Dealer Called... Wants More Money!

coyotefreek · July 7, 2008

Well actually they sent a letter. "The amount of $281 that you paid for your license and registration fees to be process was not enough to complete your paperwork. The Department of Motor Vehicles rated your fees at $435, the difference due is $154. #1 Simpson Buick Pontiac GMC has already paid this amount to the Department of Motor Vehicles as a courtesy to you so that yoru license and registration was processed in a timely matter. Please remit the difference due as soon as possible."

So I recieved my registration and it does indeed say $450 on it and I verified my contract and I did pay $281 so everything is accurate. Now I understand that the $281 was an estimate but I'm supprised that it was off by so much. I mean how many trucks do they sell, am I really that special or does this happen to a lot of people?

Metro12 · July 7, 2008

I would think a good dealer would eat that $154. They should know how much its going to cost for your title fees. My bill of sale/contract included the title fees, and did not list them as an estimate, but maybe CA is different!!

J-man67 · July 7, 2008

I have never heard of this and I have purchased a lot of vehicles/toys over the last few years. My advice, tear the letter up and move along. They paid for it already so you are covered. It is not on your contract so turn your cheek and let them deal with their mistake.

ws6_guy · July 7, 2008

I have never heard of this and I have purchased a lot of vehicles/toys over the last few years. My advice, tear the letter up and move along. They paid for it already so you are covered. It is not on your contract so turn your cheek and let them deal with their mistake.

+1, you already bought the truck, and they accepted it before, so tell them if they want to go further you'll see them in court.

solarjustin · July 7, 2008

That is really odd, I have never heard of a dealer not knowing what that fee would be. I live right on the Iowa Illinois border and just this winter bough my wife a new car at a Illinois dealer and we live in Iowa and they were able to tell me the excat amount that the registration was going to be. By the way I'm would not want to pay your registration, here in Iowa trucks are only $65 (but that is changing soon)

Won_Hunglo · July 7, 2008

Legally bound to pay it if it was listed as an estimate & you signed the contract. If you don't pay, the dealer can put a lean on your truck or repo with repo fees attached to get the truck back. Now if it was a set fee agreed to by the contract, you could fight it & win.

If the charge was legit, best to pay it then get socked with a $1000+ repo bill and the fee.

jrrod2004 · July 7, 2008

damn that sucks, in texas mine was not nearly that expensive and I know my dealership would probably eat that since they would want my business in the future.....

Zembonez · July 7, 2008

Figures do get jumbled. Mistakes do get made. I actually got a check back from my dealer on my truck for something like 22 bucks because the amount figured was more than it should have been for some reason. I guess it works both ways. If you owe the money, pay it. Taxes and state fees don't have anything to do with the deal you struck on the truck.

I'm sure the same folks that say "tell them to stick it" would be screaming bloody murder if the mistake was in the other direction and they were owed the 154 bucks.

rvsahs · July 7, 2008

Legally bound to pay it if it was listed as an estimate & you signed the contract. If you don't pay, the dealer can put a lean on your truck or repo with repo fees attached to get the truck back. Now if it was a set fee agreed to by the contract, you could fight it & win.

If the charge was legit, best to pay it then get socked with a $1000+ repo bill and the fee.

+1 I would raise some hell with the dealership though about the piss poor estimate job. Sometimes they just can't count their gonads and get the same number twice when it comes to accuracy. Maybe you can get free oil change or other regular maintenance out of the situation. Good luck!

slomo007 · July 7, 2008

Being that you already have proof that they are at least telling you the truth (registration price vs quoted price) I would pay them back as long as they have a viable explanation for why they underestimated by so much.

Mark_in_Tulsa · July 7, 2008

What's right is right, and what's wrong is wrong.

I don't know how it works, but if someone screwed up in the finance dept. they may take it out of his check.

If I screw up a sale and miss measured and I can't get more money from the customer then I have to eat it.

zxcv · July 7, 2008

Legally bound to pay it if it was listed as an estimate & you signed the contract. If you don't pay, the dealer can put a lean on your truck or repo with repo fees attached to get the truck back. Now if it was a set fee agreed to by the contract, you could fight it & win.

If the charge was legit, best to pay it then get socked with a $1000+ repo bill and the fee.

+1 I would raise some hell with the dealership though about the piss poor estimate job. Sometimes they just can't count their gonads and get the same number twice when it comes to accuracy. Maybe you can get free oil change or other regular maintenance out of the situation. Good luck!

+2.

I would suggest paying it, however you should complain to them and insist that they do something to "rectify" their poor service and inconvenience towards you.

SLESierra · July 7, 2008

I would send them a letter stating that you overpaid for the truck and want a refund and see how they see that. Use something like KBB to get the estimate for your truck and then ask them for the difference ;)

D&SYukonDenali · July 7, 2008

I would pay it in person while having a nice conversation with the dealer about the inconvenience. IMO, it's better to have a positive working relationship with company (dealer) that will be servicing your truck rather than a negative one.

VMax2007 · July 7, 2008

I would pay it in person while having a nice conversation with the dealer about the inconvenience. IMO, it's better to have a positive working relationship with company (dealer) that will be servicing your truck rather than a negative one.

+1

I bet if you do it right, you will get something out of it. Maybe a free oil change?

$154 is not worth creating stress over. Hell, it's only 1-1/2 tanks of gas. But I would let them know their "estimating" efforts were lame and they should give you something for the inconvenience.