Does your dealer charge you for CC fees and loaner gas?

[snareman]

My 1yo X5 went in for its first oil change yesterday. I've been going to this dealer since 2006. The SA send me the form text that there would be a 2.2% fee for credit card use, but none for debit card or check. I texted him back and told him I get mom and pop shops upcharging for credit card fees, but not a large multi brand car dealer. Thankfully my oil changes are covered for the first 36k miles or 3 years so no fees incurred there.

They have always come to pick my car up which I think is a nice service there, and as it should be from a luxury brand. I always pass on the loaner because I have a second car. They didn't ask me if I was getting a loaner yesterday until the guy called me that he was on the way with it and to pick up my car. So I didn't say no. I had to go to work and told them they could bring my X5 there to swap it out for the loaner (only a 2min driving difference from my house) so they said no problem. They gave me a new 228 loaner that I drove 21.8miles to work. The 228 is rated at 33mpg highway which is most of my way to work. So I used less than a gallon of gas. I don't think the gas meter moved a single blip or line.

Today I get an email from them today with a $12.95 charge for 1.86gal of gas. Now, ok I can afford $13, but the nickel and diming of CC fees and that amount of gas seems crazy to me from a luxury dealer. I must have also been charged for the gas for them to get me the car and drive it back. When they delivered my X5 back to me the guy drove to my house before apparently realizing he had to come to where I worked. I wonder if I can charge them for the extra gallon of 93 gas I have to buy now.

Ok, rant over. The customer service world just isn't what it used to be. I remember when I got my first BMW they had a guy drive out to where I worked to see me for 20s just so I could sign a paper. I thought wow, now this is what luxury brands treat their customer like. Times have changed...

[DanG]

Yes my dealer will charge a fee if my loaner doesn’t have the same amount of gas as when I received it. My BMW dealer doesn’t charge CC fees.

My wife’s Mazda dealer charges CC fees unless you pay cash or debit card.

[snareman]

Originally Posted by DanG

Yes my dealer will charge a fee if my loaner doesn’t have the same amount of gas as when I received it. My BMW dealer doesn’t charge CC fees.

My wife’s Mazda dealer charges CC fees unless you pay cash or debit card.

I'd get it if I used half the tank or something like that but I didn't even use a full gallon. I wasn't going to stop on the way to work and put one gallon of gas in.

[Suburban_MacGyver]

A few years ago, my dealer charged me a "network fee" of like $3.75. "What is this network fee?", I asked. The cashier says, "oh, that's for the upkeep of our computer network. it has to be maintained." More like a "how many people will notice" charge.

No longer my dealer.

[afadeev]

Originally Posted by snareman

My 1yo X5 went in for its first oil change yesterday. I've been going to this dealer since 2006. The SA send me the form text that there would be a 2.2% fee for credit card use, but none for debit card or check.

That's weird. Definitely not normal.
I've NEVER heard of car dealerships charging CC fees, not for service, not for parts, not for deposit. The last time I checked was past summer when I leased another car and put "upfront fees" on a CC. Earned some points, zero fees.

Originally Posted by snareman

They gave me a new 228 loaner that I drove 21.8miles to work. The 228 is rated at 33mpg highway which is most of my way to work. So I used less than a gallon of gas. I don't think the gas meter moved a single blip or line.

Today I get an email from them today with a $12.95 charge for 1.86gal of gas.

This is weird and suspicious.
First of all, none of local dealers bother to check how much gas you used with the loaner. I never get them with full gas tank and try to return the loaners with (roughly) the same amount of gas as I got. I've NEVER had anyone question the delta, or attempt to bill me for loaner gas in 20+ years!

Never mind that $12.95 charge for 1.86gal of gas is car rental shop level rip off. I would question the amount just on principle!

Originally Posted by snareman

The customer service world just isn't what it used to be. [...] Times have changed...

They haven't.
Your chosen dealer is an abusive cheap-ass dip-sh*t, that's all.

Time to look for a new vendor !?

HTH,
a

[mike_va]

Our dealership charges for both credit cards and loaner gas.

They are owned by sonic: “Our Company culture thrives on creating, innovating, and providing industry-leading guest experiences, driven by strategic investments in technology, teammates, and ideas that ultimately fulfill ownership dreams, enrich lives, and deliver happiness to our guests and teammates.”

Stock price up 34.75% over one year

[snareman]

Originally Posted by afadeev

That's weird. Definitely not normal.
I've NEVER heard of car dealerships charging CC fees, not for service, not for parts, not for deposit. The last time I checked was past summer when I leased another car and put "upfront fees" on a CC. Earned some points, zero fees.



This is weird and suspicious.
First of all, none of local dealers bother to check how much gas you used with the loaner. I never get them with full gas tank and try to return the loaners with (roughly) the same amount of gas as I got. I've NEVER had anyone question the delta, or attempt to bill me for loaner gas in 20+ years!

Never mind that $12.95 charge for 1.86gal of gas is car rental shop level rip off. I would question the amount just on principle!



They haven't.
Your chosen dealer is an abusive cheap-ass dip-sh*t, that's all.

