"Dealer Marketing Group" Fee?

[Via Chicago]

Evening, all. Tonight I got a quote on a Stinger, and everything seems pretty squared away. The only item of uncertainty for me is a "DMG" fee, which shows up as a line item under the dealer costs on the invoice. It doesn't raise the MSRP any, just the dealer invoice cost (to the tune of $482). I'm working on securing Costco pricing, which is an amount relative to dealer invoice, so that DMG fee is meaningful to me. Has anyone else encountered this sort of thing? A bit of googling indicates that this is a common thing and is often not negotiable, but I just want to make sure I'm not forking over an unnecessary $482. Thanks all.

 

[Dave Miller]

That doesn't sound like a fee you should need to pay but I could be wrong. We don't have anything like that here in OR. I tried to Google "dmg fee" and turned up empty. "Dealer marketing group fee" only brought up this thread.

 

[Chris]

Sounds like a BS fee to me as well. I wouldn't pay it. If the dealer let's you walk away for a made up charge under 500, they don't really want to sell you a car.

 

[Via Chicago]

Thanks, gents. For what it's worth, it is showing on the paper invoice for which I was given a picture via phone (which could be BS). But, I'm also feeling like something is amiss.

 

[MurlinatoR]

Thanks, gents. For what it's worth, it is showing on the paper invoice for which I was given a picture via phone (which could be BS). But, I'm also feeling like something is amiss.

Hey folks. The DMG fee IS a real fee and is charged to MANY large metro dealers around the country. It is not included in the MSRP but is added to the cost the dealer has to pay for that particular vehicle. It is not negotiable as the dealer is out that money. Any pricing from invoice has to include destination, packages, or DMG if it's there.

It's a fee that the factory charges for marketing in their market.

 

[Kia Stinger]

I do see that fee on invoices when I buy cars here in Florida...

 

[Via Chicago]

As always, many thanks to those who know a lot more than I do about this sort of thing.

 

[Kia Stinger]

As always, many thanks to those who know a lot more than I do about this sort of thing.

We're all always learning something. Either that, or we're dead...

 

[Mach_Tuck]

Hey folks. The DMG fee IS a real fee and is charged to MANY large metro dealers around the country. It is not included in the MSRP but is added to the cost the dealer has to pay for that particular vehicle. It is not negotiable as the dealer is out that money. Any pricing from invoice has to include destination, packages, or DMG if it's there.

It's a fee that the factory charges for marketing in their market.

Everything is negotiable...there is nothing stopping anyone from purchasing a vehicle in a different "market" that does not charge this or other fees. For example, dealer doc fees. In AZ, most dealers, are, criminally in my opinion, charging $695 - $995 for doc fees. Given everything can be handled online these days this is just a bogus amount right to the dealers bottom line. In CA, doc fees are capped at $80 and i can certainly fly and pick up a car for far less than the variance.

Long story short - everything is negotiable and like Chris said above, if they want to let the deal fall because of $482, then they really dont want to sell the car.

 

[mldavis2]

THAT's why I ask for a net bid price FOB out-the-door. They can hide all they want and I don't care. What do I write the check for to drive it away?

 

[MurlinatoR]

Everything is negotiable...there is nothing stopping anyone from purchasing a vehicle in a different "market" that does not charge this or other fees. For example, dealer doc fees. In AZ, most dealers, are, criminally in my opinion, charging $695 - $995 for doc fees. Given everything can be handled online these days this is just a bogus amount right to the dealers bottom line. In CA, doc fees are capped at $80 and i can certainly fly and pick up a car for far less than the variance.

Long story short - everything is negotiable and like Chris said above, if they want to let the deal fall because of $482, then they really dont want to sell the car.

But the fee is to the dealer, not the customer.

 

[Mach_Tuck]

THAT's why I ask for a net bid price FOB out-the-door. They can hide all they want and I don't care. What do I write the check for to drive it away?

I actually like that approach. Dont care what you call it or where you charge it...what is my out the door amount.

 

[Mach_Tuck]

But the fee is to the dealer, not the customer.

Apologies if i misunderstood you. But i read your post above as its a fee the dealer is out and subsequently passing onto the customer and is non negotiable.

 

[Dave Miller]

Hey folks. The DMG fee IS a real fee and is charged to MANY large metro dealers around the country. It is not included in the MSRP but is added to the cost the dealer has to pay for that particular vehicle. It is not negotiable as the dealer is out that money. Any pricing from invoice has to include destination, packages, or DMG if it's there.

It's a fee that the factory charges for marketing in their market.

Thank you for the clarification. It's weird that Kia only has this in some markets and not others. Must be how they're paying for that Stinger Superbowl commerical

 

[mikeceli]

E........................................................ In CA, doc fees are capped at $80 and i can certainly fly and pick up a car for far less than the variance.....................................................................

r.

doc is capped at $80 here.

Not often someone comes to cali to SAVE money!