Price Compare in California

[SmartyPants25]

I did a search in the forum, found a thread with someone stating the price they paid but that thread kind of drifted off into talking about docking fees and such (not a huge concern here in California).

But it did bring me to attention, that looking at the price listed in my configuration was a lot different than the base price on my contract. Being the idiot I am, I anxiously bought this car without bringing that info with me.

My configuration quote: 14,615.00 (this includes the comfort package + silver cell)

On contract it states, Cash Price Vehicle: 15,260.00

After tax license + 1179.00 (alarm + tire package) total came to 17,933.61

This is a 645.00 difference!!

This is for the passion coupe with silver tridon and comfort package.

For those of you who have your cars please let me know what you paid, if you paid less I will be calling up smart and demanding a check for the over pricing!

[Carnut]

Originally Posted by SmartyPants25

I did a search in the forum, found a thread with someone stating the price they paid but that thread kind of drifted off into talking about docking fees and such (not a huge concern here in California).

But it did bring me to attention, that looking at the price listed in my configuration was a lot different than the base price on my contract. Being the idiot I am, I anxiously bought this car without bringing that info with me.

My configuration quote: 14,615.00 (this includes the comfort package + silver cell)

On contract it states, Cash Price Vehicle: 15,260.00

After tax license + 1179.00 (alarm + tire package) total came to 17,933.61

This is a 645.00 difference!!

This is for the passion coupe with silver tridon and comfort package.

For those of you who have your cars please let me know what you paid, if you paid less I will be calling up smart and demanding a check for the over pricing!

Breathe easy friend. Yours is a common error in totaling the config price to match the sticker price. The sticker price total will INCLUDE the $645 delivery fee that all of us must pay, whereas the configurator does not include it.

[SmartAzz]

Sounds like the destination fee as Carnut said. Always check the math, however, some car dealerships are not above creative math to add a few bucks.

[SmartyPants25]

I read something about Dealer Prep and Delivery on the other Out the Door Price forum which states this:

From the California DMV (emphasis, mine):

(Looks like in California, Dealer Prep cannot be ADP (Additional Dealer Profit))

Delivery and Preparation Obligations

3064. (a) Every franchisor shall specify to its franchisees the delivery and preparation obligations of such franchisees prior to delivery of new motor vehicles to retail buyers. A copy of the delivery and preparation obligations, which shall constitute the franchisee's only responsibility for product liability between the franchisee and the franchisor but which shall not in any way affect the franchisee's responsibility for product liability between the purchaser and either the franchisee or the franchisor, and a schedule of compensation to be paid franchisees for the work and services they shall be required to perform in connection with such delivery and preparation obligations shall be filed with the board by franchisors, and shall constitute the compensation as set forth on such schedule. The schedule of compensation shall be reasonable, with the reasonableness thereof being subject to the approval of the board, providing a franchisee files a notice of protest with the board. In determining the reasonableness of the schedules, the board shall consider all relevant circumstances, including, but not limited to, the time required to perform each function that the dealer is obligated to perform and the appropriate labor rate.

(b) Upon delivery of the vehicle, the franchisee shall give a copy of the delivery and preparation obligations to the purchaser and a written certification that he has fulfilled these obligations.
Added Ch. 996, Stats. 1973. Operative July 1, 1976

Anyone know if the delivery fee is the same as the prep fee? If so than per this statement from the DMV they aren't allowed to charge that.

[SmartAzz]

Prep is a different thing then destination charge (and I for one think 'prep' is simply profit and never have had to pay it). Destination fees are akin to shipping charges, but then again not really, see this:

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpag...53C1A962958260

It is rather crazy how high they have become, it was way less on much more expensive European cars we purchased not so long ago - Smart has set it very high especially considering that transporting these small cars has advantages over larger/heavier ones

[SmartCard]

Originally Posted by SmartAzz

Prep is a different thing then destination charge (and I for one think 'prep' is simply profit and never have had to pay it). Destination fees are akin to shipping charges, but then again not really, see this:

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpag...53C1A962958260

It is rather crazy how high they have become, it was way less on much more expensive European cars we purchased not so long ago - Smart has set it very high especially considering that transporting these small cars has advantages over larger/heavier ones

...of course the distance is greater, with multiple modes of transport used.

Pretty much a $600 to $700 fee nowadays, so $645 coming all the way from Europe is not bad, considering it'll cost $730 to get a minivan delivered "all the way from" St Louis!

[SmartAzz]

Originally Posted by SmartCard

...of course the distance is greater, with multiple modes of transport used.

Pretty much a $600 to $700 fee nowadays, so $645 coming all the way from Europe is not bad, considering it'll cost $730 to get a minivan delivered "all the way from" St Louis!

The distance is greater then the other cars we've bought produced in Europe?

And the fact is it really has nothing to do with shipping/destination costs (example from the article above):

"Ford's charges range, she said, from $295 for the Ford Aspire, built in South Korea, to $625 for a Lincoln Continental. A customer buying a Continental in Southfield, Mich., less than 20 miles from the plant in Wixom, Mich., where it was assembled, pays twice as much in shipping charges as the buyer of the Aspire, which was assembled halfway around the world."

The whole thing questionable...really shouldn't it actually be related to transport costs or just be built into the MSRP? Its just one of those things...

[SmartCard]

Originally Posted by SmartAzz

The distance is greater then the other cars we've bought produced in Europe?

And the fact is it really has nothing to do with shipping/destination costs (example from the article above):

No, I didn't mean it that way, but this was also my point as well- that distance did not matter and considering how far the smart has to come, $645 wasn't bad and is more or less comparable to US cars arriving from much closer factories. Granted it weighs less, and by comparison, those other heavier European cars you spoke about should have cost you more to get here, but I think we could both agree - they probably made up the difference in the price! ;)

(Btw, that article while on track, is a little outdated - 1994 to be exact!)

[SmartAzz]

Originally Posted by SmartCard

No, I didn't mean it that way, but this was also my point as well- that distance did not matter and considering how far the smart has to come, $645 wasn't bad and is more or less comparable to US cars arriving from much closer factories. Granted it weighs less, and by comparison, those other heavier European cars you spoke about should have cost you more to get here, but I think we could both agree - they probably made up the difference in the price! ;)

(Btw, that article while on track, is a little outdated - 1994 to be exact!)

Oops, sorry, didn't notice the date Still relevant though I think

As for the other cars, true they were higher priced but we also were able to negotiate the other costs as well as choose our dealer..

[bmx43]

Originally Posted by SmartAzz

As for the other cars, true they were higher priced but we also were able to negotiate the other costs as well as choose our dealer..

yea, but in reality, that doesn't really apply here. you will have little chance in negotiating the price of any new, must-have car. the destination charge is not an add-on, it's a mandate and doesn't really relate to the price of the car or the distance. the destination charge for my S5 is $775 and the car is twice as long (and heavy) as the Smart. it's really just based on whatever the company wants to charge. in theory, my car is half the size of the S5, takes up half the space on the boat and transporter so the charge should be half as much. unfortunately doesn't work like that. it is what it is.