Finding destination charge can be tricky
Q. Do listed new-car prices include the destination charge?
A. In most cases, they don't. A few years back, some manufacturers, including GM, started including the destination charge in the prices it listed in ads and on its brand websites. The industry has now reverted to its traditional practice of listing the destination charge as a separate item. This applies to dealers and manufacturers, and if you browse some manufacturers' sites for prices, finding the destination charge, typically $750 or more, can turn into a treasure hunt.
When searching manufacturers' websites or viewing ads, the first tipoff that destination isn't included is a tiny footnote or asterisk that appears next to the base prices. The treasure hunt comes in trying to track down that footnote or asterisk.
On GM's brand sites, if you click on the footnote, it takes you to an explanation that destination is not included and lists the charges for individual models. However, the footnote on the Ford and Lincoln sites says only that destination is not included, and then you have to click through a maddening number of pages to find out how much it is. It took awhile to determine that the destination charge on the 2012 Ford Focus is $795 on top of the $16,500 base price for the S sedan.
On Hyundai's site, prices are described as "MSRP" for manufacturer's suggested retail price, which does not include destination (though it doesn't say that). As you build a model with paint color, options and accessories, it isn't until you reach the summary page that -- Surprise! -- your Sonata carries a $750 destination charge.
At Cars.com, we want car shopping to be free of hassles and surprises, so where we list base prices for individual models we also list the destination charge that has to be added to the total price. Because everyone has to pay this charge, including dealers, we wish everyone were more upfront about it. Our advice is to assume it isn't included in prices being listed or quoted and to find out early in the process how much it is.
© 2011, Cars.com
