Car Buying
Should I Get Quotes From Multiple Dealerships Before Visiting?
OVERVIEW
Yes, getting quotes from multiple dealerships before you visit can be a smart move, especially if you already know the make, model, and trim you want.
Prices can vary between dealerships based on the specific vehicle, available incentives, installed options, inventory, location, and other factors. Comparing 2 or 3 similar offers gives you a better sense of the prices available before you decide where to visit.
The key is making sure you are actually comparing the same thing.
Should I Get Quotes From Multiple Dealerships Before Visiting?
For many shoppers, 2 or 3 dealership quotes is a good place to start.
The goal is not necessarily to find the dealership with the lowest advertised number. It is to understand the full offer and see how comparable vehicles are priced.
One dealership may have the exact color and options you want. Another may have a different incentive available. A third might have a similar vehicle with different equipment.
Seeing those differences before you visit can make it easier to decide which dealership and vehicle deserve a closer look.
Why Should You Compare Dealership Quotes?
A single quote tells you what is available from 1 dealership. A few comparable quotes give you more context.
That can be especially helpful when you are shopping for a common model available at several dealerships nearby.
You may find that the prices are fairly similar. If so, factors such as availability, features, location, trade in options, financing, and your experience working with the dealership may become more important.
Or you may discover a meaningful price difference worth asking about.
Either way, you have more information before making the trip.
How to Get Quotes From Multiple Dealerships
You do not need to contact every dealership in your area. Start with a few that have vehicles closely matching what you want.
1. Compare the Same Vehicle
Try to match the year, trim, powertrain, drivetrain, and major options as closely as possible.
If you can compare specific VINs, even better.
A quote on a base model and a quote on a fully equipped version of the same vehicle are not really competing offers, even if the model names match.
2. Ask for the Out-the-Door Price
Ask what the estimated out-the-door price would be rather than comparing monthly payments alone.
The out-the-door price gives you a more complete view of the purchase because it can account for the vehicle price along with applicable taxes and fees.
You can also use the AutoFinder Out the Door Price Calculator to estimate how those costs could affect your total.
3. Request Quotes Around the Same Time
Vehicle availability, incentives, and pricing can change.
Getting your quotes within a similar timeframe makes the comparison more useful. You might contact several dealerships on the same day or over a couple of days rather than collecting offers weeks apart.
4. Get the Details in Writing
An email or written breakdown makes it much easier to compare offers later.
Look at the vehicle itself, selling price, applicable incentives, fees, and other included items. If something differs between quotes, ask the dealership what is included.
There may be a perfectly reasonable explanation, such as different equipment or an incentive that applies to one vehicle but not another.
5. Confirm Price and Availability Before You Visit
Once you have narrowed your options, confirm that the vehicle is still available and ask whether anything has changed since the quote was provided.
Our guide to confirming a car's price and availability before visiting a dealership can help you know what to verify before making the trip.
Single Quote vs. Multiple Quotes
| Comparison Factor | One Dealership | Multiple Dealerships |
|---|---|---|
| Price context | Shows 1 offer | Shows how several offers compare |
| Time required | Less | Requires a few extra calls or messages |
| Vehicle comparison | Focused on available inventory at 1 store | Lets you compare similar vehicles at different stores |
| Best fit | Rare vehicle or preferred dealership | Common vehicle available at several dealerships |
Neither approach is automatically better for every purchase.
If you have found a hard-to-find vehicle in the exact configuration you want, contacting 5 dealerships that do not have it may not help much. If several nearby dealerships have nearly identical vehicles, getting a few quotes can be much more useful.
Should You Tell a Dealer You Have Another Quote?
You can.
If another dealership provided a lower price on a genuinely comparable vehicle, sharing that information gives the dealer a chance to explain the difference or see what options may be available.
Just make sure the offers really are comparable first.
A different trim, option package, incentive, or set of fees can explain why 2 quotes do not match.
You also do not have to make the entire conversation about price. Availability, financing, trade-in value, vehicle features, and your overall experience with the dealership can all matter when deciding where to buy.
How Should You Contact Dealerships for Quotes?
Calling, emailing, and submitting an online form can all work.
Email and online forms make it easy to keep a written record of the details. Calling can be useful when you have specific questions or want an answer quickly.
There is no single right method. Our guide to calling or messaging a dealership can help you decide which approach makes the most sense for your situation.
How AutoFinder Can Help You Compare Your Options
You can start your comparison before contacting a dealership.
AutoFinder lets you browse dealership inventory and compare available vehicles based on the model, trim, features, price, and other details that matter to you.
Once you find a few strong options, you can contact the dealerships to confirm availability, ask questions, and get the information you need to compare the vehicles more closely.
Final Thoughts
Getting quotes from multiple dealerships can give you useful context before you visit, but you do not need to turn car shopping into a project involving every dealership in town.
Start with 2 or 3 comparable vehicles. Look at the full price, make sure the equipment matches, and ask about anything that differs between the offers.
From there, price can be part of your decision without being the only part. The right vehicle, availability, financing, trade-in options, and the dealership you feel comfortable working with can matter too.
