Fowler Kia Documentation fees

[CaliTelluride]

Hi! I'm getting charged $699 for documentation fees. That seems a bit high from what i'm seeing on here. I was curious what other people got charged from Fowler.

 

[CaliTelluride]

Also, What is included in the government fees?

 

[AZTellurideBLK]

That is what we paid too .. this is my quote .. back when we purchased ours.

 

[corsair]

That's what they are charging everyone for doc fees. They have been very upfront about it with me, from the very first call. Eventually you can maybe negotiate. Not sure if you can now.

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[CaliTelluride]

Thank you! just wanted to get some feedback.

 

[CaliTelluride]

That is what we paid too .. this is my quote .. back when we purchased ours.

View attachment 29103

What was the taxes and registration fees you paid for your car?

 

[AZTellurideBLK]

What was the taxes and registration fees you paid for your car?

Well I paid them once we got to AZ, since we didn't finance the car there. Looks like it was about 4300 bucks total.

 

[Johnwhite]

Hi! I'm getting charged $699 for documentation fees. That seems a bit high from what i'm seeing on here. I was curious what other people got charged from Fowler.

Is that the total fees you are paying? Or are you still paying the registration fee, license fee etc? Thanks for the feedback? I’m about to buy from them and I’m aware of their $699 dealer handling fee but does that cover everything?

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[Johnwhite]

Well I paid them once we got to AZ, since we didn't finance the car there. Looks like it was about 4300 bucks total.

So you still paid license, reg, etc once you went to your local dmv? So the $699 fee is just a free that goes straight to the dealer? I’m trying to do the math how much all the “fees” are going to cost me plus shipping to California.

 

[corsair]

The $699 dealer fee, as I understand it, is a way they charge more than MSRP without making it sound like they charge more than MSRP.

Theoretically maybe it is an attempt to capture the human side of the paperwork costs for all transactions rather than displaying that as additional price in each car.

 

[Patsfan29]

So you still paid license, reg, etc once you went to your local dmv? So the $699 fee is just a free that goes straight to the dealer? I’m trying to do the math how much all the “fees” are going to cost me plus shipping to California.

I also bought from Fowler and then paid registration and tag transfer at my states dmv. Another $900, here in SC

 

[Johnwhite]

The $699 dealer fee, as I understand it, is a way they charge more than MSRP without making it sound like they charge more than MSRP.

Theoretically maybe it is an attempt to capture the human side of the paperwork costs for all transactions rather than displaying that as additional price in each car.

So that’s on top of the traditional “fees” title, license, reg etc?

Yes it is another way of making money for offering msrp. Once you add everything up the savings are less than what people actually think they are saving.

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[corsair]

So that’s on top of the traditional “fees” title, license, reg etc?

Yes it is another way of making money for offering msrp. Once you add everything up the savings are less than what people actually think they are saving.

Yup. I do think many dealers charge doc fees right? But maybe not that high.

Temp CO license, reg, title was something like $30. I haven’t got the paperwork to transfer yet. Not have I received any loan paperwork… or any paperwork. But, I have the car 😀

 

[Johnwhite]

Yup. I do think many dealers charge doc fees right? But maybe not that high.

Temp CO license, reg, title was something like $30. I haven’t got the paperwork to transfer yet. Not have I received any loan paperwork… or any paperwork. But, I have the car 😀

Oh so you recently purchased from them? You still need to go to your local dmv and pay all the other fee’s? How was the whole paperwork handled? Docusign etc?

So I’m going to be out the following
$699 “dealer fee”
Title, license, reg, doc fee ~$600
Shipping ~$1000
So -$2300 all in to get it to California

I’m rather pay a $3k markup locally and get a car today. I’m still waiting for my order.

 

[corsair]

Oh so you recently purchased from them? You still need to go to your local dmv and pay all the other fee’s? How was the whole paperwork handled? Docusign etc?

So I’m going to be out the following
$699 “dealer fee”
Title, license, reg, doc fee ~$600
Shipping ~$1000
So -$2300 all in to get it to California

I’m rather pay a $3k markup locally and get a car today. I’m still waiting for my order.

I recently purchased. think they backsigned the date to vehicle delivery on 12/16 but they didn't finish paperwork until 12/27 which was the first day I could technically have picked my car up. Honestly, the out of state "tax" in terms of mental overhead was higher than I anticipated. Since they do it all the time I thought they would have it buttoned down and it would be seamless but as it turns out they kinda threw stuff over the fence. I mean, I don't think they did anything bad or wrong but I am still figuring out what to do. Like--I think they mailed my stuff to the DMV? But that's only after I saw that someone said that on this forum and then I texted asking for a tracking number but I am still waiting for that. So, my next step is to call the DMV and see if they have it in some storage cabinet in the mail from Fowler. They are also pretty slow to respond. Also, I think I have to contact my DMV soon or I get fined? But I don't have any documentation. And is this by the backdated date of 12/16!?!?!

Paperwork was all overnighted except one document they forgot to send which was docusign. However, despite the paperwork being overnighted it took them a long time to process (see sig).

I'm not sure your math is right? You'll have to pay "Title, license, reg, doc fee" wherever you buy it from. Dealers don't hand that to you for free, right?

