Dealer Delivery Charges - Ford Forums - Mustang Forum, Ford Trucks, Ford Focus and Ford Cars

JR · 10-01-2002, 18:28

I'm in the middle of the haggling process with my local dealer (Peter Warren Ford, Warwick Farm, Sydney) to come up with a final change-over figure to buy a new N/A XR6.

My rep (no complaints about his enthusiasm by the way) and I have argued over this and that going back and forth, but the one thing that he won't seemingly budge on is the Dealer Delivery Charge of $1390.

Now pardon me for being a cynic, but is this anything more than the most expensive car wash in history?

Can someone who knows actually give me a serious and legitimate answer as to what that money buys? I know the cost varies from dealer to dealer, but I've yet to find one in my local Sydney area that charges under $1100.

I've always though that most of the charge was there so they could offer you about $600 off the car, then snatch it right back in a dealer charge that was double that.

There's no way in Hell I'm paying that much - even if I have to walk away from the sale, but if someone can convince me that it's nothing more than padding the dealers add into the cost of the car, then maybe I'll feel a bit more sympathetic towards my rep, who's probably getting to think I'm a pain the arse.

lucas · 10-01-2002, 19:51

I can do better ... $2300 for delivery of an HSV VT2 Clubsport R8 from Suttons City Holden in Sydney in 2000.

Same thing, would not budge on that price, or the trade in price (seemed wierd to me). All he was willing to do was discount the new car price and give me some options for free/reduced price.

At the time I did not let it bother me ... the changeover number was all I was really interested in.

KenOath · 10-01-2002, 19:56

I had a Subaru dealer tell me that it was the charge the Workshop puts on delivery.

There is two different cost centres. The workshop earns their own income seprate from the yard.

So, this price is what the workshop earns.

At $60 an hour, I doubt they spend 21 hours per car.

There is a member here on FF's that does deliverys. I can't remember who it is.

We will have to wait for his comment.

Sammy · 10-01-2002, 20:08

I used to work in the PD of a Ford dealer in Sydney. Basically you are paying for a mechanic to give the car a full check over and fit any options you have selected and for the detailers to give it a clean.

Yes the new car and service departments are seperate with their own budgets etc. So one department charges the other for work and so on. Don't know if both are making money on this but it's my understanding that the dealer is making some overall profit, not sure how much but it seems like a lot.

CDAA · 10-01-2002, 20:18

Quote:

Originally posted by Sammy
I used to work in the PD of a Ford dealer in Sydney. Basically you are paying for a mechanic to give the car a full check over and fit any options you have selected and for the detailers to give it a clean.

Hold on, isn�t that why the dealer makes an estimate 20ish % on the car cost from Ford? On a XR6 N/A that�s about $7,000. Surely the wash etc. could be absorbed there.

Dealer deliveries IMO really spoil the experience of buying a new car.

BluAU2 · 10-01-2002, 20:54

I agree that these charges are a rip. Up in Brisbane they are usually around $1500-1600.

I seem to recall that these charges were originally placed on imported cars that had to have all the shipping grease cleaned off and then have oil, battery, etc installed.

From what I've seen, Aussie made cars get driven onto transporters and driven off at the other end. I would expect the interior to be brand new looking (ie clean). The exterior might need a wash and they would have to screw the rego plates on.

Please don't insult me (or the workers at Broadmeadows) in suggesting some mechanic goes over every nut and bolt to check that it's tightened. On top of that, they don't even fill the petrol tank. My mate just bought a brand new AUIII ute and it had about 9 litres in the tank - barely made it to the servo.

In my opinion the Dealer Delivery Charge is nothing more than a scam.

Chris.

carazy · 10-01-2002, 20:58

It's never a mechanic it's normally just the car washer boy as I got to do PDC's when I worked at a dealership.
All they do is push all the buttons and make sure it all works.
Takes about 1 hour to do.
here you go it's american but
http://www.carbuyingtips.com/
is buy far the most usefull car tips site I have ever had the plesure of viewing.

Sammy · 10-01-2002, 21:52

Quote:

Originally posted by BluAU2

Please don't insult me (or the workers at Broadmeadows) in suggesting some mechanic goes over every nut and bolt to check that it's tightened. On top of that, they don't even fill the petrol tank. My mate just bought a brand new AUIII ute and it had about 9 litres in the tank - barely made it to the servo.

I never said that. It is actually a law in Australia that PD must be done before a customer drives away in a car. What I meant is they have to check that everything works based on a list layed out by the government/car industry. Sure you would expect there to be nothing wrong, and there very rarely is but it's for safety.

As well as that they fit any accessories you picked. For example a spoiler and so on, quite an extensive list. Not something a non mechanic should be doing, they would never allow that where I worked.

As for cleaning, the mechanics and truck drivers grub up the inside and the outside is filthy, and I mean very filthy by the time a dealer gets the car and it's sold. In fact they used to cover the cars in a protective coating that needed an acidic wash to get off.

Sure you could just say I don't want my car to be pre-delivered and insist on taking it as is. Besides breaking the law your radio wouldn't work, and no the code isn't in the glove box, it's another code you have to ring up Ford for. :s6:

Sammy · 10-01-2002, 21:55

Oh forgot, as for only having 9 litres of fuel that should not be. A new car should have 1/3 of it's tank capacity, or roughly 20 litres in a Falcon.

BluAU2 · 10-01-2002, 22:50

Sammy,

I don't have or want any disagreement with you. My comment about "don't insult me" was directed at the dealerships who try to tell me their mechanic checks all the bolts for tightness.

As for the options being fitted, I guess it depends on what you're paying for them. If you pay full price it usually includes fitting (take a look at ford.com.au and their price list for genuine accesories). eg. if you walk in off the street and buy a set of mud spats they are about half the price listed if you're going to fit them yourself.

Anyway, I don't deny some work is done and you point out stuff I didn't think about, but not $1600 (26hrs) worth.

On the petrol issue, if margins are so tight they should add $50 to the new car price and give you a full tank. It would pay back tenfold in terms of customer experience.

Regards,
Chris.