What the four squares actually are
The salesperson tears off a sheet of paper, draws a big plus sign, and starts writing numbers. Those four boxes are almost always:
- Vehicle price — the sticker or a version of it.
- Trade-in value — what they'll give you for your old car.
- Down payment — cash you're putting up front.
- Monthly payment — the number they want you to focus on.
Every negotiating move happens by shuffling numbers between boxes. Raise the trade-in and quietly raise the vehicle price. Lower the payment and stretch the loan term to 84 months. Cut the down payment and roll it into a higher rate. You never see the total.
The only number that matters: out-the-door (OTD)
OTD is the vehicle price plus every dealer fee, add-on, and tax. It is the number that will actually hit your bank account. If a dealer refuses to give you an OTD number in writing, walk. Any real offer can be written as a single OTD figure.
The fees to red-line
- Dealer market adjustment / ADM — a made-up premium above MSRP. Delete it.
- Nitrogen tires, paint protection, VIN etching — near-zero cost to the dealer, hundreds to you. Delete or discount by 90%.
- "Doc fee" — capped by state law in most places. Look up your state's cap and refuse anything above it.
- Theft-recovery / GAP / extended warranty — sometimes worth it, but never at F&I prices. Buy separately if you want them.
The script that works
Keep it short, keep it in writing, and keep it about the OTD:
"I'm ready to buy today at [$X,XXX] out the door. That's my number. I'm not focused on the monthly payment — I'll handle financing separately. If we can hit that OTD, we have a deal."
Do the math on the spot
Snap a photo of the four-square with the Driveline app. It reads the sheet, separates the real OTD from the games, and hands you a fair-price verdict for your exact year, trim, and mileage — plus the script to say next.