X-Plan Closing fee in South Carolina

[Whatcolortochoose]

When I was looking to buy a ranger before the maverick was announced. I got the first price print out from the salesman and then I remembered I had xplan through work. They take the original printout added in the xplan discounts but shuffeled other numbers and fees around and it came to maybe 100 less overall when it should have saved me over $300. But there was a 200 detailing fee that wasnt on the original. But they shred the original and then gaslight you when you call them out

Anyways a large majority of dealerships are fucking scum!

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[CTYankee]

OK, I'm going to pretend to be a conniving dealer. Here is how South Carolina defines a closing fee (in italics) and my conniving dealer comments (in blue) :

The only items that can be included in a closing fee are (in italics):

1. all administrative expenses, costs, staff, supplies, materials, and financial work needed to transfer the motor vehicle to the consumer and to procure the closing of the motor vehicle transaction;

This is the doc fee which, under X-Plan, is limited to $100.00 and which we apply to all purchases as a customer courtesy

2. all costs for administrative expenses, costs, staff, supplies, and materials necessary by dealer to comply with all state, federal, and lender requirements;

This is a separate fee, unrelated to the sale of a particular vehicle, that apportions all regulatory administrative expenses across all vehicle purchases ($49.00)

3. all costs for administrative costs, staff, and materials needed for the preparation and retrieval of documents;

This is a separate fee, unrelated to the sale of a particular vehicle, that apportions all finance office expenses, apart from individual purchase and sale documents, across all vehicle purchases ($200)

4. all costs for administrative costs, staff, supplies, and materials necessary for the protection of the private personal information of the consumer; and

This is a separate fee, unrelated to the sale of a particular vehicle, that apportions all information security expenses across all vehicle purchases ($100)

5. all costs for administrative costs, staff, supplies, and materials necessary for records retention and storage costs of such records.

This is a separate fee, unrelated to the sale of a particular vehicle, that apportions all records retention and storage expenses across all vehicle purchases ($100)

The aggregate value of fees 2-5 is $449.00, resulting in a total Closing Fee of $549.00.

Only Fee #1 is subject to Ford Motor Company rules governing doc fees and it is compliant with those rules.

Ultimately, this comes down to how the dealership, Ford, and the state of South Carolina interpret those fees, individually or collectively, and whether they care enough to make it an issue. South Carolina won't because the dealer apparently was approved by the state to charge that fee. I doubt Ford will want to fight that, either, as long as the dealership can claim (however superficially) to be following the rules.

 

[Deleted member 29611]

These fees are state specific and some states have laws regulating fees. What they have done is charge another fee to make up the X-plan discount. If your state does not regulate dealer fees they can do what they want.

 

[PapaRico]

I believe that is the same as a documentary fee or doc fee, it's a charge to cover cost with the state for title, registration, plate fee or transfer. So instead of a dealership eating up profits for administration cost it's added to cover office cost to handle these transactions. Of course that's what I was told back in the 80's. I would contact Ford headquarters about this, it appears they are double charging for the same purpose only calling it a different name.

Those fees, IMO, should be handled like every other business does and they are included in the sticker price. McDonalds doesn't have a line on the receipt for their franchise fee, grocery stores don't have a line for bulk grocery delivery fees from their suppliers. Why do car dealers get to have them as after the fact add ons?

 

[Hunters Edge]

Those fees, IMO, should be handled like every other business does and they are included in the sticker price. McDonalds doesn't have a line on the receipt for their franchise fee, grocery stores don't have a line for bulk grocery delivery fees from their suppliers. Why do car dealers get to have them as after the fact add ons?

That you would have to ask your states attorney general. I don't have a clue on the reasoning I only see it as price gouging. Probably though similar to additional costs on real estate transactions aka title search, title insurance etc..

 

[Bigred]

was there a "Closing Fee"?

No Closing fee whatsoever.

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