Quote:
Originally Posted by Llarry
And yet, if BMW or some other make were to eliminate the destination charge -- or more properly incorporate it into the MSRP -- it seems to me that we could avoid this game of "available at your local dealer starting at $39,995" when the vehicle actually lists for more including destination and handling. And eliminate a bit of fine print designed to trap the unwary.  |
Well I think the reason for including it as a separate line item rather than baking it into the MSRP is because the automaker is indicating that the amount for the destination charge is at the mercy of market logistics rates. So if they raise the destination charge without raising the msrp they're essentially saying, "we're not raising the price of the car, but can't control what freight rates are in today's market". It offers them greater flexibility.
From the customer end - when you order something online, you typically pay shipping and handling and it's usually not baked into the price of the product. If people are "unwary" about this they're probably unwary about a lot of things that go into a car buying experience.
All this is to say - I personally don't care how they do it - include it within msrp or keep it as a separate line item. From my perspective it's just an accounting exercise for myself to include that (along with taxes) into the total cost of the car.