You learn something new everyday as your shop for a new car. I'm posting this as "information sharing" so others are aware. If a deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

I found some very good prices posted on a dealer's website for a 2009 G37 Coupe. The prices were around invoice (+/- $1,000) depending on which car/options. I contacted the dealer, the special price was confirmed. I then indicated I wanted to move forward with the transaction and requested a Purchase Order detailing all of the costs. I joked with friends at lunch it sounded too good and there would be a catch.

Sure enough, I then find out that the "Destination Charge" on the sticker is NOT included in their "special" prices posted on the internet. This Destination Charge, which they called a "Freight" charge was added to the sales price.

The dealer indicated that "That is correct as you will read on all the dealer website in VA or MD, with our discount the freight is a charge." Once I scrolled down to the bottom on the page, it is listed there as freight is an additional charge.

I'm not sure it's an accurate statement that VA and MD dealers publish sale prices where the freight is always added on but that's what the dealer indicated. I made it very clear I was shopping via the internet and was out of state on my initial contact. I would have expected the salesperson to point out the difference in the way VA and MD dealers price specials but he chose not to.

This was a learning experience. Needless to say, I am not pursuing the deal. It's still a good deal but the salesperson's behavior in how he managed this did not meet my expectations around customer service. I have other offers that are now much closer to this one. There is not a significant difference in price like I originally thought there was.

So if this dealer's statement is accurate, be sure to add the destination charge to any "special" price you receive from a VA or MD dealer.