Australian Dealer Slaps $28K Delivery Fee on 2023 Corvette

If you think markups in America are bad, rest assured that the 2023 Corvette is even more expensive in Australia.

Here in the U.S., dealer markups have simply become the norm over the past couple of years, thanks to the pandemic and the supply chain disaster that it brought on. Inventory on most vehicles continues to hover near record lows, while demand remains high, which has sent prices through the roof and inspired dealers to charge us more for the privilege of purchasing one. This phenomenon is especially relevant to the red-hot C8 Corvette, which is one of the most marked-up vehicles on the planet. However, this isn’t just happening in America – it’s also happening in Australia, where a dealer recently added a massive delivery fee to a 2023 Corvette, according to Drive.

In Australia, it’s common for folks that sell these cars to add what they call a “dealer delivery fee,” which is not exactly the same thing as the typical added dealer markup, or ADM. Previously, the highest delivery fee anyone had seen tacked onto a new Corvette in Australia was around $25,000 AUS ($17,439 USD), but that was recently blown out of the water when a customer interested in purchasing a 2023 Corvette was told they would have to pay an eye-watering $39,500 AUS, or $27,554 USD for that privilege.

That’s far higher than average, which in this case comes in at anywhere from $1,800 to $10,000 – much more reasonable, albeit still not justified. Dealer delivery fees don’t cover any sort of actual delivery costs, but rather, the preparation the car undergoes when it arrives via transport. That includes “laborious” things like removing protective plastic. doing paperwork, and adding registration plates, all of which reportedly takes around three hours to complete.

With that exorbitant fee added, this particular 2023 Corvette is listed at $236,000 AUS ($164,628 USD), which is truly insane, though we don’t know how it’s equipped. Regardless, GM’s Aussie division doesn’t sound likely to intervene. “As independent franchises, dealers are free to set their own delivery fee, but GMSV expects and encourages all dealers to ensure our valued customers have the best possible experience,” a General Motors Specialty Vehicles Australia spokesperson said in a statement.

Photos: Chevrolet

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