VIN etching scam?
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 242
Likes: 3
Update.
I called the dealer and spoke with a very pleasant lady who informed me that this "vin etch/track" is automatically added to vehicles they sell. She spoke with the manager and he told her it is included on all the trucks they sell.
I cannot believe the Ford adds this on for them. Am I wrong?
This $700+ add-on has angered me to the point that I am willing to give up my $1000 deposit and walk away from my new F450 KR when it lands. I'm that pissed off.
To further enrage myself, I called a dealer about an hour north of me. When I asked him about the vin etch/track he said "what?".
This is the "documentation fee" all over again!
I called the dealer and spoke with a very pleasant lady who informed me that this "vin etch/track" is automatically added to vehicles they sell. She spoke with the manager and he told her it is included on all the trucks they sell.
I cannot believe the Ford adds this on for them. Am I wrong?
This $700+ add-on has angered me to the point that I am willing to give up my $1000 deposit and walk away from my new F450 KR when it lands. I'm that pissed off.
To further enrage myself, I called a dealer about an hour north of me. When I asked him about the vin etch/track he said "what?".
This is the "documentation fee" all over again!
I shopped a few dealers before I decided on the one I would order my F350 from.
Two of them had the etching and maybe some other add-ons on all of the trucks, it was called "Express Code" and they were charging in the neighborhood of $500 for it.
When I told both of them I had no interest in it, the salesmen both responded that they wouldn't charge for it.
Seemed like it might have been more to lure in the unsuspecting...
Thread Starter
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Posting Guru
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 2,216
Likes: 7
I shopped a few dealers before I decided on the one I would order my F350 from.
Two of them had the etching and maybe some other add-ons on all of the trucks, it was called "Express Code" and they were charging in the neighborhood of $500 for it.
When I told both of them I had no interest in it, the salesmen both responded that they wouldn't charge for it.
Seemed like it might have been more to lure in the unsuspecting...
Two of them had the etching and maybe some other add-ons on all of the trucks, it was called "Express Code" and they were charging in the neighborhood of $500 for it.
When I told both of them I had no interest in it, the salesmen both responded that they wouldn't charge for it.
Seemed like it might have been more to lure in the unsuspecting...
Huh?
You mean you etched the truck, and registered the VIN with some company for free?
I don't believe that for a second. A dealer is not going to add such a thing and not charge for it.
Hotshot
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 13,834
Likes: 26
From: Middle Tn.
Every so often our insurance company will offer free window vin etching on any and all vehicles that we have insured with them. If your not looking for it you wouldn't notice it's there. Apparently the glass is a hot resale item for chop shops.
More Turbo
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 631
Likes: 13
From: Southern Ontario Canada
Hey CJ got any pics of that 69 Mustang! Not to Hijack this thread but I love Mustangs and yours sounds like a beauty.
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Posting Guru
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 2,216
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Losing $1000 is a small thing compared to how much this scam irritates me.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 859
Likes: 10
From: North Carolina
Originally Posted by Ricohman
If those monkeys etch the glass on my new truck I will tell them to get me another one. Of course they won't and I will walk away.
Losing $1000 is a small thing compared to how much this scam irritates me.
Losing $1000 is a small thing compared to how much this scam irritates me.
Mountain Pass
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 123
Likes: 14
Do you have to lose the $$ though? I would think you could get your deposit back since they altered the truck without your permission (assuming they follow through with it.)
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Junior User
Joined: Jul 2017
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The ended up removing both charges, knowing I would walk. I made them remove the pinstripe too, as I didn't want it. "You don't want a free pinstripe?" HELL NO.
Mountain Pass
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 128
Likes: 2
From: Austin
I bought a truck that was on the lot and every truck on the lot had this. When going over all the fees with the finance guy, I had him remove this from my fees. There was no argument over it and he just removed it and all was good.
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 5,158
Likes: 35
From: North of Salt Lake City
Ricoh, if the item was not disclosed on the order, you cannot be forced to pay for it. I get that you're upset but there's no need to be. You can simply refuse it. The dealer I used to purchase from would do a similar thing which was hidden right at the top of the final buyer's order as VTR or Vehicle Theft Recovery. It's the exact same thing as VIN etching. All they do is register your VIN and contact information in some mysterious database which is supposedly available to law enforcement. When the LEOs locate your abandoned truck, they're supposed to be able to look it up and locate you as the rightful owner. Trouble is it's a bunch of horse crap. Last time I checked, the DMV has your VIN number in their much more reliable database with your home address and phone number anyway. Just refuse to pay for it and let them try to talk you into it any way they want. The simple answer is, "No thank you."
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 19,311
Likes: 97
From: Waterloo, Iowa
Everything is negotiable if they want to make a deal bad enough. Waaay back in the 70s during the gas crunch, a friend of my Dad had a Honda Civic, one of the first micro cars that got like 40 miles to the gallon. They were a hot item, and hard to get.
He was a character. One time he took it into a dealership and said he wanted (he was just yanking their chain) to trade it in on a big *** Montego or some other gas hog that the dealers couldn't give away at that time. Nobody was buying them. The lots were loaded with land yachts.
So they were agreeing to all kinds of BS just to make the sale, and he was going through everything line by line. I think at one point they were arguing over the transmission. Every possible A/T option had a charge. "I'm not paying that" They argued with him, and then he points out every car has to have a transmission? LOL!! Maybe they threw him out at that point.
He was a character. One time he took it into a dealership and said he wanted (he was just yanking their chain) to trade it in on a big *** Montego or some other gas hog that the dealers couldn't give away at that time. Nobody was buying them. The lots were loaded with land yachts.
So they were agreeing to all kinds of BS just to make the sale, and he was going through everything line by line. I think at one point they were arguing over the transmission. Every possible A/T option had a charge. "I'm not paying that" They argued with him, and then he points out every car has to have a transmission? LOL!! Maybe they threw him out at that point.
Freshman User
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 30
Likes: 1
From: Jonesville Va.
I must have a fairly honest dealer, I have orderēd several trucks from them, some with strange accessories and the 2017 platinum fully loaded that I now have and I have never had to put any money down, they always say order what you want and when it gets here if its not what you want we will put it on the lot and sell it, they have a doc fee but I always refuse to pay it, and I dont and they always waive it. Since I live in Virginia and the dealership is in Tennessee they have to order me a front tag bracket to.