Time to look for a new vendor !?

HTH,
a

Their prices are the reason I bought my last 3 BMWs out of state. But they are the local dealer and will pick up my car so they are the only real choice for service. I even told them I'd love to come back to them to buy a car again and sent them a screenshot of the dealer software from my other dealer showing the official deal they were giving me and they said they couldn't touch it. They were about $6k apart.

[snareman]

Originally Posted by mike_va

Our dealership charges for both credit cards and loaner gas.

They are owned by sonic: “Our Company culture thrives on creating, innovating, and providing industry-leading guest experiences, driven by strategic investments in technology, teammates, and ideas that ultimately fulfill ownership dreams, enrich lives, and deliver happiness to our guests and teammates.”

Stock price up 34.75% over one year

That's some of the dumbest corporate-speak I've ever heard.

[dfc888]

My dealer always tells me no need to pump/charge it back up so I assume they wouldn’t charge me if I return the loaner with less gas (or less charge if it was electric), but I always do anyway.

However with recent rising insurance and repair costs everywhere, I’ve been starting to decline the use of loaners and instead make good use of their free Uber/Lyft rides. Thought is when it’s my own car I can choose to make a claim and repair or not, but always have to fix or pay for theirs.

This dealer never charges fees for credit card use. But I also never buy parts through them because they mark up like crazy. A dealer much closer to me sells parts competitively but they charge 3% fees, so I do pick and choose for that.

[afadeev]

Originally Posted by snareman

Their prices are the reason I bought my last 3 BMWs out of state. But they are the local dealer and will pick up my car so they are the only real choice for service.

Bummer.
I have three (3) dealer to pick from within 30 minutes drive, maybe 10+ within 90 minute radius. Good to have options.

If I only had one problematic dealer within driving distance, I would honestly look at other brands. It's not worth the PITA to depend on a nickle'n'diming service center for 4 years of warranty experience.

Originally Posted by snareman

They were about $6k apart.

That's when you KNOW they are not even trying to earn your business.
IMHO, it's time to look at Audi and Mercedes as alternatives, assuming those dealer franchises are not owned by the same cheap-ass corporate parent.

Good luck,
a

[snareman]

Originally Posted by afadeev

Bummer.
I have three (3) dealer to pick from within 30 minutes drive, maybe 10+ within 90 minute radius. Good to have options.

If I only had one problematic dealer within driving distance, I would honestly look at other brands. It's not worth the PITA to depend on a nickle'n'diming service center for 4 years of warranty experience.

That's when you KNOW they are not even trying to earn your business.
IMHO, it's time to look at Audi and Mercedes as alternatives, assuming those dealer franchises are not owned by the same cheap-ass corporate parent.

Good luck,
a

They stopped trying to earn my business during covid. I had issues with almost everyone at the dealer. I talked to the GM about it several times. I expected more after buying 6 cars from a dealer over 15years.

There are 2 BMW dealers close to me. The other won't pick my car up for service so I pass on them and having to take an hour of my day to drive there and back twice.

I actually just got this about a month ago. Got it from a dealer in NYC. I haven't sampled the service of the local Porsche dealer yet, but am friends with one of the sales guys there now.

[RockCrusher]

Have not visited my BMW dealer since Dec. 19, 2024 for the M8's running in service. At the time there was no CC fee.

As an aside CC fees are becoming more common. Several restaurants in the area now add a CC fee (and some also tack on a server fee of 20%).

FWIW I do not have a debit card. I've never used one.

I have not yet required a loaner from the dealer. But my SOP when I had a loaner from other dealers is to bring the loaner back with the same amount of gas in it that the loaner had when I drove it off the lot.

[snareman]

Originally Posted by RockCrusher

Have not visited my BMW dealer since Dec. 19, 2024 for the M8's running in service. At the time there was no CC fee.

As an aside CC fees are becoming more common. Several restaurants in the area now add a CC fee (and some also tack on a server fee of 20%).

FWIW I do not have a debit card. I've never used one.

I have not yet required a loaner from the dealer. But my SOP when I had a loaner from other dealers is to bring the loaner back with the same amount of gas in it that the loaner had when I drove it off the lot.

Again, sure, if I used some meaningful amount of gas I would fill it back up to where I got it. But I drove 20 miles which is less than a gallon of gas. I wasn't going to stop and put 1 gallon of gas in the car. I didn't think that would be an issue for the dealer but apparently it is these days

[Vindicator3]

I've never had a dealer pick my car up for service, that seems unusual even for BMW.

Just took our Honda Pilot in and the dealer charged a cc fee. That's the first time I remember any dealer doing that. I don't think my BMW dealer does. (I haven't noticed and I typically would).

My BMW dealer does ask for a full tank on loaner return. I don't know how much usage they would count as de minimis, but the first time I used a loaner I told them I was just driving the car to lunch and then back to the dealer (maybe 5 miles total) and I wouldn't be stopping for gas and they were fine with that. This was just to install a couple of dealer add-ons that came in late and only took an hour.

[snareman]

Originally Posted by Vindicator3

I've never had a dealer pick my car up for service, that seems unusual even for BMW.

