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How much are typical HD stealership dock fees?

7K views 13 replies 12 participants last post by  iomcam12 
#1 ·
I was looking at a bike from a dealer and noted that there was a $595 dock fee when you purchase a bike.

Is this an average amount? High? Low?
 
#3 ·
Over the years dealerships (MC, car, truck, etc.) have gotten very creative with finding ways to increase the purchase price. Remember when car dealers didn't ask you but just went ahead and added in fees for undercoating and fabric protection? Same thing with document fees and dealer prep. The way I see it HD pays the dealer a PDI (pre delivery inspection) fee. If the dealer needs more than that to get a sold bike ready let them take it up with HD. Same with a document fee--why should I pay a fee for the girl in the office to do the paperwork to get me my title? That is part of the dealer's overhead and when they sell a bike at MSRP or above they have plenty of profit margin for necessary expenses. What fees will they think of next?

And over the years people start believing these fees are standard, or mandatory and must be paid. BS.

When I buy a vehicle of any kind I tell them to show me ONE figure that includes EVERYTHING except tax & license cause you can't get around tax and license. And I state that any "fee" or anything else they need to get should be in the ONE figure they show me. And if the ONE figure they show me exceeds MSRP I'm walking--there are dealers out there that will sell you a bike without the BS fees added in.
 
#4 ·
Each time I've purchased a scoot, I tell them the amount out the door, everything included, TTL the whole shebang. That way, I never paid attention to all the BS on the sales sheet. They can put anything they want on there as long as the total at the bottom is what I wanted to pay. It always requires the sales dude talking to the sales manager, but we always end up where I started, I pay this, you give me bike, I drive out the door.

Do your homework, get to a price, say that's what you want to pay out the door and be done with it. They either agree, or you go somewhere else. Twice, I headed to the door and they called me back and said "okay, but you're killing me".
 
#5 ·
Zero. They tried to charge setup and paperwork fees back in 2011 when I bought my Super Glide in 2014 when I bought my Street Glide and last month when I bought my wife a new car. In all three cases I told them that unless they remove those fees I'd purchase elsewhere. All three took about 2 minutes to erase them.
 
#6 ·
The "DOC FEE" varies by state....Texas is set to a max of $150 but that fee has to apply to all purchases. If a customer does not want to pay the $150 then the price of the vehicle is reduced by that amount but the fee still has to show up on the paperwork. Am shocked at what some states/dealers can charge for the doc fee.
 
#7 ·
I figured what I wanted to pay (out the door)for my new '14 limited called 7 dealers local and within one state away - they all told me I was crazy "they would loose money" etc finally a month later a dealer 500 miles away out of state called asked if I was still in the market - I said yes - the finance guy told me he could swing it as long as I purchased extras at 20% off at time of purchase - I wanted highway pegs a diff seat, air shock pump, headlight module, cup holder, they gave me a t shirt. they put all accessories and labor 1hr on a separate invoice and charged me $10. they transfered the balance to the purchase price on main invoice, I was able to pay everything with one cashier check that I got down the street at wells fargo. I asked the guy why the 2 invoices he told me they would be in trouble with harley if they sold me the bike at my original price.
 
#8 ·
All vehicles I have bought in the last 30 years were negotiated "out the door" price. Then the dealer has to back out sales tax, license and any of his B.S. add ons out of the sales contract. Don't let them leave any lines blank,
 
#9 ·
The "DOC" fee is the term car dealers use to add $10,000.00 to a new & popular car when they first come out . Like when the Camaro's first came out & the Shelby GT500 .
Imagine what the DOC FEE is gonna be on the new DODGE HELLCAT or the new Shelby GT350 !
 
#11 ·
Doc Fee is the fee that a state allows the dealership to process the paperwork. It is an administrative fee. That is NOT the extra charge some cars/motorcycles command due to market demands. Huge difference. Raptors, Hellcats, and the Shelby usually have an addendum to the Moroni Sticker saying something to the effect "Adjusted Market Value $XXXXX". The DOC fee is the same charge whether you are buying a Rolls Royce or a Yugo in most states, new or used here in Texas.
 
#13 ·
All dealers pull this kind of crap but the MoCo dealers raised it to a new level...and are proud of it . Boston HD tried to add close to a grand in fees and taxes when I got my bike . Only reason I was even there instead of another dealer was because I walked out on the other dealer for the same reason . Boston HD promised me the same bike for the same amount without the add-ons...:blahblah:

When I went to sign , there they were , just like the other dealer...:eek

I got up and walked out the door...only to be followed by the salesman who promised to remove the extras his manager had placed on the contract without his knowing...yeah right...after removal , I signed...:thumbsup
 
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