Free Checklist

The Car Buyer's
Checklist

I break car buying into two phases. Follow this in order, take your time, and you'll feel completely in control. No jargon. No pressure. Just the process.

Tomi Mikula Former Top 1% F&I Manager  |  Founder of Delivrd
Why 60% of Buyers Have Regret

Think about my fiancee at Target. She wants to look at everything, feel everything, put everything in the cart. But if she went straight to checkout, she'd realize how much she actually spent. That's what happens when you skip the shopping phase and jump straight to the buying phase on the same day. The dealership wants you to do both in one visit. That's how they win.

This checklist splits the process into two phases. Take your time with each one and you'll walk into every conversation knowing exactly what to do. delivrdto.me

Phase 1

The Shopping Phase

This is the Target aisle. You're browsing. You're feeling things out. You're comparing. You are NOT going to the register. No numbers. No negotiations. No commitments. The goal is to figure out the right car for you, and nothing else.

1 Know What You Actually Need
Before you look at a single car, answer these questions for yourself.
Pick your top 5 priorities
What actually matters to you? Luxury? Technology? Safety? Reliability? Fuel economy? Cargo space? Towing? Not everyone's priorities are the same, and someone else's recommendation isn't fair to you unless they know your answers.
Decide how long you plan to keep this car
If you trade every 3-4 years, reliability matters less because almost every car is reliable for the first 4 years. If you're keeping it 10 years, that changes everything. This one decision shapes your entire list.
Set a realistic budget using an auto loan calculator
Pull up any auto loan calculator. Plug in your estimated rate, a reasonable term (60-72 months), and find a monthly payment you can handle. Work backward to find your total vehicle budget. This is a rough number. We'll get exact numbers later in the buying phase.
Note any brands you refuse to buy
If there are brands you absolutely won't consider, remove them now. Don't waste time test driving something you'd never own.
Delivrd How Delivrd Helps

This is the first thing we talk about with every client. Before we look at a single car, we walk through your priorities, your budget, and how you plan to use this vehicle. Most people have never had someone actually listen to what they need before jumping to "what about this one?" That conversation alone changes everything about the process.

Learn more at delivrdto.me →
2 Get Car Recommendations with AI
Use this prompt to get a personalized list of cars that match your priorities.
📋 Copy-Paste Prompt for ChatGPT
I'm shopping for a car and I need help narrowing down my options. Here's what I need you to work with: My top 5 priorities (in order of importance): 1. [Replace with your #1 priority, e.g. Luxury/Comfort] 2. [Replace with your #2 priority, e.g. Technology] 3. [Replace with your #3 priority, e.g. Safety ratings] 4. [Replace with your #4 priority, e.g. Resale value] 5. [Replace with your #5 priority, e.g. Fuel economy] My budget: $[your total vehicle budget] out the door How long I plan to keep it: [e.g. 3-4 years / 7-10 years] Brands I will NOT consider: [list any, or say "open to all"] New or used: [New / Used / Open to both] Must-haves: [e.g. AWD, sunroof, 3rd row, Apple CarPlay] Vehicle type preference: [SUV / Sedan / Truck / Open to anything] Based on all of this, give me 8-10 vehicle recommendations ranked by how well they fit my priorities. For each one, tell me: - Why it fits my priorities - The biggest trade-off or weakness - The estimated price range for the trim that best matches my needs After the list, tell me which 3 you'd narrow it down to and why.
Fill in the prompt and run it
Be honest with your priorities. The better your inputs, the better the recommendations. Don't list what you think you should care about. List what you actually care about.
Review the list and start watching videos
Go online, watch short reviews and walkthroughs on each car. You'll quickly feel which ones excite you and which ones don't. Start eliminating.
Narrow your list to 3-5 cars
Any more than 5 and you're not being picky enough. You don't need to test drive 15 cars. A lot of buying a car comes down to feel, and you'll know what you like once you see it.
3 Test Drive the Right Way
You're going to a dealership, but you are still in the shopping phase. You are NOT looking at numbers.
The #1 Rule

You cannot be in the shopping phase and the buying phase on the same day. If you go to a dealership to look at a car, you do not look at numbers that same day. Period. Even if they say it will only take a minute. That's how they rush you into the buying phase. That's why 60% of people have buyer's remorse.

