QUOTE REVIEW GUIDE
Start with the written figures, not just the monthly payment. A clear review connects the vehicle price, fees, optional products, trade, APR, term, amount financed, and payment so you can ask a specific next question.
COPY, EDIT, AND SEND
The FTC recommends asking the dealer to confirm the vehicle is available and send its out-the-door price in writing. Ask for the total before financing and have taxes, fees, and any required charges itemized.
“I’m interested in [year, make, model, stock number]. Please confirm it is available and send the out-the-door price in writing, with taxes and each fee listed. Please show optional products separately and list any rebate or discount conditions. I’m not including a trade or financing in this price request.”
Before paying, ask for the written price, what the deposit holds, how long it holds the vehicle, and the receipt or agreement’s cancellation and refund terms. Keep a copy. Deposit rules and contract obligations depend on the document and location; do not assume a deposit guarantees a price or is refundable.
Save the receipt, original quote, and messages. Ask for an itemized revised price and a written explanation of each changed line. Check your signed paperwork for the agreed price and deposit terms before deciding what to do next.
Compare the vehicle, selling price, taxes, fees, products, rebates, and deposit credit line by line. Ask the dealer to explain the difference in writing. Do not sign paperwork with figures you do not understand; the FTC advises comparing signing documents with the terms sent earlier.
FICTIONAL WORKED EXAMPLE
Illustration only. A deposit is shown as a credit once; ask the dealer to explain each changed amount and check your own written agreement.
SOURCE AND LIMITS
This is general car-shopping education, not a determination of your legal rights or whether a deposit must be returned. See the FTC’s advice on car dealer ads and written prices and its guidance on financing, signing, and changed paperwork.
THE SHORT CHECKLIST
You do not need to decide whether a deal is good or bad at a glance. First make the numbers visible, then verify what changed and what is included.
Separate the vehicle price from rebates, discounts, taxes, government fees, documentation fees, and optional products.
Check whether products, fees, rolled-in trade payoff, or other balances are being financed instead of paid separately.
Compare the quoted payment with the amount financed, APR, term, and cash down. A lower payment can come from a longer term or changed inputs.
Compare the original written quote with the revision line by line. Ask for any new product, fee, rate, term, or trade figure to be shown in writing.
Ask for the name, price, term, deductible, exclusions, cancellation rules, and whether each product is included in the payment.
Turn the review into a short request for an itemized buyer's order and a payment based on the exact structure you want to consider.
FICTIONAL WORKED EXAMPLE
This fictional worksheet shows why every line matters. The $28,000 selling price is not the amount financed after charges, products, and credits.
NEXT STEP
Scan a quote or revised buyer’s order for free, then verify every detected value against the original. The complete educational audit is a one-time $39 purchase; if BETA1 is available, secure checkout confirms the $1 offer before payment. No scan or payment is needed to send the price request above.
Start the free scan