justin51986

When you order a new truck do you start your payments then or wait until you take delivery of the truck?

Curmudgeon

You don't own the truck until you sign all the documents and take delivery. If you finance, your payments start whenever you agree to start making them, usually within ~ 30-45 days. Often, if I purchase a vehicle using dealer financing (Ugh!) to get an additional purchase discount, I immediately refinance through my credit union. Under those circumstances, my 1st payment may not occur for two months or so. To save additional interest, I then proceed to pay the vehicle off at least 18 months in advance of my repayment period.

GOBLUEJD

You do loose any rebates that expire while it being manufactured. Sometimes the rebates are better.

kbass24emtp

There are some rebates that you can lock into upon ordering the truck even if they expire while the truck is being built. I had rebates that expired upon delivery but I was able to still get them because the salesman was able to lock them for me upon ordering, but not all rebates are able to be lock into.

GOBLUEJD

Good to know. Thanks!

Curmudgeon

If the salesperson's/dealer's motivation is intense enough, you would be amazed at the deals that can be cut and explained to the purchaser as 'special' or a 'just-once-for-you' or whatever descriptive rationalization that can be attached to a 'deal' that convinces the buyer that he/she has merited an exceptional buy opportunity. Many buyers are not even vaguely aware of how much manipulation is going on. The informed, mature, buyer rolls with the 'deals' with the knowledge of where the dealer's net profits are derived.

All Hat No Cattle

It really depends. In 2009 I ordered my 2010 and ordered it at true dealer's invoice (I had the Consumers Report printout and they matched within a dollar). Then, I found out that I qualified for the X-Plan, (Ford stockholder) from this forum.

So, back to the dealer, they did not bat an eye, no problem. They showed me the X-Plan invoice, about $130 above dealers invoice.

BUT, all the dealers in Vegas charge a non-negotiable $399 Documentation fee. They told me that X-Plan limits that fee to $75. ($100 today, I believe)

So, the choice was dealers invoice + $399 doc fee, or dealer's invoice + $130 + $75. Guess which deal I took? Saved me almost $200.

Anyway, X-Plan markup can vary according to how hot a vehicle is. Raptors X-Plan were nowhere near invoice when they first came out.

But do ask about doc fees, they vary, depending on what the local dealers decide they can get away with.

Curmudgeon

Excess doc fees=additional dealer markup.


Non-negotiable doc fees in a market area=dealer collusion.

All Hat No Cattle

I agree completely. But apparently some states allow it. We also have a ridiculous STATE law that no new car dealers can be open on Sunday. The dealers are the people that pushed for the law.

Anyway, here is a pretty good article on doc fees. Note this quote.

http://www.realcartips.com/newcars/4...by-state.shtml

Curmudgeon

I feel very fortunate to reside in Oregon, a nirvana for new vehicle buyers with no sales tax, low registration-title fees, and low doc fees of $50-$100. The doc fees (and the so-called advertising fees) have always been waived upon request for the last few vehicles I've purchased. It is agonizing for me to read of the purchase experiences of folks that must deal with so many fees & taxes...and even then, pay additional dealer markups, etc. etc. Buying a new vehicle should be a pleasant & satisfying experience, not a hassle. BTW, my vehicle purchases, usually done via internet sales or the dealer's fleet sales department, is below, near, or at invoice.