Deposit, Trade-Ins, Financing, Title and Tax
How Does the Money Work on a Factory Order?
Four pieces. A $1,000 non-refundable deposit placed by wire transfer, which is not a fee and counts toward your down payment. A written quote showing the sale price, the $436 documentation fee, $4 for 60-day temporary tags, and your deposit. Your own state's tax, title, and surcharges, added when the vehicle arrives. And financing through your own lender or through Mark Dodge's, whichever suits you. Transactions are handled for all fifty states.
- $1,000 deposit, applied to your price
- Taxes quoted at arrival, not guessed
- All fifty states
How much is the deposit, and what does it actually pay for?
The deposit is $1,000, non-refundable, and transmitted by wire transfer when you place the order. It is not a fee. It acts as part of your down payment and is deducted from your total bill on the buyers' order. It exists because Mark Dodge is accountable for every order it places reaching its intended customer.
Every number, in writing, before you commit
The quote shows what the dealership controls. Your state adds its part when the vehicle arrives. Nothing is sprung on you at signing, and nothing is final until you have read it.
The financial process starts with your Order Specialist at the very beginning, and you meet virtually with your Finance Manager once the vehicle arrives at the dealership. Everything in between is documented, and nothing is committed until you have e-signed the order paperwork. The full sequence is on the how factory ordering works page.
What is in my price quote, and when do taxes get added?
Your written quote from your Order Specialist includes the sale price of the vehicle, the $436 documentation fee, $4 for 60-day temporary tags, and your deposit. Your own state's tax, title, and any other surcharges are not quoted until the vehicle arrives at the dealership.
| Line | When it is set |
|---|---|
| Vehicle sale price | At order, in writing, and price protected once the order is accepted. |
| Documentation fee ($436) | At order, shown on the quote from the start. |
| 60-day temporary tags ($4) | At order, shown on the quote from the start. |
| Deposit ($1,000) | At order, then deducted from your total on the buyers' order. |
| State tax, title, surcharges | At arrival, calculated for your state at that time. |
Quoting tax and title at arrival is deliberate, and it works in your favor twice. It lets you compare dealer quotes apples to apples on the numbers a dealer actually controls. And it protects your agreed price if a state changes its taxes or charges between the day you order and the day the vehicle comes in.
The terms on this page, from buyers' order to documentation fee, are each defined in the factory order glossary.
Can I trade in a vehicle, even from out of state?
Yes. Trade-ins are appraised remotely, and the appraisal happens at the time the transaction takes place, not months earlier when you order. During the process, the Sales Manager will give you a today market trade value so you can decide what you want to do with real numbers.
Appraising at transaction time protects both sides: your vehicle's mileage and condition change over a months-long build, so a number quoted at order time would be a guess. The today trade value from the Sales Manager mid-process gives you a planning figure without pretending it is final.
If your trade needs to travel to Lake Charles, your Sales Manager explains how transport is arranged and exactly what it means for your numbers before you commit. Nothing about the trade is settled until you have seen it in writing.
Before that conversation, an independent reference point helps. Louisiana's Office of Motor Vehicles covers title requirements for in-state sellers, and the FTC's vehicle shopping guidance covers how trade equity and payoff interact on any deal, anywhere.
Do I have to finance through Mark Dodge?
No. You are welcome to bring your own financing institution, or finance through Mark Dodge's preferred lenders. The store works closely with a number of lenders that provide competitive rates and quick, efficient processing, and your Finance Manager walks you through the paperwork virtually either way.
Whichever route you take, read the documents at your own pace before signing; that review step is built into the process on purpose. The Federal Trade Commission's guide to financing a vehicle is a solid neutral read before the finance meeting, and the CFPB's auto loan tools help you sanity-check any offer, including ours.
Which states can Mark Dodge sell and title to?
All fifty. The team handles transactions, titling, and registration paperwork for every U.S. state, and tells you exactly which documents your state requires. Mark Dodge cannot sell to Canada, Mexico, or to known exporters.
Your own state's tax, title, and registration requirements apply to the purchase, and they are calculated when the vehicle arrives rather than estimated at order time. How the vehicle then gets to you, whether included delivery or quoted shipping, is covered on the delivery section of the process page.
Money questions, answered
Is the $1,000 deposit a fee I lose?
No. The deposit is not a fee. It is applied to the bottom line of your sale price on the buyers' order, acting as part of your down payment. It is non-refundable because it is what commits the order to you, but every dollar of it goes toward your vehicle.
When do I pay my state's taxes and title fees?
When the vehicle arrives at the dealership. Your written quote covers the sale price, documentation fee, and deposit; your state's tax, title, and surcharges are calculated at arrival. That keeps quotes comparable between dealers and protects your price if a state changes its charges mid-build.
How does my trade-in get to Mark Dodge if I live out of state?
Trade-in vehicles are appraised remotely at the time of the transaction. If the trade needs to travel to Lake Charles, your Sales Manager arranges the transport and tells you exactly how it affects your numbers before you commit, so you can compare trading here against selling locally on real figures.
Can I finance through my own bank or credit union?
Yes. Bring your own financing institution, or use Mark Dodge's preferred lenders, whose rates are competitive and whose processing is quick. Your Finance Manager finalizes the paperwork with you virtually in either case, and you review every document before you sign.
Can Mark Dodge sell to buyers outside the United States?
No. Transactions are handled in all fifty U.S. states, with titling and registration paperwork done for your state. Mark Dodge cannot sell to Canada, Mexico, or to known exporters, and orders are placed only for the intended retail customer named on the paperwork.
Every number, in writing, before you commit
The quote shows what the dealer controls. Your state adds its part at arrival. Nothing is sprung on you at signing.
Mark Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram
3777 Gerstner Memorial Drive, Lake Charles, LA 70607
Sales: 337-508-0096 ·
Service: 337-570-2341 ·
Parts: 337-508-0749
Pricing: [APPROVED PRICING DISCLAIMER BLOCK REQUIRED before publish.] Deposit and documentation fee amounts are confirmed in writing on your quote and buyers' order. This page states no rates, payments, or financing terms; individual financing terms are set by the lender and disclosed in your finance documents.
Out-of-state purchases: [APPROVED OUT-OF-STATE DISCLAIMER BLOCK REQUIRED before publish.] Your own state's tax, title, and registration requirements apply and are calculated when the vehicle arrives at the dealership. This page is process information, not tax advice for any specific state.
Sources referenced on this page:
- Auto loan tools and guidance. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
- Vehicle financing guidance. Federal Trade Commission
- Louisiana title and registration requirements. Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles
Page last substantively reviewed: .