Dealership Preparation Fee

Dealership Preparation Fee Scam: How It Works

(with video below) Let’s say you just bought a vehicle. At the dealership, the agent who helps you with the paperwork seems like a nice guy. However, besides encouraging the unnecessary add-ons (‘underneath paint sealant’, ‘seats fabric sprayed with protective silicon’, ‘rust-proof spraying’), he also adds a “Dealership Preparation Fee” to the invoice. That usually ranges from $300 to $1,000. How can explain that?

Watch the video below to see more about the Dealership Preparation Fee scam, in detail:

Car Dealership Preparation Fee Scam Video

When you query this, the dealer tells you they have etched the Vehicle Information Number on the glass (or peeled off the plastic protection of the car, or something similar) for you.

This is an effective way to prevent theft and is done by applying chemical etching of the vehicle’s serial number to your car window, which makes the car parts basically worthless. However, etching would cost you around $20 if you do it yourself.

Dealership Preparation Fee Scam: How To Avoid

Tell them in advance you do not want this done. When you sign the contract for the car, look at the small print very carefully so you don’t pay for something you didn’t order.

This is just one of the several scams that you could be a victim of, especially if you are buying your first car. Whether you’re looking at how to buy a car with bad credit or you just want to take advantage of a ‘no money down cars’ promotion, learn their tricks and be prepared to have everything ready.

If you’re wondering what do you need when buying a car from a dealership, consider getting a car buying guide first to protect youself from scams. Let’s expose a few more deceptive practices.

Watch the video below to see more scams pulled by dealers and things to check when buying a car (maybe get a Buying A Car For Dummies book, too):

Buying A Car From A Dealership Scams Video

Make your family and friends aware of this scam by sharing it on social media. You can also officially report the questionable auto dealerships to the Federal Trade Commission using the link below:

Report To The FTC Here