens aren't reputed to be the smartest animals, but, if given the vote, I doubt they'd opt to be led by Colonel Sanders.
All 3 of my previous Highlanders had window etchings. The etching was a dealer applied item, not from the factory. It was a way to discourage theft. I don't believe it is a standard Ford program. As for your warranty, it is good at any North American Ford dealer. You can certainly go to another one if your current dealer has lost your confidence.

Peter
 






All 3 of my previous Highlanders had window etchings. The etching was a dealer applied item, not from the factory. It was a way to discourage theft.
It's a way for dealers to make more money. Like "advertising fees" and other BS.

The OP should have negotiated that out before the sale was complete.

Is this a lease vehicle? If that is the case, then the money belongs to the leasing company. Otherwise, they want to be a PITA.
 






It's a way for dealers to make more money. Like "advertising fees" and other BS.

The OP should have negotiated that out before the sale was complete.

Is this a lease vehicle? If that is the case, then the money belongs to the leasing company. Otherwise, they want to be a PITA.
The window etching was not listed as a cost item on any of the Highlanders. The dealer does it on all their vehicles. It could have been buried in the overall cost but unlike what the OP stated, it was not listed as a 'line' item in the paperwork. I've also never seen anything like 'advertising fees' here.

Peter
 






My dealer added the etching to my 2014 explorer without my knowledge. Didn't find out until reviewing the final total out the door price. I asked them to show me on my order confirmation and options list where I agreed to that $300 option. They tried to act like there was some confusion with the salesmen or something. They knew my wife was an attorney and after she threaten to refuse the car they ended up giving it to us for free. Might have been a mistake on their part but I don't think so.

In Phoenix when looking at Nissan's, all the dealer we visited had $1700 in mark ups over the sticker price for clear coat, pin stripes and wheel locks. I told the salesman at the time you realize I'm not going to pay for any of that if its on the car and I buy it and he said yeah I know, but they try because some people think its really worth that price or they can discount it and still make a profit. So we ended up with Ford and happy, because all the Ford dealers I visited didn't play those games, Nissan was insane what they were trying to do, very happy buying experience with Ford overall.
 






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