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Buying a car without getting caught out: dealer quotes, fees, add-ons and financing explained in plain English, and how to use owner-complaint data to check the engine and transmission.
Free calculators
Out-the-door price calculator
Price, tax, fees and add-ons to an out-the-door price, then your trade-in, down payment, amount financed, payment and total of payments.
Car loan calculator
Monthly payment and total cost for 36 to 84-month loans side by side.
Dealer quotes, fees and financing
What is an out-the-door price on a car? What it includes, and what it does not
The out-the-door price is the total you pay for the car with every tax and fee included, before your trade-in and down payment. Here is what goes into it, what is often left out, and how to get one in writing.
How to calculate the out-the-door price of a car, step by step
The out-the-door formula is simple once every line is on the page: price, minus discounts and rebates, plus tax, government fees, dealer fees and add-ons. A worked example, and how to check a dealer's total against its own lines.
How to compare car quotes from different dealers, line by line
Two dealer quotes are only comparable when they cover the same car, the same add-ons, the same trade-in, down payment and loan length. A step-by-step method, the differences that mislead, and a worked example.
Car dealer fees explained: every common fee on a quote, line by line
Destination, doc fee, dealer prep, market adjustment, title, registration, tire and battery fees, and more. What each dealer fee usually is, which are government charges, which are the dealer's own, and what to ask about each.
The dealer doc fee explained: what it is, what it covers, and what to ask
A documentation fee is what a dealer charges for preparing the sale paperwork. What it covers, why it varies so much from dealer to dealer and state to state, and the questions to ask about it.
Dealer add-ons explained: VIN etching, nitrogen, paint protection and more
What the add-ons and protection products on a car quote usually are, how they show up on the paperwork, how to tell whether they are optional, and how to ask a dealer to remove them.
How to ask a car dealer for an out-the-door price (email and text templates)
Copy-and-paste messages that ask a dealer for an itemized out-the-door price in writing, with every fee and add-on shown, plus what to check in the reply.
How to read a car buyer's order (purchase agreement) line by line
A buyer's order, purchase agreement or dealer worksheet lists the car, the price, every fee, your trade-in and the financing. What each section means, the numbers that must agree, and what to check before you sign.
What to check before signing a car contract: a 15-point checklist
Before you sign at the dealership, check the car, the price, every fee and add-on, your trade-in and deposit, and the loan terms. A printable checklist, and the questions to ask when something does not match.
Amount financed vs out-the-door price vs total of payments: three numbers, explained
The out-the-door price is what the car costs, the amount financed is what you borrow, and the total of payments is what you will pay back. How each is worked out, with an example, and why mixing them up is costly.
60 vs 72 vs 84-month car loans: why a lower payment can cost more
Stretching a car loan lowers the monthly payment and raises the total you pay. Worked examples of 60, 72 and 84-month loans on the same amount, and what to ask a dealer quoting a payment.
Negative equity on a trade-in: what "upside down" means and how it shows up on a quote
If you owe more on your car than the dealer allows for it, the difference is negative equity, and it is usually added to the new loan. How it appears on the paperwork, what it costs with interest, and what to ask.
GAP insurance and extended warranties at the dealer: what they are and what to ask
GAP coverage and service contracts are the two most common products added at the finance desk. What each one covers, how it shows up on the quote and in the loan, and the questions to ask before you sign.
Car rebate vs dealer discount: what the difference is and where each goes on the quote
A dealer discount comes off the dealer's price; a rebate or incentive usually comes from the manufacturer and may have conditions. How each appears on a quote, how tax can treat them differently, and what to check.
APR vs interest rate on a car loan: what the difference is and why it matters
The APR is the yearly cost of the loan including certain finance charges; the interest rate is the rate on the balance alone. How they differ on a car loan, how the APR changes the payment and the total, and what to ask a dealer.
Engine and transmission
Buying a used car with over 100,000 miles: what to check on the engine and transmission
How to judge the engine and transmission on a high-mileage used car: the model year's complaint record, the paperwork to ask for, and your own checks.
CVT vs automatic transmission: which draws more owner complaints?
We matched 782 model years to the transmission the EPA lists for them. CVTs were worse before 2014 and better since 2018. The data, brand by brand.
Engine oil consumption: which model years owners complain about most
Which used-car model years drew the most owner complaints about burning or consuming oil, counted from NHTSA complaint text, and how to check a car for it.
Engine or transmission? Which one owners of each car complain about
A bad drivetrain record can mean a bad engine or a bad transmission, and the checks differ. Which it is for 303 problem model years, from NHTSA data.
How to check a used car's transmission before you buy
A step-by-step transmission check for used-car buyers: the model-year record, fluid and fault codes, a test drive by transmission type, and the inspection.
How to check a VIN for open recalls, and what a recall check misses
The free NHTSA recall lookup step by step, what "0 unrepaired recalls" does not mean, and why recalls miss most engine and transmission trouble.
Small turbocharged engines: owner complaint patterns by model year
Cars sold only with a small turbo engine drew more engine and transmission complaints than non-turbo cars since 2010. The data, by brand and year.
Used cars with the fewest engine and transmission complaints, by type
The model years with the lowest share of engine and transmission complaints to NHTSA: compact SUVs, sedans, minivans and pickups. Big samples only.
Trusted nameplates with a bad model year
Civic, Outback, Forester, Sienna. Names people buy without a second look. Each has model years where owner complaints about the engine or transmission run at two to four times the nameplate's own normal.
CVT transmissions and which years to avoid
Continuously variable transmissions are in most small cars sold since 2012. Some years are fine and some are not. Here is what the owner-complaint data says, model by model.
How to read NHTSA complaints before buying a used car
Owner complaints are public, free and the best early warning there is for engine and transmission trouble. Here is how to read them without being misled by the raw count.
Questions to ask a seller about the transmission
The questions that get a straight answer about a used car's transmission, what the answers mean, and a test-drive script for the problems owners actually report.
What a Carfax report does not tell you about the engine and transmission
A vehicle history report is about one car's paperwork. Whether that model year has a transmission problem is a different question, and the report never asks it.
Used car model years with the worst engine and transmission complaint rates
The model years where owner complaints to NHTSA concentrate most heavily on the engine and transmission, ranked by share, from the cars we track. Refreshed with the data.
Got a quote from the dealer? Upload it before you sign. Every fee and add-on explained in plain English, the dealer’s arithmetic checked line by line, five questions to ask, and your reply to the dealer drafted for you. Included with the 30-day pass.
Explain my dealer quoteCompare two quotesCheck the actual car, free.Paste the VIN. One report is free, no card, and it shows the complaint pattern for that year, make and model.
Check a VIN