Tell the salesperson you're not buying anytime soon
Say you might buy in the next year. You don't have to lie, but a broad timeline takes the pressure off. A lot of salespeople won't even come on the test drive. They'll hand you the keys and let you go. That's the best experience.
Drive YOUR route, not their predetermined one
Drive your commute, your daily route, roads you know. You drive these every day so you know what a car should feel like on them. You'll notice things you'd completely miss on an unfamiliar route: noise, bumps, vibrations, how it handles that pothole you hit every morning.
Bring your real-life stuff
Stroller? Car seat? Golf clubs? Big purse or bag? Bring them. Load and unload. Sit in every seat. Where does your phone go? Where does your bag go? Does your spouse have space? These are the things you'll notice every single day for the next 5 years.
Connect Apple CarPlay / Android Auto
Sync your phone and actually use it during the drive. Test the infotainment. See how it feels. Just make sure you disconnect and remove your phone from the car before you leave.
Take notes after each test drive
Write down what you liked and didn't like while it's fresh. After 3-5 test drives, they'll start to blur together if you don't.
If they push numbers, say no and leave
It doesn't matter if it takes 2 minutes or 5 minutes. That's how you end up there for hours. The numbers will be what the numbers are. You have a rough idea from MSRP. We'll get exact numbers in the buying phase.
Delivrd How Delivrd Helps

We actually arrange test drives for our clients and can even have the car delivered to you for a test drive at home. No showroom pressure, no hovering salesperson, no "let me just run some quick numbers." You test it on your terms, on your schedule, on your roads.

Learn more at delivrdto.me →
4 Pick THE Car
One car. Not two. Not "whichever gets me the best deal."
Choose the best fit, not the best bargain
A huge mistake people make: "I'll negotiate on the RAV4 and the CR-V and buy whichever gets me the best deal." Don't do this. Buy the right car and get the best price on THAT car. The wrong car always costs more in the long run because you trade it in sooner and eat more depreciation.
Lock in the exact trim, packages, and color
The more specific you are, the easier it is to compare apples to apples across dealers in the buying phase. "I want a 2026 Camry XSE in Wind Chill Pearl" is a negotiation. "I want a Camry" is a conversation.
Why This Matters

It will always cost you more money to buy the wrong car and sell it sooner than to buy the right car and keep it longer. Statistically, when people buy the car that isn't the best fit, they trade it in faster. Even though they saved money up front, they spend more in the long run from the extra depreciation hit.

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Everything above? That's Phase 1. Knowing what you want. Most people skip this and go straight to a dealership. That's why 60% of people have buyer's remorse. If you've done everything here, you're already ahead of 95% of car buyers. delivrdto.me
Phase 2

The Buying Phase

You know what you want. Now we go get it. My recommendation: do the entire buying phase from home. This is a big decision. 30, 40, 50, 60, $100K. It's emotional. And when it comes to emotional decisions, salespeople are really good at pushing buttons to get you to spend more than you need to. You can be the most prepared person in the room and still get worked in person. Do it from your couch.

5 Figure Out Your Rate
Before you call a single dealer, know what rate you should be getting.
Check the manufacturer's incentive rate (new cars)
Go to the manufacturer's website and see what they're offering. 0%? 2.9%? 3.9%? This is your benchmark. If it's significantly lower than bank rates, it's aggressive and likely worth taking.
Check your credit union or bank's rates
Go online and see what they're advertising. If the manufacturer is offering 1.9% and your bank says 5%, the chances of beating 1.9% are slim. Your bank is normally within about one percentage point of being competitive.
Get pre-approved (if your bank is competitive)
Only get pre-approved if the credit union rate is close to or better than the manufacturer rate. This is your rate floor. The dealer has to beat this number or you walk with your own financing. Credit unions almost always have the best rates.
6 Call 10-20 Dealerships
This is where most people give up. This is also where most of the money is saved.
Why Phone Calls Win

Dealerships get 4 types of leads. Third-party website leads (AutoTrader, CarGurus) are the least valuable. 20 dealers are contacting the same person. Low conversion, so they don't take you seriously. Dealer website leads are better because they know you clicked on THEIR site. Phone calls are the second most serious. Anyone willing to pick up the phone is real. In-person is the most serious, but you have the least leverage and can only reach one dealer at a time. Phone calls give you the best return on your time.

