Dealership fees you should not pay
Not every fee on a dealer contract is negotiable. But a lot of them are — and knowing which is which is worth $1,500 to $4,000 on a typical deal.
Fees you have to pay
State and local sales tax, registration and title fees, and a documentation fee up to your state's legal cap. These are non-negotiable, though the doc fee amount varies wildly by state.
Fees that are almost always removable
Market adjustment / ADM: a dealer markup above MSRP. Push to have it removed entirely. If they won't, walk — another dealer will.
Nitrogen tire fill, VIN etching, paint protection, fabric protection, dealer 'appearance packages': cheap to install, priced at hundreds or thousands. Ask to have them removed or comped.
Theft-recovery / GPS tracking devices: already installed, hard to remove. Push to have the charge removed even if the device stays.
'Pre-delivery inspection' or 'reconditioning' fees on a new car: the manufacturer already pays the dealer for this. Refuse.
Fees where the amount is negotiable
Extended warranties, GAP insurance, tire and wheel protection, prepaid maintenance: these are F&I products with 3-5x markups. Decide first whether you want the product; then negotiate the price down 40-60% from the sticker, or buy from an outside provider.
Documentation fee in states with no cap: some dealers charge $150, some charge $999 for the same paperwork. Push back.
How to actually get them off the contract
Do it before you sign the buyer's order, not in the finance office. The buyer's order is where price, fees and add-ons are locked in — the finance office is where the pressure to accept them peaks.
Ask for an itemized OTD in writing before you visit. Compare it against another dealer's OTD on the same car. Then tell the dealer which line items need to come off for you to sign. Most will.
Ready for help on your deal?