Are you coming into the dealership
soon? Perfect! We like to keep our
clientele in the know. We provide FULL
transparency and great customer service to provide an awesome experience. In today’s blog, we go over some of the auto
terms we use to provide a better understanding of the buying process. So, without further ado, please soak in the
following provided by Bankrate and feel free to ask us questions!
Add-on interest -- Interest that is
computed at the beginning of the loan, then added to the principal, so that all
must be repaid, even if the loan is paid off early.
Base price -- The cost of a car without
options. This price includes standard equipment and the manufacturer's warranty
and is printed on the Monroney sticker.
Blue Book -- Formally, it refers to the
Kelley Blue Book, an industry guide dealers use to estimate wholesale and
retail vehicle pricing. In common parlance, "the blue book price" can
actually refer to a price looked up in one of the many guides to pricing. The
books now come in a variety of hues, are issued by many organizations, and are
commonly available online or in the reference sections of public libraries.
Dealer holdback -- An allowance, usually
between 2 percent and 3 percent of manufacturer's suggested retail price, that
manufacturers provide to dealers. A holdback allowance may allow the dealer to
pay the manufacturer less than the invoice price. A buyer could obtain a car
below invoice price and the dealer would still make a profit.
Dealer incentives -- Programs offered by
manufacturers to increase the sales of slow-selling models or to reduce excess
inventories. Dealers may elect to pass on the savings to the buyer.
Dealer preparation, or dealer prep or
preparation charges -- An additional charge that dealers try to impose on
buyers. It represents pure profit for the dealers, who have already been paid
by the manufacturer for the cost of preparing the car for sale.
Destination charge -- The fee charged for
transporting the vehicle to the dealer from the manufacturer or port of entry.
This charge is to be passed on to the buyer without any markup.
Extended warranty or Service contract -- A
contract that covers certain car repairs or problems after the manufacturer's
or dealer's warranty expires. Extended warranties are sold by car
manufacturers, dealers and independent companies. With a new car, the extended
warranty usually must be purchased by the end of the first year of ownership.
Invoice price -- The manufacturer's
initial charge to the dealer. The price may not be the dealer's final cost
because dealers receive rebates and other incentives from the manufacturer. The
invoice price always includes freight, also known as the destination charge.
Monroney sticker or Dealer sticker price
-- The sticker on the car window that shows the base price, the manufacturer's
installed options with the manufacturer's suggested retail price, the manufacturer's
destination charge, and the car's fuel economy (mileage). This label is
required by federal law and it is only removed when the car is sold by the
purchaser. Named after A.S. "Mike" Monroney, a longtime Oklahoma
congressman who wrote the Automobile Information Disclosure Act.
Prepayment penalty -- A lender's charge to
the borrower for paying off the loan before the end of the term.
Rebate -- A manufacturer's reduction on
the price of the car as an incentive to buyers. Rebates appeal to people with
no credit or less-than-perfect credit who cannot qualify for the lowest-rate
loan. A rebate may also appeal to first-time buyers who don't have a lot of
cash for a down payment or another car to trade in.
