Dealer quote checker
Enter a dealer’s quote line by line. See whether it adds up to the total it shows, and get a list of plain questions for anything that doesn’t, before you sign.
This checks arithmetic, not whether the price is fair. A difference is something to ask about, not proof of an overcharge.
What you enter stays in your browser.
Check these fields
Your quote check
How the check works
- Lines are added or subtracted according to their kind. Anything marked as already included in the vehicle price isn’t added again.
- For an out-the-door quote, the trade-in, payoff and down payment are left out; for an amount financed they’re included.
- The result is compared with the total on the quote, to the cent.
- Optional products, unknown lines, duplicates and a documentation fee each become a neutral question you can copy.
- If you give your tax rate, the quote’s tax is compared with a range: the low end assumes uncertain items aren’t taxed, the high end that they are.
A worked example
Fictional quote: an 8% tax rate in a made-up state.
| Vehicle price | $25,000.00 |
|---|---|
| Documentation fee | $200.00 |
| Sales tax | $2,016.00 |
| Registration fee | $300.00 |
| Lines add up to | $27,516.00 |
| Out-the-door price on the quote | $28,016.00 |
$500.00 needs reconciling. That doesn’t prove an overcharge: a line may be missing from the itemization, or included in another one. The question to ask: “The items on the quote add up to $27,516.00, but the out-the-door price shows $28,016.00. What makes up the $500.00 difference?”
Common lines
- Destination or delivery: the carmaker’s shipping charge. Often already in the advertised price; if so, it shouldn’t appear again.
- Documentation fee: the dealer’s paperwork charge. Some states limit it.
- Optional products: service contracts, GAP coverage, paint or fabric protection, accessories. You can usually decline them, though a dealer isn’t obliged to remove one. The CFPB explains what you can negotiate.
- Title, registration and plates: government fees, passed on by the dealer. Add them up with the registration fee worksheet.
- Sales tax: set by law, not negotiable, but it should be worked out on the right amount at the right rate.
Questions
Does a difference mean I’m being overcharged?
No. Quotes often bundle or leave out lines, and typing mistakes happen. Ask what makes up the difference and check the itemized buyer’s order.
Can it check a monthly payment on its own?
No. A payment depends on the amount financed, the rate and the term. Ask for the itemized numbers; the CFPB explains what a monthly payment includes.
Where does my quote go?
Nowhere. It stays in this page, and in this browser only if you choose “Save on this device”.