Hi all.

I wasn't sure which precise forum to put this post in, but, this seems as good a place as any!!

I just purchased a previously-owned, 2011, Fat Boy Lo. Overall, I am very pleased!

I say "overall", because when filling out the final bill of sale paperwork/ contract, there was a "fee" on there that caught my eye.

There was something called a "UVC" fee. I asked what that was, and I was told that since the bike was previously owned, it needed to be "checked out" by their mechanics for safety, etc.

UVC: The "U" stands for "Used", the "V" stands for "Vehicle", and the "C"......I can't remember what the "C" stands for, but, basically, since the bike is not one of the dealers' new or leftovers, it needs to be gone over to make sure everything "checks out".

I actually have no problem with that......but this "fee" wasn't exactly some little $20 fee......we're talking some big bucks, here.

Any of you ever heard of this "UVC" fee? Whether you've heard of it or not (and I hope the dealer just didn't invent it for me!!!!), does it sound like a cost that should be passed onto the customer?

When I've perused this message forum, I know there's many out there that think that dealers can come up with quite a few BS fees, especially when purchasing a new bike. Fees like "assembly" and "shipping/ freight"; like you're going to assemble your own bike, right? And of course they're going to ship the freight to the dealer! But by all means, let's pass these fees onto the customer!!

Anyway.....please let me know what you think about this UVC fee. Legit? Is it something I could go back and try to "fight"? I've got 15 days to change my mind.

If it was - like I mentioned - some little $20 fee, it wouldn't bother me that much, but, we're talking a pretty hefty sum here.

Look forward to hearing from all of you!
Pez

 

I don't blame you. I would be pissed at paying it. The way I see it, I'm SURE the dealer checks trade-ins over anyway because they want to be sure THEY aren't buying any surprises. I would contact Harley and inquire about that fee. It doesn't sound like something a customer should be paying for.

I would say to that sales manager, "So You're telling me you don't check bikes out when you take them in on trade"?!?!?!?!

 

It would help if you could tell us how much the "big bucks" fee was, we would have a better idea of what you were charged. Whether is it "big bucks" or a $20.00 fee they hope you wouldn't ask about, we get nickel and dimed every day. Was the fee discussed with you before the purchase?

Here in NY like most states we're charged a tire disposal fee every time we purchase new tires. It's not a lot, a few bucks a tire, but for 4 tires, it adds up. My wife and I bought a used car last summer, it had new tires already on the Rav 4. Guess what we got charged at the time of the purchase? A tire disposal fee for 4 tires already on the car. We questioned the fee and were told flat out it was a NYS mandated fee, there was nothing they could do.

 

Some dealers will tack on whatever fees they can think of, many of them are B.S.
no matter what the dealer calls them.
New vehicles have the freight charge, should be the same at all dealers (at least within the states), even then you can use it to negotiate a lower price.
Tax, Title and License are government fees.

 

Hey all; thanks for the replies.

By "big bucks", I'm talking about a fee that is over $500.

Yes, this fee was discussed beforehand because it really caught my eye. They "claimed" it's the "law" that they have to check out a used bike with their mechanics, which, I don't have a problem with.....but to pass on a fee for this of over $500?!?!

Here in AZ, there's also that tire fee; it's $2.00 I'm not going to quibble about that because that is really small; I could have reached into my pocket and taken that out in loose change.

PineyRider: When you say I should contact Harley.....do you mean the main company itself? Or the dealership from where I purchased it? Because if I just contact the dealer where I purchased it, then sure, they're just going to say that they had to charge me for it.

Let me know
Pez

 

Sounds like bullshit. I would have bought the motorcycle from an individual and saved me a few fees.

 

Oh hell no !! Bet if you told the dealer in question to go screw themselves and the deal over it instead of being all dewey eyed at the prospect of a new bike in front of them that " FEE " would go away . Man up .

 

Anytime you buy a bike from a business you are going to pay more than you would if you bought that same bike from an individual. Take it back to the dealer then go find the same bike you want from someone who needs to get rid of it and will sell it to you much cheaper. No "fees" involved that way.

Why did you sign the paperwork when you questioned the UVC charge?

I was going to get my wife a Honda (car) brand new from the dealer. Everything was going good until I looked at the sales sheet. There was a $500 "admin fee" they had tacked on. When I questioned the salesman about it he said that it was to pay for the secretary and the guy in the back who cleaned up. I was also told that those folks didn't work for free. I said bye bye and walked out. Bought a used Toyota the next week.

I don't begrude the dealer making a profit but I'm not going to get robbed either.

 

Tell the dealer no deal and walk.

 

Ever seen the difference between retail and private individual prices when looking at NADA or KBB? The cost of going over the vehicle and putting it in shape are already factored in. The UVC is just hitting you twice for the same thing.