5. The Dealer Prep Scam

Let me first let you know that cost is not only legal but very much common practice. I still refer to it as a scam because it is just another way for you to end up paying more money for the car.

Basically the dealer will tell you have to an extra $500 to cover the labor costs of the dealership’s 5-point inspection.
You are paying for the time it took for the dealership to make sure that the car wouldn’t explode on you in the first week of owning it.

This check up that you are paying so much money for is for the dealership to remove plastic from the seats etc, vacuum the car out, and making sure that all of the fuses and fluids are ready to go.

When factories deliver the new cars to the dealerships the cost of delivery and prep is already covered, so basically you are paying the dealership for work that they haven’t really done.

I swear they could get the car in perfectly ready to drive condition and put everything right back in it just so that they can make you pay the fee again.

You can avoid this scam by simply asking the dealership to add an extra $500 credit to the deal to make sure you do not have to pay the money.

If they refuse, you can then decide if the car is worth the money. If it is fine; buy the car, if not; go to another dealer that
dealer that will remove the dealer prep costs.