Hi,

As I never owned or had plates for car, buying my 1st Swiss car, main dealer wants 500 CHF for doing the donkey work so I can just pick up the car and drive.

Is this expensive or the norm?

norm. it should include a cleaning, paying the plates and paperwork . I payed 500 also and it was simply added to the salesprice.

Its the norm.
Of course you could do it yourself and get cheaper away with it, but even "private" people who sell their used cars want 500$ for doing the paperwork and MFK stuff.

It depends on your canton prices, but the government registration fee and the number plates
would cost you less than Chf 150 and it would take about 15 minutes waiting at the office.

I think CHF 500 is far too much, you can easily do it yourself.

The question is: Are all fees (except road tax) included in the CHF 500? MFK fee, license plate, first copy of gray card? Ask first before you get a unwanted Christmas surprise.

Having been through the plates ordeal id happily pay 500 lol

Really? I got my plates with zero problems.

Me too, geez, if there would be anything in Switzerland I'd like to have in the US, it'd be the RMV as it was the easiest thing I experienced while there. 500 chf is far too much for that convenience if the only thing you're getting for that are the plates and reg.

You guys paid? I got my car all nicely delivered with plates and i paid exactly what we agreed with the salesman. No extra money for anything.

I live in France, it was difficult. I speak German but my french is not up to scratch. (Yes, completly my fault )

But, we had to go to a differnt town, it was a fair drive. Needed to take a day off work. Wait a couple hours. blah blah.


It was just a ball ache!

The fee tends to include:
- paperwork taken care of at the STVA
- liaises with insurance and STVA
- fresh abgas test
- thorough clean inside and out - often polished and not just washed
- and a "free" gift - examples include chocolates, flowers, umbrella etc

Is it "worth" 300-500chf - not really.
Does it save some ball ache - especially if the garage is in another kanton - YES