Out-the-Door Price & Loan Worksheet
Dealers steer you toward the monthly payment because it hides everything else. This worksheet forces the deal back into the open: the real out-the-door price, any negative equity rolled in, what each add-on actually costs, and whether your financing is even final. Fill it in before you sign anything.
Companion to the Auto Loan Guide: read it →
Out-the-door price (build it up, line by line)
Make the dealer itemize. Compare the OUT-THE-DOOR total across dealers: never the monthly payment.
| Line item | Option A | Option B | Option C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dealer name | |||
| THE PRICE | |||
| Vehicle selling price | |||
| Destination charge | |||
| Sales tax | |||
| Title & registration | |||
| Documentation fee | |||
| Dealer-installed equipment | |||
| ADD-ONS (each is optional) | |||
| Service contract / extended warranty | |||
| GAP coverage | |||
| Maintenance plan | |||
| Other add-ons | |||
| TRADE & CASH | |||
| Trade-in allowance | |||
| Trade-in payoff (what you still owe) | |||
| Negative equity (payoff − allowance) | |||
| Cash down payment | |||
| THE LOAN | |||
| Amount financed | |||
| APR | |||
| Loan term (months) | |||
| Monthly payment | |||
| Total of all payments | |||
Is the financing final?: checklist
Yo-yo financing is real: you drive off, then get called back to sign worse terms. Confirm these before you leave.
- I got the OUT-THE-DOOR price in writing, not just a monthly payment.
- I got my own pre-approval (credit union/bank) to compare against dealer financing.
- I know the exact negative equity, if any, being rolled in.
- Each add-on is itemized with its real cost: and I declined the ones I don't want.
- The financing is FINAL, not conditional/'spot delivery.'
- The dealer cannot call me back to change the rate, term, or down payment.
- I know what happens to my trade-in if financing falls through.
- My trade-in hasn't already been sold while my deal is 'pending.'
- I checked SCRA 6% cap eligibility (pre-service debt) if refinancing an old loan.
- I looked at total ownership cost (insurance, fuel, maintenance), not just the payment.
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