What Are Dealer Add-Ons, and Which Ones Can You Say No To?
Dealer add-ons are optional products or services a dealership adds to a car's price, such as window etching, nitrogen tire fill, paint protection, or a service plan. Most of them are optional, and you can ask to have them removed or negotiate the price. A few can be worth paying for. Many aren't. Here's how to tell the difference.
What are dealer add-ons?
An add-on is anything on the price sheet that isn't the car, tax, title, registration, or the dealer's documentation fee. Some are installed on the car before you arrive and show up on a second sticker next to the factory window sticker. Others are offered in the finance office while you sign.
Common examples include:
- Window etching (the VIN engraved on the glass)
- Nitrogen-filled tires
- Paint, fabric, or interior protection coatings
- Door edge guards, mud flaps, and cargo mats
- Tire-and-wheel or key-replacement coverage
- Extended warranties and gap coverage
Are dealer add-ons required?
Generally, no. Taxes, title, and registration are required. Add-ons are products the dealer chose to sell, so you can ask whether each one is optional. If a dealer tells you an add-on is mandatory, ask for that in writing and ask what happens to the price if you decline it. Be wary of any extra that was already installed, because a dealer may be reluctant to remove it, but you can still ask for the price to come down or choose another car.
Which add-ons might be worth it?
That depends on the car and how you use it. Two that often make sense to consider:
- Service coverage on a used car. Can be useful if the car is out of factory warranty and you want protection from a large repair bill. Read what it covers, what it excludes, and who pays the claim. Our guide on extended warranties on used cars covers this in detail.
- Gap coverage. Can help if you're putting little money down on a longer loan. See whether you need gap insurance. Your own insurer or bank may offer it for less.
Which add-ons can you usually skip?
Items that cost the dealer very little and add little for you are the usual ones to decline: nitrogen fill, VIN etching, and cosmetic protection packages. You can get similar protection elsewhere, often for less, if you want it at all. Compare the add-on price against what a body shop, tire store, or detailer would charge.
How do you decline or negotiate an add-on?
- Ask for an itemized price list before you talk about monthly payments.
- Ask which items are optional and which are required by law.
- Say plainly that you'd like any optional items removed, or the price reduced.
- Check the final numbers. The total should match the out-the-door price you agreed to. Our guide to the out-the-door price explains how to ask for it.
- Read the purchase agreement line by line before you sign. Our walkthrough of the used car purchase agreement can help.
Do add-ons affect your loan?
Yes. If an add-on is rolled into your financing, you pay interest on it for the length of the loan, so a small add-on costs more than its sticker price. Ask for the price with and without each item, and make sure you can see them as separate lines.
How does buying online change this?
When you shop online, you can review the price and any extras at your own pace instead of in a finance office. You can browse the cars on Keysy, see the price up front, and ask questions before you commit to anything. If a line item doesn't make sense, ask about it before you sign.
FAQ
Can I refuse dealer add-ons?
In most cases yes. Ask which ones are optional, and ask for them to be removed or priced down.
Is the doc fee an add-on?
Not exactly. It's a separate fee for processing paperwork. See our guide to the dealer doc fee in Utah.
Are add-ons ever worth paying for?
Sometimes, such as service coverage on an older used car or gap coverage on a low-down-payment loan. Compare prices before you agree.
Should I pay for add-ons with the loan?
Be careful. Rolling an add-on into the loan means paying interest on it, which raises its true cost.
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