"I've just got my lovely new car from the dealership, complete with flowers, champagne and a red ribbon," an attorney posted on Facebook last month. She was shocked to learn, though, that she had paid for these extras - handsomely - as they were built into the "on the road" fee charged as part of her finance deal. The paperwork confirmed she had paid about R4800 to get her second-hand VW Polo "showroom and road ready", including licensing and registration and half a tank of petrol. "The paperwork was e-mailed to me and I didn't go through it, much less contest any of the charges," she said. Many who buy new cars share her experience. Dealerships routinely add an "on the road" or "service and delivery" fee of about R5000 to car deals, and most consumers pay it without question - plus interest on these extra charges if the vehicle is financed. When Mark Taschner bought his 2015 Honda Jazz last month he paid a R4548 "service and delivery fee", the salesman telling him it was a "fixed a...
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