What an out-the-door price includes

When you buy a new car, the number that matters is the total you pay to drive it home. Dealers call it the out-the-door price. It covers the car, the dealer's fees, sales tax and registration, all in one figure.

It's worth asking for because every dealer quotes differently. One will show a low vehicle price and add $2,000 of fees later. Another puts everything in up front. Comparing the totals is the only way to see which offer is cheaper.

What goes into it

• The vehicle price. What the dealer charges for the car itself. It starts from the MSRP on the window sticker and goes up or down from there.
• The destination charge. The manufacturer charges this for shipping the car to the dealer. It's printed on the window sticker and the dealer can't change it.
• Dealer add-ons. Window tint, coatings, wheel locks and similar extras the dealer has installed or bundled in. There's a separate guide on these.
• The documentation fee. The dealer's charge for doing the paperwork. A few states limit it, but in many it runs to several hundred dollars, and some dealers charge over $1,000.
• Sales tax. Your state and county set the rate.
• Title and registration. Government fees, which the dealer passes on to you.

A quick example

Say the vehicle price is $40,000 and the destination charge is $1,495. Add a $700 doc fee and a $995 add-on package and you're at $43,190 before tax. A 5% sales tax adds about $2,160, then there's registration on top. The "$40,000 car" ends up costing around $45,500. (The figures are made up to show the math.)

Watch out for monthly payments

If a salesperson asks what monthly payment you're comfortable with, be careful. A longer loan can make almost any price fit a monthly budget. Settle the out-the-door price first and talk about financing afterwards.

How to ask for it

Email or call the dealer and ask for an itemized out-the-door price on a specific car, ideally by stock number, in writing. Then put the quotes side by side and compare the bottom lines.