Master the art of automotive financing with our comprehensive guides on dealership tactics, APR calculations, and negotiation strategies.
Dealers earn substantial bonuses based on sales volume and customer satisfaction. Understanding these programs can help you time your purchase for maximum savings.
Service departments are dealerships' most profitable divisions. Understanding their business model helps you make smarter maintenance decisions and avoid unnecessary expenses.
The F&I office is where deals are made or broken. Understanding this process and having a game plan can save you thousands and prevent buyer's remorse.
Dealer add-ons can add thousands to your car purchase. Some provide real value, others are pure profit for the dealer. Here's how to tell the difference.
Most car buyers don't realize that dealers can make more profit on your loan than the actual car sale. Learn about interest rate markups, lender kickbacks, and how to protect yourself.
The sticker price is just the beginning. Learn what out-the-door (OTD) pricing really means, why it's the only number that matters, and get an email template to request accurate OTD quotes from dealers.
The 4-square method manipulates payment, price, trade, and down payment to hide true costs. Learn how small changes in terms can cost thousands and get a checklist to spot payment traps.
While haggling over vehicle price gets all the attention, the real money for dealerships often comes from the finance office. Learn how backend gross can exceed front-end profits and what products drive these margins.
The FTC CARS Rule changes everything about dealer add-ons. Learn what qualifies as an add-on, understand the 'no benefit to consumer' language, and discover how to use these new protections to get a fair deal.
Monthly payments can hide thousands in backend costs. Learn how dealers use extended loan terms to disguise expensive add-ons and how a $500 product can cost you over $3,000.
A buyer's order locks in your deal before you step foot in the dealership. Learn how it differs from quotes, how to read every line, and why it's your best protection against bait-and-switch tactics.
Finance managers use sophisticated tactics to maximize backend profit. Learn the five most common methods—payment packing, bundling, rate markups, menu selling, and objection handling—and how to counter each one.
The FTC CARS Rule revolutionizes car buying with new consumer protections. Get a complete rights checklist and proven scripts to counter mandatory add-ons, hidden fees, and deceptive practices.
Should you finance your next vehicle or pay cash? The answer depends on more than just whether you have the money available. We'll break down the financial implications of each approach.
Backend products directly inflate your out-the-door price. See real deal sheets before and after add-ons, learn to distinguish legitimate products from profit grabs, and understand the true cost impact.
Go behind the scenes to understand how finance managers are trained, compensated, and equipped to maximize backend profit. Learn the strategies they use and how consumers can protect themselves.
Dealers use floor plan pressure as both genuine business reality and negotiation theater. Learn to distinguish between real urgency and manufactured sales tactics.
Every sunrise costs dealers money on unsold inventory. Understanding the daily math of floor plan financing explains why that 90-day-old car might sell for thousands under invoice.
Floor plan pressure creates genuine dealer urgency, but only if you know how to recognize and leverage it. Master these negotiation strategies to turn inventory costs into savings.
Every discount, rebate, and 'special deal' has floor plan financing lurking in the background. Understanding these invisible costs reveals when dealers are truly motivated to negotiate.
Floor plan financing is the invisible force behind dealership urgency. When you understand how dealers pay daily interest on inventory, you unlock powerful negotiation leverage.
Understanding how to calculate APR from monthly payments is crucial for evaluating any car deal. We'll walk you through the math and show you practical examples.
The 4-square method is a sales technique used by car dealerships to maximize profit while making deals appear attractive to buyers. Understanding this tactic is crucial for any car buyer.