A written quote is only useful if you can tell what is in it. Here is how Carwright reads one, line by line.
A quote, line by line
The example deal's price sheet, every figure made up.
Price sheet, 2026 Ford F-150 Lariat, registering in Florida, day 7
Illustration, not a real transaction
Each dealer asked, first number to final
Delivered cost: price, every fee, Florida tax and transport to the buyer.
| Dealer | First written, deliveredFirst | Final written, deliveredFinal |
|---|---|---|
| Coquina Shoals Ford240 miles, lowest delivered; beat the lowest on day 6 | $63,890 | $63,003 |
| Heron Flats Ford11 miles, the buyer's pick; answered the request to match on day 7 at $162 above the lowest, add-ons removed | $65,703 | $63,165 |
| Tarpon Hollow Ford212 miles; held its number; it was the lowest | $63,518 | $63,518 |
| Mangrove Key Ford64 milesPrice requires dealer financing. Not counted until priced without the condition. | $63,149 | $63,149 |
| Osprey Landing Ford148 miles; came down, not below the lowest | $64,390 | $63,819 |
| Pelican Reach Ford96 milesSent a monthly payment only, $812 a month. A payment is not a price; Carwright drafted a request for the itemized price. | not given | not comparable |
| Ibis Crossing Ford35 milesDeclined to quote in writing and asked the buyer to come in. Left on the list, not pursued. | declined | not comparable |
| Sandspur Ford301 milesNo reply after the two follow-ups. | no reply | not comparable |
In this example the first written price came in $2,700 above the lowest. The nearest store took $2,538 off its own first number to win the sale.
24 dealers asked: 5 quoted in writing, 1 quoted with a condition attached, 1 sent a monthly payment instead of a price, 1 declined to quote in writing, 8 never replied, 5 had already sold the truck, 3 quoted a different truck.
First written quote
Heron Flats Ford, 11 miles, day 2
- Selling price
- $59,490
- Dealer documentation fee
- $1,199
- Protective coating, not asked for
- $695
- Nitrogen tire fill, not asked for
- $199
- Florida sales tax, estimate
- $3,695
- Tag and title
- $425
- Out-the-door, local pickup
- $65,703
Lowest written quote
Coquina Shoals Ford, 240 miles, day 6
- Selling price
- $57,650
- Dealer documentation fee
- $999
- Add-ons
- none
- Florida sales tax, estimate
- $3,519
- Tag and title
- $425
- Out-the-door
- $62,593
- Transport to the buyer, estimate
- $410
- Delivered to the buyer
- $63,003
Paperwork check, before signing
The buyer's order from the store picked, Heron Flats Ford after its day-7 match, against the written quote
| Line | Agreed | On the order | Finding |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle | as quoted | as quoted | Matches |
| Selling price | $57,990 | $57,990 | Matches |
| Protective coating | not agreed | $695 | Added |
| Sales tax | $3,551 | $3,593 | Changed |
| Out-the-door total | $63,165 | $63,902 | Changed |
| County surtax, on the first $5,000 | not estimated | shown on the order | Stands |
Do not sign until the total returns to $63,165. The correction request is drafted for the buyer the same hour.
An example. Each dealer, person and figure on this sheet is made up to show how a deal reads. Read the whole example deal.
The lines
- Selling price. For one stock number or VIN. A quote for "a Lariat" is not a quote; a quote for stock 26T4471 is.
- Dealer fees, by name. In Florida the documentation fee has no cap, and every document that shows it must carry the printed disclosure (Florida Statutes 501.976(18)).
- Add-ons. Coatings, etching, nitrogen, accessory packages. A quote that includes them must price each one.
- Tax, tag and title. We estimate tax at the state base rate until the dealer's order confirms it.
- The total. The number you pay to take the keys. For a distant store, transport to your ZIP is shown beneath it, as an estimate.
Three things that are not a price
- A monthly payment. The CFPB's advice is to compare the total cost of the loan, not the payment (CFPB Auto Loan Guide, March 2024). We draft a request, for your tap, for the itemized figure.
- A price that depends on financing with the dealer. We show it with the condition stated, and never rank it ahead of a plain price.
- "Come in and we'll talk." That is a reply, shown in the dealer's own words. It is not a quote.
What Florida law says about the advertised price
Three rules a Florida buyer can hold a dealer to, from Florida Statutes 501.976. The advertised price must include every fee you pay other than tax, tag, title and registration (501.976(16)). The documentation fee must carry its printed disclosure on every document that shows it (501.976(18)).
Once a dealer has accepted your order, it may not raise the price, except for the reasons the statute lists (501.976(15)). A dealer's temporary-tag fee must not be shown as a state fee (FLHSMV, authorized service providers FAQ).
How your price table reads
On your deal page, every reply is lined up as a total with shipping. The entry in bold is the lowest total that counts: itemized, for the car asked about, with no condition behind it. That is the number you can ask the other dealers, in writing, to beat.