Just took our Honda Pilot in and the dealer charged a cc fee. That's the first time I remember any dealer doing that. I don't think my BMW dealer does. (I haven't noticed and I typically would).

My BMW dealer does ask for a full tank on loaner return. I don't know how much usage they would count as de minimis, but the first time I used a loaner I told them I was just driving the car to lunch and then back to the dealer (maybe 5 miles total) and I wouldn't be stopping for gas and they were fine with that. This was just to install a couple of dealer add-ons that came in late and only took an hour.

When I first started going to them 20 years ago they used to start with, can we come pick up your car. Now they start with will you need a loaner when you drop your car off and I have to ask them to come pick it up which they always say yes. Both dealers here will pick your car up but the other dealer will only apparently do it if you bought the car from them. Seems based on the amount there not only charging me for the 20 miles I drove but also for the mileage they had to drive the car to me and drive it back to the dealer

[Westside Guy]

My last loaner car was earlier this year when they gave me a brand new 3 series with only a few hundred miles on the odometer. I had the car for three days, drove about 100 miles, did not add any gas to the tank when I returned it and they did not bill me any fuel.

[Scionti95]

Charging a CC fee is becoming very common across the board. The dealership or whomever has to pay a fee to the financial institution that has issued the card you are using and they are aware most credit cards offer cash rewards or other perks to the card holder.
That is business today. The financial institution that issues the card makes money, the user of the credit card gets a perk, so businesses tack on the CC fee.
Doesn’t matter they have priced whatever service to make a (reasonable??) profit, they want to make you think, they have to charge the CC fee.
Spent 25 years of my career with a large financial institution. Even though there were charge offs, the late fees, interest charged etc. credit cards were one of our most profitable products. Also served as a “hook” for the clients other financial needs. Credit cards generate a significant amount of profit to a financial institution and the dealerships want a cut. We had to offer perks to stay competitive, needed to protect our bottom line, so charging vendors a higher fee when our card was used generated funds.
It’s business in 2025 !!!

[brianeck]

The gas thing is totally normal. If you rent a car or get a loaner, fill it up yourself or pay more than 2x what you would at the pump. I don't see this as unreasonable in any way - if I borrow someone else's car, I make sure to bring it back with at least as much gas as it was given to me with.

Maybe my parents raised me different but to me this seems like common sense.

Credit card fees are now something that every business in every industry has started getting away with - like forcing tips down your throat. That one i disagree with.

[snareman]

Originally Posted by brianeck

The gas thing is totally normal. If you rent a car or get a loaner, fill it up yourself or pay more than 2x what you would at the pump. I don't see this as unreasonable in any way - if I borrow someone else's car, I make sure to bring it back with at least as much gas as it was given to me with.

Maybe my parents raised me different but to me this seems like common sense.

Credit card fees are now something that every business in every industry has started getting away with - like forcing tips down your throat. That one i disagree with.

You imply that you were raised better and are better than me and obviously had better parents than me. You don't know me.

As I've said here elsewhere, if I drove the car half a tank down then sure, but I made one 20mi 25min drive using about 3/4 gallon of gas. I wasn't going to stop and fill that up. And they are apparently charging me for the gas that it took for them to drive the car to me and back to the dealer. I assume they wouldn't have charged me for the gas they used for the usual 2 people it takes to just come pick my car up and not leave a loaner.

[zx10guy]

Skimmed through this thread.

When I was taking my car to my dealer for any service, I would set up an appointment and request that a loaner be available for me. Never have I ever expected them to come pick up my car. When I get there, my dealer would walk around my car to note any issues they've detected with the car; which there is always none. The checkout sheet is brought to me for me to sign off on acknowledging any blemishes/damage they found on my car.

With the loaner, we would do the same. A walk around of the car to make note of any blemish/damage to the loaner. Notation of the current mileage and how much gas is in the tank by approximation of what the fuel gauge indicates....not by the exact amount of gallons in the tank. A credit card is ran as a hold for any potential damage or fuel that I don't replenish. They also want a copy of my insurance with a maximum deductible for collision at $500. There is a daily mileage limit which I forget how much that is. I've only had to address this once with my dealer and was told it was ok by my SA since I had a trip already planned and they were keeping my car for a few days to get things addressed.

When I return the car, I only fuel up to what we saw indicated on the fuel gauge on pickup of the loaner and never had a problem.

The service department did do me a favor once. One of the times I had my car in for service they discovered the comfort access module was bad. They wanted to verify this with the spare FOB. My now ex wife had it with her and she was fairly close to the dealer at her job. So they drove to her work to pick up the spare FOB to do some testing.

As far as credit card fees being charged to me, I don't know now as I haven't been to my dealer in years since around Covid. Back then when I had them do an adaptations reset for my DCT, they didn't charge anything extra to use a credit card for the labor. I did recently have to have my car worked on by an indie. They put up front a credit card fee and listed it on the estimate. If I paid cash, that fee was waived....which I did. I also got the same thing with my boat at my local boat yard for hull work and other miscellaneous things I wanted done. Paid cash to not have to pay the credit card fees they were going to charge back to me.