Anonymous
Post 06/24/2026 08:51     Subject: Any luck getting Out-The-Door price before going to dealer.
Anonymous wrote:I would like to buy a new car but car buying is so onerous that I'm going to stick with my current car. I like to just walk in and pay cash, but they've made that extra hard to force you to finance.

A few years ago we bought a car in MD and they refused to let us wire money, cashier's check, or a personal check since we were out of state (we live in VA). They told us that their deal ended at close of business, but all the ways we wanted to pay would take 3 days to clear. DH really wanted that particular color and model, so we ended up being forced to finance it. It took TWO months for the financing to show up online so that we could just pay it off in full, mostly so they could get more interest money from us. What a scam. We're still annoyed. How exactly were we supposed to buy a car? Briefcase of cash? We'd never ran into a situation where they wouldn't take a cashier's check before.


This sucks. But the answer is the minute they change the terms, you walk out. They can’t force you to finance anything, and if you walk out they will almost definitely change their tune.

This is also why doing everything by email is the way to go. You make your deal in writing, ready to walk away if they try to change terms when you go in to pick up the car. But in my experience they are happy to get the car off the lot, so they abide by the negotiated terms. I’m a PP who has been doing it this way for decades, and it works.
Anonymous
Post 06/22/2026 10:10     Subject: Any luck getting Out-The-Door price before going to dealer.
I bought about 3 years ago and did almost all of the negotiations by email.
Anonymous
Post 06/22/2026 10:05     Subject: Any luck getting Out-The-Door price before going to dealer.
I would like to buy a new car but car buying is so onerous that I'm going to stick with my current car. I like to just walk in and pay cash, but they've made that extra hard to force you to finance.

A few years ago we bought a car in MD and they refused to let us wire money, cashier's check, or a personal check since we were out of state (we live in VA). They told us that their deal ended at close of business, but all the ways we wanted to pay would take 3 days to clear. DH really wanted that particular color and model, so we ended up being forced to finance it. It took TWO months for the financing to show up online so that we could just pay it off in full, mostly so they could get more interest money from us. What a scam. We're still annoyed. How exactly were we supposed to buy a car? Briefcase of cash? We'd never ran into a situation where they wouldn't take a cashier's check before.
Anonymous
Post 06/22/2026 09:53     Subject: Any luck getting Out-The-Door price before going to dealer.
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Yup, I was never able to get it either.

I used Costco, probably could have argued another couple hundred off but it was solid enough for no negotiation. Still required going to the dealership to get the number though.


If you buy a car through Costco, does the amount apply to your end of year rebate?


DP
What rebate?


No.
Anonymous
Post 06/22/2026 09:52     Subject: Any luck getting Out-The-Door price before going to dealer.
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Yup, I was never able to get it either.

I used Costco, probably could have argued another couple hundred off but it was solid enough for no negotiation. Still required going to the dealership to get the number though.


If you buy a car through Costco, does the amount apply to your end of year rebate?


DP
What rebate?
Anonymous
Post 06/21/2026 14:34     Subject: Any luck getting Out-The-Door price before going to dealer.
I successfully did it about 15 years ago. Tried again and it didn't work. Like Realtors-TM, auto dealers are a dying bread and they are going to torture us on their way out.
Anonymous
Post 06/21/2026 14:02     Subject: Any luck getting Out-The-Door price before going to dealer.
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:People hate on tesla so much thanks to Elon, but they changed the game big time in regards to this. Go online, pick the car and you can buy it right there.


Saturn did clear listed prices, no negotiation, decades before Elon.


Every car has a MSRP. Saturn and Tesla just convinced people paying MSRP was "easy"

Saturn was the most profitable brand to own as a dealer when they first came out because of this.
Anonymous
Post 06/21/2026 13:57     Subject: Any luck getting Out-The-Door price before going to dealer.
Anonymous wrote:People hate on tesla so much thanks to Elon, but they changed the game big time in regards to this. Go online, pick the car and you can buy it right there.


Saturn did clear listed prices, no negotiation, decades before Elon.
Anonymous
Post 06/21/2026 13:54     Subject: Any luck getting Out-The-Door price before going to dealer.
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Yup, I was never able to get it either.

I used Costco, probably could have argued another couple hundred off but it was solid enough for no negotiation. Still required going to the dealership to get the number though.


If you buy a car through Costco, does the amount apply to your end of year rebate?


No. I suppose maybe if you paid with their credit card but in my case the dealer charged fees to use a CC. I paid by check so no rebate.
Anonymous
Post 06/21/2026 13:17     Subject: Any luck getting Out-The-Door price before going to dealer.
You can still get an OTD price in writing at many dealerships. I just negotiated a killer deal a few weeks ago and I helped my friend a few weeks before that. Send emails to multiple dealers (we usually do 6+). If they say they won’t do it, let them know you won’t come in without it. Be firm! Many of them will cave. As you get closer to the end of the month, you have the most bargaining power. When you have what you believe to be a good price, send an email to each dealer again and see who can beat it. We usually do multiple rounds. Do not assume the first low price is the best deal. Costco is not the lowest price ever. Fitzgeralds with their no-haggle is also not the lowest price. Over the years we’ve bought many cars this way. It’s not as easiest as it once was but it still works.
Anonymous
Post 06/16/2026 20:19     Subject: Any luck getting Out-The-Door price before going to dealer.
Anonymous wrote:Yup, I was never able to get it either.

I used Costco, probably could have argued another couple hundred off but it was solid enough for no negotiation. Still required going to the dealership to get the number though.


If you buy a car through Costco, does the amount apply to your end of year rebate?
Anonymous
Post 06/16/2026 10:14     Subject: Any luck getting Out-The-Door price before going to dealer.
They make more money on financing.
Anonymous
Post 06/16/2026 10:06     Subject: Any luck getting Out-The-Door price before going to dealer.
Bought a Toyota last year, all via email. They even delivered it 2hrs at no extra charge. I brought my own financing and paid with a cashiers check at my kitchen table.