This worksheet helps you negotiate a car price with real numbers instead of guesswork. Two minutes here will make the rest much faster at the dealership.
Dealer websites almost never show a plain, unmistakable "MSRP" label — they show whatever price sells the car. Here's how to tell what you're actually looking at.
| What the listing says | What it actually means |
|---|---|
| "MSRP", "Retail Price", "Sticker Price" | This is the real MSRP — use it as-is |
| "Internet Price", "Our Price", "Sale Price", "Advertised Price" | This is the dealer's asking price, already discounted or marked up — not MSRP |
| "You Pay", "Final Price", "After Rebates" | Often assumes rebates you may not qualify for (military, loyalty, etc.) — don't take this at face value |
Three reliable ways to get the true MSRP:
Once you hit Start, you'll move through three steps:
Every number field has a slider for fast adjustment, plus a box if you want to type an exact figure. Small "?" icons explain any term you're unsure of.
Swipe sideways for each part · scroll a card up/down if it runs long →
Scales automatically off the MSRP above — works for any car, not just this one.
Doc fee stays with the dealer and is worth questioning. Title, registration, and filing fees are usually fixed by the state.
Every item here is optional. Toggle one on to see exactly what it adds — most are quoted at 2-4x fair market cost.
Leave both at 0 if you have no trade-in.
Dealers can mark up the real lender rate 1-2.5% and keep the spread. If you're not on the true 0% promo, ask for the buy rate and compare it here.
When they won't cut price at your low APR but offer a discount at a higher one, this tells you the exact number to compare against — before they even name one.
Dealer quotes you a monthly payment instead of a price? Plug it in here — this backs out the vehicle price they're actually charging, so you can compare it to your target.
Built live from every number you've entered in Deal and Verify.