Call ~5 dealerships locally
Start with dealers in your area. You want a mix of local and out-of-area pricing to see where the real deals are.
Call 10-15 dealerships at distance
Call dealers as far out as you're comfortable. Understand that shipping costs money ($500-$1,500+) and the dealer won't eat that. If you save $1 more than shipping costs, it doesn't make sense. If you save $3,000+ more, now the math works.
Say you've already driven one and you're willing to buy today
Two things to communicate: (1) you've already test driven the car so they can't insist you come in for that, and (2) you're a real buyer willing to act today if the deal makes sense. This gets you taken seriously.
Ask for an out-the-door quote on the exact vehicle
You want the total price, not just the sale price. Ask them to separate rebates from dealer discount. Rebates are what YOU qualify for. Dealer discount is what THEY'RE giving you. These are different.
Say yes to texting if they ask
If the dealership wants to follow up via text, let them. If they want to email, let them. These become channels you can use to send competing quotes back and forth.
Expect resistance. Push through.
"We only give numbers in store." "Your presence is power." "The best deal is in-house." You're going to hear all of this. Out of 20 calls, expect 3-5 to actually give you numbers. That's normal. Those 3-5 are all you need.
If You Don't Want to Call

Go to each dealership's website individually and submit a lead on the specific car. Do NOT use third-party sites like AutoTrader or CarGurus to submit leads. Those are the least serious leads. Going to the dealer's own website means they know you're shopping at them specifically, and they'll take you much more seriously.

Delivrd How Delivrd Helps

This is the step where most people give up. Calling 20 dealerships, pushing through resistance, tracking who responded and who didn't. We do 50-70 deals a week. We have relationships with hundreds of dealers nationwide. When we call, they pick up. When we ask for numbers, they send them. That volume authority is something no individual buyer can replicate, no matter how prepared they are.

Learn more at delivrdto.me →
7 Negotiate From Your Couch
Take the best numbers you have and make every dealer compete.
Send your best quote to all 20 dealers
Take the best numbers you got and send them to every dealer you contacted. Text, email, whatever channel they opened. Let them compete against each other.
Keep pitting them against each other
Every time someone beats the current best, send THAT number to everyone else. Keep going until nobody is willing to go lower. This is the negotiation. It happens from your couch.
Wait 24 hours after your best offer
Once everyone says they can't go lower, wait one more day. This almost always results in one more dealer coming back with a better number.
Get the final deal in writing
Dealer discount and rebates separated. Total out-the-door price. Every fee listed. In writing. If it's not in writing, it doesn't exist.
8 Maximize Your Trade-In
Handle this completely separately from the new car price.
Get offers from Carvana, CarMax, and other online buyers
These are real, binding offers. They give you a firm number that you can use as leverage.
Get site-unseen appraisals from 3-4 other dealerships
Call dealers in the area and ask for a site-unseen trade appraisal. You can do this remotely. More quotes = more leverage.
Bring your best trade numbers to the selling dealer
Show the dealer you're buying from what others have offered. They'll match or beat to keep the deal together. If they can't beat CarMax, sell to CarMax separately.
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We call 20+ dealers, negotiate from volume authority, and handle every trade-in comp for our clients. The entire buying phase, handled. 50-70 deals a week. delivrdto.me
9 Review the Paperwork Line by Line
This is where deals go wrong. Don't just check the bottom line.
Why the Bottom Line Isn't Enough

Some people just look at the out-the-door total and verify it matches. The problem: if the dealership overcompensated somewhere to add fees you didn't notice, they can use that room to slip in products like warranties, service contracts, or paint sealant. You need to go line by line.

