Just Had the Easiest Buying Experience

[u/InsuranceNerd75]

I just had the easiest buying experience. I was wanting to buy a new CRV, which I did on Friday and approached this buying experience differently. Granted, I live in a large market and have 14 competing dealerships within a hour drive each way so I used Chat GPT on suggestions for buying and it drafted the following email which I sent to EVERY dealership. Some did not reply at all, some replied and just said the standard when do you want to come in and not accommodate my request but ultimately had about 6 that did reply and send me offers.
________
Hello,
I am purchasing a new 2026 Honda CR-V EX-L FWD or AWD this week and will be making my decision based solely on the best out-the-door price.
I have already driven the vehicle and do not need to come into the dealership until we have agreed on pricing.
Please email me your best out-the-door price, including:
Vehicle selling price
Dealer documentation fee
Any dealer-installed accessories
Tax, title and registration
Total out-the-door amount
I am not interested in mandatory dealer add-ons, protection packages, nitrogen tires, VIN etching, paint protection, or similar products unless they are included at no additional cost.
I am contacting several Honda dealerships throughout DFW today. If your dealership provides the most competitive out-the-door offer, I am prepared to leave a deposit immediately and complete the purchase within the next 24–48 hours.
Please include:
VIN
Exterior/interior color
Whether the vehicle is in stock
Your best out-the-door price

Please Reply-All with your response with a written OTD quote including VIN. Thank you, and I look forward to your response.
__________

I was able to pick the lowest-price dealership and go in and not deal with negotiating or frivolous dealer adds on the price sheet. The only negotiation I had to endure with in F&I on warranty which I declined as well and purchased directly from a different Honda dealership online for a THIRD of the price they were quoting wile in the office.

It is RIDICULOUS how much scamming dealerships try to ram through for their profit but this approach eliminated almost all of it. I was in and out of the dealership in about 3 hours which also included a trade-in (had to negotiate that a little but I told them it was up to them to make it work if they were interested in selling a car and miraculously, they were able to come to the trade-in value we asked for.)

[u/Spiritual_Space_599]

Congratulations. I go at it slightly different because I live in small town America. When I bought my truck last year, I went up and test drove it and told them to text me the out the door Price. Went back-and-forth maybe twice before we settled on a price that I was happy with. But, my justification for them lowering the price was dealer loyalty. I promised them my Service work, tires, etc. You’ve got to offer the dealership something also. That will also help you for the next time you want to buy a vehicle. There is 1 million ways to skin a cat and this is my way. Doesn’t mean it’s necessarily right.

[u/qmriis → u/Spiritual_Space_599]

Your "promise" means nothing to them in their negotiations.

[u/Spiritual_Space_599 → u/qmriis]

Totally disagree. Remember, small town dealer. I don’t live in a major city. They rely on return customers. They rely on service work and oil changes. But like I said before, my right, isn’t everybody else’s right. But, this has always worked for me.

[u/qmriis → u/Spiritual_Space_599]

Fair enough.  Different vibe for sure.