What to say to a car dealer
Pick an email to send a dealer, or words to say in person. Dealer lines show what you might hear. The "You can say" lines are for you. Fill in every [bracketed detail] first.
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Email templates
How to use an email
Each message says who to send it to. Fill in the [bracketed details] and delete lines that don't apply. The copy button copies only the message itself. Save the written reply.
Fill in your car and name once
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Ask a Dealer for a Written Out-the-Door Price
Send to: The internet sales team at each dealership you're considering. Use their sales email or online contact form.
Before you send: Fill in the year, make, model, and trim. Add the VIN if you have one. Delete lines that don't apply. Send the same email to every dealer.
Message to send:
Subject: Itemized price for a [Year] [Make] [Model] [Trim] Hello, I'm shopping for a [Year] [Make] [Model] [Trim]. Before I visit, please email me a written price for one car you have that matches. Include its VIN, stock number, and equipment. Please list these amounts separately: - Vehicle price - Any dealer-installed products or accessories - Dealer fees - Estimated taxes and government fees (please tell me the ZIP code you used) - Out-the-door total (the full price to buy the car, before financing) If this price assumes a rebate, trade-in, or dealer financing, please say so. Please don't add optional products I didn't ask for. Please date the quote. I'm comparing written offers before I decide where to visit. Thank you, [Your Name]
Official guidance
Ask a Dealer to Match or Beat Another Quote
Send to: The salesperson who sent the quote you want lowered.
Before you send: Fill in both totals and VINs. Check that the cars, equipment, rebates, fees, and financing really match. If they don't, say what's different instead of calling the offers identical.
Message to send:
Subject: Re: Written Quote - [Year] [Make] [Model] [VIN] Hi [Salesperson Name], Thank you for your dated, itemized out-the-door quote of $[their total] for VIN [VIN]. I have another written quote of $[comparison total] for the same year, make, model, trim, and equipment, with the same incentives. Its VIN is [comparison VIN]. Can you match or beat that out-the-door total without adding products or changing the financing? If so, please send a revised itemized quote with the VIN and every charge. I'll compare the written offers before I decide. Thank you, [Your Name]
Official guidance
Confirm the Deal in Writing Before You Go Sign
Send to: The salesperson who agreed to the deal. Ask them to have the sales manager confirm any promises that belong in the final paperwork.
Before you send: Copy the real numbers from the dealer's quote into every blank. Delete lines that don't apply. Don't send blanks as if they were agreed terms.
Message to send:
Subject: Confirming Written Terms - [Date/Time] Hi [Salesperson Name], Before I come in, please confirm these terms in writing: Vehicle: [Year] [Make] [Model] [Trim] Exact VIN: [VIN] Stock number: [Stock number] Itemized out-the-door total: $[amount] - Vehicle price: $[amount] - Dealer add-ons: $[amount] - Dealer/doc fees: $[amount] - Tax: $[amount] - Title/registration/government fees: $[amount] Optional products I decline: [Products I do not want] Dealer promises still owed: [Specific promised work or item and deadline] If financing is included, please confirm the APR, amount financed, term, finance charge, and total of payments. I'll check them against the final paperwork before I sign. Please put every promise, deadline, and cost in the final signed documents. If anything has changed, send me a revised itemized quote before I make the trip. Thank you, [Your Name]
Ask in Writing Why Your Financing Changed
Send to: The finance manager or general manager who contacted you. Keep a copy.
Before you send: Fill in the date and VIN. You don't have to accept new financing. If your contract didn't clearly say financing wasn't final, you may be able to keep the car on the original terms. Get local legal help (legal aid, a consumer attorney, or your state attorney general's consumer protection office) before you return the car or sign anything new, especially if the dealer threatens repossession. Servicemembers: contact your installation legal office (JAG).
Message to send:
Subject: Financing on My [Year] [Make] [Model] - Please Reply in Writing Hello [Dealership Name] Management, On [date], you asked me to come back about the [Year] [Make] [Model], VIN [VIN]. Before I respond, please answer these questions in writing: 1) Was financing final when I took the car? 2) Which lender (creditor), if any, accepted the contract? 3) What part of my signed contract do you say allows a change? 4) What exact new terms are you proposing? List the APR, amount financed, term, finance charge, total of payments, monthly payment, fees, and products. 5) Are you asking to cancel the deal? If so, how will you return my down payment and trade-in, and how will we handle the car and paperwork? I am not agreeing to new terms by phone or by this email. I will compare your answers with my signed documents before I decide what to do. If you cannot honor the deal I signed and I don't accept new terms, I expect my full down payment and my trade-in back. Please keep all further contact in writing. Thank you, [Your Name] [Your Phone Number]
Ask a Private Seller for the VIN Before You Go
Send to: The seller. Text it, or send it through the app or site where you found the ad.
Before you send: Fill in the car and your name. A real seller can answer all of this. If they won't share the VIN, or won't let a mechanic you choose inspect the car, walk away.
