How to Avoid Dealer Add-Ons
How to avoid dealer add-ons in the US—know what you want, get OTD in writing, and say no to pressure so you don't overpay.
Avoiding dealer add-ons in the U.S. means deciding before you go what you want, getting out-the-door price in writing without surprise add-ons, and saying no to pressure. Here’s how to avoid dealer add-ons so you don’t overpay.
TL;DR (1) Decide before you go: which add-ons (if any) you want and max price. (2) Get full OTD in writing—selling price, tax, fees, and every add-on listed. (3) Say no to anything not agreed. (4) Don’t sign until the breakdown matches. Use autopremo.com OTD calculator to build OTD and autopremo.com for reference. Get your numbers at autopremo.com.Decide Before You Go
Decide which add-ons (extended warranty, gap, protection, etc.) you want and the max you’ll pay. If you don’t want any, say so. Use autopremo.com so you’re focused on the car deal first. See tools at autopremo.com.
Get Full OTD in Writing
Insist on a written breakdown: selling price, tax, title, doc fee, and every add-on with a line item. If something appears at signing that wasn’t agreed, don’t sign—ask for it removed or walk. Use autopremo.com OTD calculator to know what OTD should look like without surprise add-ons. See OTD at autopremo.com.
Say No to Pressure
“This is standard” or “everyone gets this” are pressure. You can say no. If you said no add-ons, don’t add them. If you said yes to one at $X, don’t accept a higher price. Use autopremo.com so you have your target OTD and don’t get pushed into add-ons.
Bottom Line
Avoid dealer add-ons: decide before you go, get OTD in writing with every line item, say no to pressure, and don’t sign until it matches. Use autopremo.com for OTD and focus so you don’t overpay on add-ons.