Racing to sign car loan papers, you spot a mysterious $300 “VIN etching” charge buried in the financing documents. That ten-dollar kit the dealer installed without asking just became their biggest profit center of the day. Welcome to the automotive industry’s dirtiest secret: add-ons that cost dealers almost nothing but generate margins that would make any subscription scammer jealous.
The Markup Machine That Never Stops
These dealer add-ons turn pocket change into hundreds of dollars through pure profit manipulation.
Dealerships have perfected the art of selling you back your own money. VIN etching—literally scratching your car’s identification number onto windows—costs them ten bucks for a DIY kit. They charge $300. Fabric protection treatments with questionable effectiveness command hundreds more.
The math is obscene: 10 to 30 times markup on products you never requested.
The “Already Installed” Shell Game
Dealers present unnecessary add-ons as mandatory requirements to bypass your consent entirely.
Here’s where it gets predatory. Dealers present these profit bombs as “already on the car” or “required for all vehicles,” banking on your assumption that mandatory means legitimate. According to FTC consumer protection guidance, the agency has documented cases where buyers discovered charges only after signing, believing these were factory requirements or regulatory mandates.
It’s the automotive equivalent of those subscription services that auto-renew without permission—except happening during your second-largest purchase.
Your Three-Word Refusal Script
Simple language eliminates hundreds of bogus charges when delivered with conviction.
“I don’t want this service. Please remove the charge.” That’s it. When they claim it’s “already installed,” respond: “That was your decision, not mine. I’m not paying for unrequested services.” Demand manufacturer documentation if they insist it’s “required.”
Your nuclear option? Walking away. Dealers would rather eliminate the charge than lose the entire sale, and they know you know this.
Contract Defense Strategy
Detailed paperwork review prevents profit padding from reaching your final payment.
Review every line item before signing anything. Focus on total cost, not monthly payments. Consider arranging independent financing to avoid marked-up interest rates that hide additional profit streams.
The FTC warns that dealerships cannot charge for add-ons you didn’t explicitly agree to purchase. Your signature shouldn’t subsidize their creativity with invoicing. Read everything, question everything, and remember—the most expensive car repair is the one you pay for but never needed.
