when a car dealer quotes a price "OTD" or "out the door"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

given all I had was an email that quotes my "out the door" price and then another reply that says "yes it includes everything" I want to be sure before I write a check for the deposit.

You should not give them a check for anything until they write you up a detailed invoice.

Agree that you should get it in writing before you give them a deposit for anything.

Is this Fitzgerald? I'm asking because I know they'll email you an OTD price.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I dunno, why don't you ASK the SALESMAN?

Have you ever purchased a car? You sound incredibly naive if you think you should just listen to whatever a salesman tells you.

[Anonymous]

Yes, get the signed purchase order (not an email from a salesman) before giving them a deposit.

[Anonymous]

I pay cash for cars. I tell them that I'm showing up with a certified check for that amount and will be leaving my checkbook and credit card at home. If my check is for the wrong amount, I will be turning around and going home and will not be back with the "correct" amount.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op again. I have walked out of dealerships before... I'm not new to buying a car. I know I have the upper hand, which is why I negotiated what i think is an amazing price. When I told another dealer (to get him to beat it) he said there was no way he could beat the price I was given and that they were certain it could not be the real "everything" price or they would be losing money, especially since it was a car they didn't have in stock, and he warned me that I should be weary of the deal. I realize that dealer has an interest in steering me away from the deal to his dealership, but given all I had was an email that quotes my "out the door" price and then another reply that says "yes it includes everything" I want to be sure before I write a check for the deposit.

They always say this!

[Anonymous]

I'd get the fully written up Purchase Order with the Out the Door price. I bought a car last year based on the "Out the Door price" and in the final stage of getting the financing worked out, after the car had been prepped to leave and all they tried to add an extra couple hundred into the amount being financed. Legitimately, the salesman's math had been wrong on the out the door price, but I said I was walking. They honored the price only to make a quota.