Message to send:
Hi, I'm interested in your [Year] [Make] [Model]. Before I come see it, could you send me the VIN and the license plate number? A few quick questions too: - Is the title in your name, and do you have it in hand? - Is there a loan on the car? If so, with which lender? - Do you have any service or repair records? - Is it OK if a shop I choose inspects it before I buy? Thanks, [Your Name]
In-person scripts
How to use a spoken response
Dealer might say shows what you might hear. You can say gives you words to use. Pick the line that fits and fill in any [bracketed details]. Copy one line to say or send, or copy notes for yourself. The notes are for you, not the dealer.
Stick to the Written Quote When a Manager Takes Over
"I'm the sales manager. What will it take to earn your business today?"
"Let's work from the last written quote. If you're offering something different, show me the full revised itemized quote."
"My written counteroffer still stands. If you accept it, send me the full itemized out-the-door quote."
"Please email me the itemized out-the-door quote before we discuss more numbers."
When to pause or leave:
No written quote yet? Ask for one. Have one? Compare any new quote to it. Leave when your time is up or the numbers keep changing without a reason.
What to check and keepOfficial guidance
Leave When the Dealer Keeps You Waiting
"The manager is working on it. Give us a little more time."
"I need to leave now. Text or email me the written itemized quote when it's ready, and I'll look at it later."
When to pause or leave:
Long waits wear buyers down. Leave at the time you set, ask for the full quote by text or email, and review it once you're rested. You don't owe them more time.
What to check and keepFull guide:
Why dealers make you wait, and what to doOfficial guidance
Ask If the Deposit Is Refundable Before You Pay
"Put down $500 so nobody else buys it. It's refundable."
"Please show me the deposit agreement first. I need the amount, the VIN, how long you'll hold the car, the cancellation terms, whether it's refundable, and the refund deadline in writing."
"I don't pay deposits on a verbal promise. Put the terms and refund deadline in writing, and I'll decide after I read them."
When to pause or leave:
Don't pay while the refund rules are vague. If the dealer won't give you a written deposit agreement and a receipt first, walk away.
Full guide:
Is a car dealer deposit refundable?Official guidance
When They Ask What Monthly Payment You Want
"What monthly payment are you comfortable with?"
"Let's agree on the itemized out-the-door price first. Then show me the APR, amount financed, term, finance charge, and total of payments so I can see the full cost."
"I just need a target payment to structure the deal."
"A low payment can hide a higher total cost. Please keep the car price, my trade-in, and the financing separate."
When to pause or leave:
Don't sign until the payment matches the written price and loan terms.
What to check and keepFull guide:
How to beat the four-square worksheetOfficial guidance
When the Dealer Pulls Out a Four-Square Worksheet
"Let me show you how we can structure this deal."
"First, give me a written, itemized out-the-door price. We can talk about my trade-in and financing separately once that number is set."
When to pause or leave:
Don't sign until the payment matches the written price and loan terms.
What to check and keepFull guide:
How to beat the four-square worksheetLeave Without Signing Today
"These terms don't work for me. I'm not signing anything today. I'm leaving to think it over."
When to pause or leave:
Leave if they won't give you time to read and ask questions.
What to check and keepAsk for an Independent Inspection on a Used Car
"We already inspected it. The car is certified."
"Please show me who certified it, the inspection report, the Buyers Guide, and the written warranty. I still want my own mechanic to inspect it before I buy."
"We don't let cars leave for inspections."
"Then I won't sign today. If we can't set up a reasonable independent inspection, I'll buy a different car."
When to pause or leave:
Walk away before signing if they won't allow a reasonable independent inspection.
What to check and keepOfficial guidance
Ask for the Full Lease Numbers and Money Factor
"The monthly payment is what matters on a lease."
"Please give me the full written lease quote: the car's price, cash due at signing, monthly payment, total of payments, mileage limit, and any charges when the lease ends."
"Also show me the gross capitalized cost, any capitalized cost reduction (money down, rebates, and trade-in credit), the adjusted capitalized cost, the residual value, and the money factor (a small decimal that sets the lease's interest charge; multiply it by 2,400 for a rough rate). Is that the leasing company's base money factor, or is it marked up?"
"I need to read the wear rules, early termination terms, end-of-lease charges, and purchase option before I decide."
When to pause or leave:
Don't sign until you know what each dollar due at signing is for and what happens to it if the car is totaled.
What to check and keepOfficial guidance
Read the Arbitration Clause Before You Sign
"This dispute form is standard. Just sign here."
"Please give me the full arbitration clause and any written opt-out steps and deadline. Can I buy the car without this clause?"
"We can't change the paperwork."
"Then I'm not signing until I've read it. I may walk away or get legal advice first."
When to pause or leave:
Don't sign anything you haven't read or that hasn't been explained.
