Dealerships Rip You Off With The “Four-Square,” Here’s How To Beat It (2007)

Defeating the “four-square” and core dealer tactics

• Many say the real counter is: negotiate only the out‑the‑door price (including tax/title/license) and nothing else.
• Advice to ignore monthly payment, down payment, and trade-in boxes; focus on total vehicle price.
• Some advocate paying cash and refusing financing, though others warn this can reduce dealer flexibility on price.
• Several stress being ready to walk away; even physically leaving once often improves offers.

Financing: credit union vs dealer, and ethics debates

• One camp: secure financing from a credit union before visiting; avoid negotiating anything except price.
• Another: don’t disclose outside financing; let the dealer assume you’ll finance so they discount the car, then refinance or pay off early.
• Disagreement on ethics: some see promising to finance then paying off early as deceptive; others say if the contract allows it, it’s fully fair.
• Discussion on “interest arbitrage” (cheap car loans vs high-yield savings); some see it as rare and not life-changing, others see small, legitimate edge cases.

Avoiding dealerships and alternative buying channels

• Strong contingent: “the only winning move is not to play” — avoid dealers entirely.
• Suggestions: buy used from private sellers with Carfax, pre‑purchase inspections, and price benchmarks; expect 10–15% savings vs dealers but more time and hassle.
• Others value time and warranty protections more than savings and prefer reputable dealers or direct-from-manufacturer models.
• Tesla’s fixed-price, no‑dealer model is praised for simplicity, but criticized for high prices, range claims, repair constraints, and build quality.

Dealer alternatives and remote negotiation tactics

• Common strategies:
  • Email or text many dealers asking for out‑the‑door cash quotes, then play offers against each other.
  • Contact fleet departments (including via Costco and similar programs) which often use volume-based compensation and simpler pricing.
  • Time outreach near month-end to exploit sales quotas.

Trade-ins, fees, add-ons, and leasing

• Some recommend selling old cars privately for more; others refuse the hassle and accept trade-ins.
• Warnings about inflated doc fees, unnecessary coatings/rustproofing, and “already on the car” addons.
• Leasing is portrayed as another complex “hustle”: obscured interest via money factors, residual value risk, mileage limits, and early-termination penalties.