The price is agreed. Then you are walked to a second desk, where a finance manager has a contract and a list of things to add to it. This is the part of the deal most people are not ready for. It is where money moves after the price is settled.
The products, the pitch and the question
Each product in the table is optional. The pitch and the question to ask come from the Federal Trade Commission's and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's published guidance, cited below.
| The product | The usual pitch | The question to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Extended service contract, sold as an extended warranty | A repair contract, often run by a third party, often starting before the factory warranty ends. The FTC says it is not a warranty under federal law, because you buy it separately (FTC, August 20, 2023). | That isn't on my written quote; please remove it. |
| GAP coverage | Pays the gap between the loan balance and the insurer's payout after a total loss. The FTC names it among the add-ons you can decline (FTC, July 18, 2022). | I'll pass; if I want it, I will price it with my insurer first. |
| Credit life or disability insurance | Pays the loan if you die or are disabled, financed into the loan. The FTC says credit insurance is not required by federal law (FTC, July 2022). | Please remove it and show me the amount financed without it. |
| Prepaid maintenance, etching, protective coatings, nitrogen in the tires | Optional add-ons under the FTC's and the CFPB's guidance; the CFPB says the price is negotiable (CFPB Auto Loan Guide, March 2024). The FTC has described nitrogen fills with no more nitrogen than normal air (FTC, June 23, 2022). | I did not order those; please quote the car without them. |
The conversation
- The monthly payment. "What payment works for you" folds the price, the term, the rate and the add-ons into one number. The CFPB says a lower monthly payment does not necessarily mean a lower interest rate (CFPB, March 2024). Say: I am not discussing payments; give me the price, the rate, the term and the amount financed in writing.
- A price that holds only with the dealer's financing. A discount with a condition, compared as net total cost. The FTC notes that the dealer typically profits from offering financing (FTC, July 2022). Say: Please show me the price without a financing condition.
- Taking the car home before the financing is final. If the dealer is still working on the approval, the deal is not final. The CFPB describes buyers called back to sign at worse terms (CFPB, March 8, 2024). Say: I'll sign and take the car when the approval is final.
- A signature pad that shows only the signature boxes. Ask to see the full document before you sign, and leave with complete signed copies of everything (CFPB, March 8, 2024).
What Carwright does with all this
The sheet you get when you pick a price carries this list, with the one sentence for each. Before you sign, Carwright lays the buyer's order beside the written quote you accepted and flags the differences.
If a store sends a picture or a form the software cannot read, nothing is read from it and the picture is not kept. Nothing counts until the store writes the figures. Any line that is not on your quote becomes a correction request, drafted for you.
We do not negotiate your loan, give financial or legal advice, or promise any result.