What to check and keepDecline Unwanted Add-Ons
"Those products are already installed, so the package stays on the deal."
"I didn't agree to those products. Please list each product and price separately, and give me the out-the-door total without them."
"The lender requires the package."
"Then tell me which lender, and show me that requirement in writing. I won't sign while an unwanted product is in the contract."
When to pause or leave:
Don't sign while any unwanted or unexplained product is still in the deal.
What to check and keepDecline or Compare Optional Coverage
"This coverage is only a few dollars per payment. Can you afford a major repair?"
"I decline optional products today."
"If I want coverage later, I'll compare written contracts: total price, who backs it, overlap with coverage I already have, exclusions, deductible, cancellation terms, and how claims work."
When to pause or leave:
Don't sign if it was added without your OK or you can't see the full written terms.
What to check and keepFull guide:
Is a dealer extended warranty worth it?Official guidance
Say No to New Terms After the Dealer Says Your Loan Fell Through
"Your original financing wasn't approved. Sign this new contract with a higher payment."
"I'm not accepting new terms on the spot. Was financing final? Who is the lender? What part of my signed contract are you relying on? Please put every change you want in writing."
"You already have the car, so you need to decide now."
"I'm not signing anything today. If you can't honor the deal I signed, put that in writing. If we cancel, I expect my down payment and trade-in back."
When to pause or leave:
Before you sign, don't take the car until the financing is final. If they call you back, don't sign a new deal on the spot. You may be able to keep the car on the original terms, so get local legal help before you return the car or sign anything new. Servicemembers can contact their installation legal office (JAG).
What to check and keepAdvertised Car Gone? Spot a Possible Bait and Switch
"That advertised car is gone, but this other one is better."
"When did the car in the ad stop being available? Please email me that answer and the VIN or stock number of the car you're showing me."
"Let us work up numbers on this one."
"Before I look at a different car, send me a dated, itemized quote for its exact VIN. If it doesn't fit my needs or budget, I'll keep shopping."
When to pause or leave:
Stop. Don't sign while any important number is different or unexplained.
What to check and keepFull guide:
Car dealer bait and switch: what to doOfficial guidance
Counter a Low Trade-In Offer
"We can offer $[dealer offer] for your trade."
"I have a written outside offer of $[outside offer], good through [date], based on the details shown here. Can you beat it?"
"That buyer might lower its number after they inspect it."
"I'll confirm the outside offer's terms myself. Please keep my trade-in value separate from the new car's out-the-door price and financing."
When to pause or leave:
Don't sign if the trade and the car price are mixed so you can't see each one. You can sell your car somewhere else.
What to check and keepFull guide:
Lowball trade-in offer? Get a fair priceGet Your Keys Back
"I need my keys back now. I'm leaving."
"My manager is still looking at your trade."
"Please stop the appraisal and have a manager bring my keys back now."
"Give us five more minutes."
"I'm writing down the time I asked. Please get the manager who has my keys right now. If you still won't return them, I'll call the police non-emergency line."
When to pause or leave:
Stop negotiating. Once you have your things, leave without signing. If they keep them or you feel unsafe, go somewhere safe and call the police non-emergency line, or 911 in an emergency.
What to check and keepFull guide:
Dealer won't give your keys back?Compare the Dealer's Interest Rate
"You're approved at [APR] with a payment of [payment]."
"Please show me the APR, amount financed, term, finance charge, and total of payments in writing before I decide."
"The payment is already within your target."
"I have a written preapproval. I'll compare both offers with the same loan amount and term, and pick based on the full written terms."
"I want time to compare this with an outside loan offer before I sign."
When to pause or leave:
Don't sign if the offers aren't for the same amount and length, or any loan number is missing or changed. If the dealer can't beat your preapproval, use it.
What to check and keepFull guide:
Is the dealer marking up your interest rate?Put Every Dealer Promise in Writing
"Before I sign, please write [second key / repair / accessory / other promise] into the purchase agreement, the Buyers Guide if it applies, or your We Owe form if you use one."
"You have my word. We don't need paperwork for that."
"Spoken promises are hard to enforce. I need the exact promise, the deadline, who will do it, and any cost written into the deal, plus a copy."
"We don't use a We Owe form."
"Then add the promise to a signed purchase document before I sign. If it isn't in writing, I won't count on it."
When to pause or leave:
Don't sign based on a promise the dealer won't put in writing.
What to check and keepOfficial guidance
Make Dealers Compete on Written Quotes
"Please send me a dated, itemized written quote for this exact VIN, including equipment, fees, add-ons, and any incentive conditions."
"Our invoice shows this is already a great deal."
"I don't need your cost. Please compete on the written out-the-door total for this VIN, without changing the financing."
"This price is only good if you buy today."
"Then put the full offer, conditions, and expiration in writing. I'll compare it with other offers before I commit."
When to pause or leave:
Stop. Don't sign while any important number is different or unexplained.
What to check and keepOfficial guidance
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