How to Ask a Car Dealer to Lower the Price and Succeed

With so many additional costs, car options and confusing jargon, understanding a car price quote can seem a little tough. To help car buyers see what is included in the price of their chosen car, Unhaggle provides a free Dealer Cost Report that lists all the applicable fees, options and incentives.

You can learn how to access the free dealer cost report by consulting this article.

Once you have accessed the free Dealer Cost Report, you can download the PDF version by clicking on the “Download” button at the very top, as shown here:

PDF Download Button

You can then print out the Unhaggle Dealer Cost Report PDF and bring it to a dealership where you can use it to negotiate the price of your next vehicle. If you are not sure how to do that, this article will provide some guidance…

1. First Two Pages

The first two pages introduce you to the report, telling you what you will find in it and briefly explaining how to use it.

The very first page should include the Unhaggle logo, your vehicle selection, the date of access, your name and your location, as shown here:

First Page of the PDF File

The second page is a brief introduction to the report:

Unhaggle Introduction

If this introduction does not provide enough information, continue scrolling and we will answer any questions you may have.

2. Page Three and Beyond

Page three and several pages following it is where you will find all the pricing information.

At the top of page three, you should once again see your vehicle selection, as well as a red box with the contact information for your nearest dealer:

Local Car Dealer Information

Below is a table divided into three columns: Description, MSRP and Invoice. The Description column shows all the options and packages. The MSRP column displays the retail price of each item, while the Invoice column lists the amounts the dealer has paid for them:

Description, MSRP, Invoice

This is the same information as in the online version of the report, which you can learn about right here.

3. Incentives

Below the pricing table is a list of incentives for the current month.

The Cash Rebate is listed in the form of a sentence, while the Finance and Lease rebates have their own tables.

Each table is divided into two columns: Term (Months) and Rate. The Term column lists the amount of months a lease or finance term will last, while the Rate lists annual interest rates for each time period:

Incentives

You may also see additional notes, which may or may not be there, depending on the deal.

4. Drive Away Price Worksheet

Following the Incentives page is the Drive Away Price Worksheet:

Drive Away Price Worksheet You may have noticed that some of the boxes that should have values are left blank, like this one:

Blank Box

This is intentional and it is up to you to fill them up. All you need to do is print out this page and write them in. Here are the calculations that you should make based on the example above:

Options Invoice Price: Simply configure your vehicle at Unhaggle.com as detailed in this article and then access the online version of the Dealer Cost Report. Once you have accessed the report, scroll down until you see the Options Invoice Price in this table:

Car Options Invoice Price

Dealer Profit: Add the Base Vehicle Price and Options Invoice Price together and then multiply the resulting number by three to seven per cent. For this example we are using three per cent, but in most cases you will need to use four or five per cent: e.g. ($32,389.00 + $2,552.00) x 0.03 = $1,048.23

Pre-Tax Total: Add the Base Vehicle Invoice Price, Options Invoice Price, Dealer Profit and Mandatory Fees together: e.g. $32,389.00 + $2,552.00 + $1,048.23 + $1,825.00 = $37,814.23

Taxable Total: Subtract the Incentives (Before Tax) from the Pre-Tax Total: e.g. $37,814.23 - $1,750.00 = $36,064.23

Sales Tax: Multiply the Taxable Total by the Sales Tax Percentage (13 per cent in Ontario): e.g. $36,064.23 x 0.13 = $4,688.35

Drive Away Price: Add the Taxable Total and Sales Tax together and then subtract the Incentives (After Tax): e.g. ($36,064.23 + $4,688.35) - $0.00 = $40,752.58

This is what the Drive Away Price Worksheet should look like once you have entered all the numbers:

Drive Away Price Worksheet Filled

With the numbers entered in the appropriate boxes, you should have a solid tool for negotiating your car price. In other words, this is the most important part of the whole document, so do not lose it!

5. Your Dedicated Unhaggle Representative

The last page showcases a series of user-generated dealer reviews to let you know whether our previous customers were happy with our recommended dealer:

Unhaggle Dealer Reviews

Most reviews are bound to be positive since Unhaggle strives to maintain a high standard of customer service at every single dealership within its network.

What to Do Next

If you do not wish to negotiate with car dealers on your own, try using our Premium Concierge Service. You can find out how to sign up for it right here. And if you have any additional questions, feel free to contact us at any time.