Read the Vehicle Purchase Agreement line by line
This is the one form you read every single word of. Compare it to the numbers you agreed to. Purchase price should match exactly. Trade value should match exactly.
Read the Retail Installment Contract line by line
Verify the lender, the rate, and the term. A common move: you agree to 60 months, the paperwork says 72. That's how they hit your payment number while making more profit on interest.
Check that no products were added that you didn't agree to
Warranties, service contracts, paint sealant, theft protection. If you said no and it's on the contract, call it out immediately. This happens more than you think.
Verify taxes and registration are reasonable
If you gave them your address before the quote and taxes went up by hundreds of dollars, question it. If registration changed significantly, question it. Small differences are normal. Hundreds of dollars are not.
Verify the lender on the title application
The lender listed should be the one you expect. If you're using your own financing, your bank should be on here. If it's a lender you've never heard of, ask why.
Get a physical copy of every document
A lot of dealers want to give you a digital flash drive. Ask for physical copies too. Put them in the glove box. If they're doing everything digitally, verify every file.
Don't Rush

I don't care if you've been at this dealership for 4 hours. That is exactly why they keep you there for 4 hours. They're counting on you being tired, hungry, and ready to sign anything to leave. Take your time. Read every line.

Delivrd How Delivrd Helps

We review every line of every contract before our clients sign anything. We know exactly what should be there and what shouldn't. Nothing gets slipped in. No surprise fees. No products you didn't ask for. This is the part where having someone in your corner matters the most, because this is where the money moves.

Learn more at delivrdto.me →
10 Before You Drive Off the Lot
The deal isn't done when you sign. It's done when you inspect the car and leave.
Inspect the car inch by inch before you drive it
Do NOT let them rush you into the car for a delivery photo. Your goal is to find damage. Pull out your flashlight. Check every panel, every wheel, every piece of trim. Do this in the delivery bay where the light is good. A new car must be in new car condition. Manufacturers require this.
If there's ANY damage, get a new We Owe signed immediately
Don't accept "I promise we'll take care of it." Get a new We Owe agreement. In writing. Signed. Describing the damage and the fix. If it's not on a We Owe, it doesn't exist.
If they fight you on damage, escalate
Go to the manager. Go to the general manager if you have to. Do not drive a damaged car off the lot and say "we'll talk to your manager later." Leave the car there. Ask for your trade keys back. You have not taken possession.
Verify the We Owe covers everything owed
Floor mats, second key, touch-up paint, owed services, damage fixes. If the dealer promised anything, it needs to be on the We Owe. No exceptions.
Make sure the car has a full tank of gas
Standard on new car deliveries. If it's not full, ask before you leave.
11 After the Deal
A few things most people forget that can protect you or save you money.
Do NOT fill out the manufacturer survey yet
Your best leverage after the deal is before you submit the survey. If the dealership owes you anything (damage fix, owed items), hold the survey until it's resolved. They will call you about it. That's when things get done.
Once everything is resolved, give them a fair score
If the experience was good and the dealership treated you well, give them a great survey. They likely took a hit on this deal to earn your business. The survey is a way to give back that doesn't cost you anything.
Update your insurance to the new vehicle
Call within 24-48 hours. Your old policy won't fully cover the new car.
Set up your first loan payment
The lender takes 2-3 weeks to send the first statement. Don't wait for it. Call them, set up autopay, confirm the due date.
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We review every line of every contract. We inspect before delivery. We handle post-deal follow-up. Nothing gets slipped in. Nothing gets missed. delivrdto.me
Delivrd

That's the whole process. Now you know exactly what goes into it.

You can absolutely do all of this yourself. But most people don't want to become an expert at something they'll do once every few years just to feel safe doing it. If that sounds like you, we handle everything.

delivrdto.me
$1,000 flat. We handle everything.
Price. Trade. Rate. Paperwork. Delivery. You never have to step foot in a dealership.
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