I believe the math for me vs local was something like:
Fowler: $699 "dealer fee" + $1100 transit + $200 detail (car arrived a dirty mess, should have gone with enclosed carrier in the CO winter!!)
Local: $3k (for placing order, on-lot models were at least $5k over). That's for the S. They seem to charge like $1k more per trim level higher.

So I saved somewhere in the neighborhood of $1k with added out of state headache, which wasn't trivial. And while I am frustrated by the slowness of it, I can't complain with the total timeline from my order date to arrival date.

Would I do it with Fowler again? Certainly. Because I think a lot of dealers are out to get you, and Fowler isn't. They didn't even try to upsell me anything in the financial or sales call.

But I probably wouldn't do it again if local markup was ~$2500 or less.

 

[Johnwhite]

I recently purchased. think they backsigned the date to vehicle delivery on 12/16 but they didn't finish paperwork until 12/27 which was the first day I could technically have picked my car up. Honestly, the out of state "tax" in terms of mental overhead was higher than I anticipated. Since they do it all the time I thought they would have it buttoned down and it would be seamless but as it turns out they kinda threw stuff over the fence. I mean, I don't think they did anything bad or wrong but I am still figuring out what to do. Like--I think they mailed my stuff to the DMV? But that's only after I saw that someone said that on this forum and then I texted asking for a tracking number but I am still waiting for that. So, my next step is to call the DMV and see if they have it in some storage cabinet in the mail from Fowler. They are also pretty slow to respond. Also, I think I have to contact my DMV soon or I get fined? But I don't have any documentation. And is this by the backdated date of 12/16!?!?!

Paperwork was all overnighted except one document they forgot to send which was docusign. However, despite the paperwork being overnighted it took them a long time to process (see sig).

I'm not sure your math is right? You'll have to pay "Title, license, reg, doc fee" wherever you buy it from. Dealers don't hand that to you for free, right?

I believe the math for me vs local was something like:
Fowler: $699 "dealer fee" + $1100 transit + $200 detail (car arrived a dirty mess, should have gone with enclosed carrier in the CO winter!!)
Local: $3k (for placing order, on-lot models were at least $5k over). That's for the S. They seem to charge like $1k more per trim level higher.

So I saved somewhere in the neighborhood of $1k with added out of state headache, which wasn't trivial. And while I am frustrated by the slowness of it, I can't complain with the total timeline from my order date to arrival date.

Would I do it with Fowler again? Certainly. Because I think a lot of dealers are out to get you, and Fowler isn't. They didn't even try to upsell me anything in the financial or sales call.

But I probably wouldn't do it again if local markup was ~$2500 or less.

Thanks for the feedback. I’m in sales and have gained several negotiation skills that allow me to negotiate very well. So yeah I’m weighing my options of finalizing my order with Fowler or just biting the bullet and paying the markup for a unit on the ground now. The response time I agree could be quicker but I know they are busy.

You still have to go down to dmv and pay the tax and fees or was that paid to Fowler?

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[corsair]

Thanks for the feedback. I’m in sales and have gained several negotiation skills that allow me to negotiate very well. So yeah I’m weighing my options of finalizing my order with Fowler or just biting the bullet and paying the markup for a unit on the ground now. The response time I agree could be quicker but I know they are busy.

You still have to go down to dmv and pay the tax and fees or was that paid to Fowler?

I paid WA sales tax to Fowler. I believe all other registration fees (other than the $32.20 I see I paid on my finance sheet I took a picture of) are not yet paid. I think you are still asking this wondering if the $699 includes any sort of actual fees. I am pretty sure the answer is no, it goes right to the dealer. The $32.20, for example, for "Reg & License Fees", were something I paid in addition to the $699.

Does that help?

 

[Johnwhite]

I paid WA sales tax to Fowler. I believe all other registration fees (other than the $32.20 I see I paid on my finance sheet I took a picture of) are not yet paid. I think you are still asking this wondering if the $699 includes any sort of actual fees. I am pretty sure the answer is no, it goes right to the dealer. The $32.20, for example, for "Reg & License Fees", were something I paid in addition to the $699.

Does that help?

Yes it does help to clarify my concern, thank you. My all in fees are $600 here locally. So I’m at $1000 savings when I factor in shipping and the $699 if I go with Fowler. I’m going to sleep on it. I don’t think $1k is with the headache since I need a car ASAP.

Thanks

 

[SLPV]

FYI.
The document fee is a regulated fee that dealers are allowed to charge. Some states set the limits, but CO does not, but each dealer must charge the same for all customers. For out of state buyers, any tax and license fees collected by Fowler is forward to buyer's local state. The local states determine the sales tax, license fee, and registration fee of the buyer. Fowler does charge about $32 for CO temporary license if you get one to drive in CO after pickup. My CA sales tax is under $5K and license and registration fees are over $600.

 

[Johnwhite]

FYI.
The document fee is a regulated fee that dealers are allowed to charge. Some states set the limits, but CO does not, but each dealer must charge the same for all customers. For out of state buyers, any tax and license fees collected by Fowler is forward to buyer's local state. The local states determine the sales tax, license fee, and registration fee of the buyer. Fowler does charge about $32 for CO temporary license if you get one to drive in CO after pickup. My CA sales tax is under $5K and license and registration fees are over $600.

Got it, I just closed a deal with a local dealer here in SoCal. Paying about $700 in fees. I’m paying about $1k more overall versus getting it from Fowler but getting a car now and they are delivering it to me. Considering the mark-ups in California I think I did pretty well.