How to Decrease Fees When Buying a Pre-Certified Car

While a pre-certified car offers peace of mind by having an extension of the factory warranty, some dealerships exploit this comfort by charging excess fees on certified cars. Some common fees include certification costs, documentation fees and dealer prep fees. By pitting dealerships against each other to earn your business, you can avoid these high-profit fees.

Instructions

1

Compare out-the-door price quotes from dealerships. Searching for a pre-certified car is easy by using a service such as AutoTrader.com or Cars.com. Dealerships list a variety of pre-certified cars with factory warranty extensions at competitive prices. You can even use an online service to request an out-the-door price quote on a vehicle. Ask for a quote that includes all taxes and fees charged by the dealership. By contacting multiple dealerships, you can see what types of fees are charged by each.

2

Negotiate away unfair fees. By contacting dealerships via the Internet, you have an opportunity to negotiate away unfair fees before visiting the showroom. When an Internet sales manager responds with an out-the-door price quote, review the fees that are charged. Some fees, such as a modest documentation fee of under $100, are reasonable for a dealership to charge, as it must employ an administrative staff that handles title and registration paperwork with the state (see "Tips").

3

Make a reasonable offer. By using a service such as Kelley Blue Book to determine the value of a pre-certified car, you can make an educated out-the-door offer that includes only a documentation fee. If you have been contacting dealerships via email, you can make this offer via the Internet, or you may choose to visit a showroom in person to negotiate an even better deal.

4

Review paperwork at the dealership. When you arrive at the dealership to complete title paperwork, you may find that the buyer's order or bill of sale includes charges beyond the documentation fee. Some dealerships print these fees on all paperwork to make consumers think they are legitimate, official fees that must be charged on pre-certified cars. Cross out these amounts and have the salesperson or finance manager initial beside them if they are listed on paperwork. If a dealership refuses to budge, make one final offer: that it offsets the additional charges by lowering the selling price accordingly.