Let’s say you go to a car dealership after doing all your homework and knowing exactly which model you want, down to trim and color.
It seems like a great way to buy a car, but it may be the step that will cost you the most.
a fresh Study Cox Automotive found that only 29% of car buyers began their purchase knowing which vehicle they wanted, down from 37% in 2020. Yet overall new vehicle buyer satisfaction reached 76% in 2025, an all-time high.
It turns out that unprepared car buyers are happy.
Locked-in Buyer vs. Flexible Buyer
Ray Schefska, who spent 43 years working in dealerships before joining the car-buying site CarEdgeSay a committed buyer is easy to read on the showroom floor.
When you declare that you want a specific vehicle, you have shown the dealer that you are not going anywhere else. This tells them that pricing pressure is low, and they structure the deal accordingly.
It is difficult to identify a buyer who is considering a few different options. Flexibility signals that you have options, and dealers respond to buyers who have options.
This is the part that most buyers miss. All the advance homework feels like leverage. On the same car at the same dealer, it’s the opposite.
The 71% of buyers who came without a specific vehicle weren’t wandering around hoping something would catch their eye. They were comparing more, that’s where the benefits and better deals come from.
Here’s how to better plan your next trip to the dealer:
- Start with needs, not a brand or specific model. Consider factors like how many passengers you need to accommodate, daily commute, cargo space, towing capacity or fuel economy. CarGurus found that more than half of buyers consider three or more brands.
- Shop new and used. In 2025, 66% of buyers considered both new and used options, up from 57% a year earlier. With more inventory and stable pricing, the used market has returned closer to pre-pandemic norms. Buying a used car is also a smart way to avoid a large portion of the initial loss in the car’s value.
- Drive the numbers on leash. In today’s expensive car market, don’t rely on a lease, which may be more affordable. Option. 29% of new vehicle buyers value leasing versus purchasing in 2025, the highest level ever. Leases were typically saving buyers more than $100 per month compared to financing a purchase.
- Check out the deals. Incentives change every month. What is well discounted in March may be at full price in June, so an open buyer may follow the money the manufacturer is trying to move.
Be a more flexible shopper
None of this means showing up without preparation.
Know your budget before you buy your vehicle and think of it as an out-the-door number rather than a monthly payment. Dealers sell monthly payments because this figure hides the total cost of the deal. When you know what out-of-pocket costs you can afford, you can clearly decide on the size of any vehicle.
Once you have a few options in mind, get competitive quotes before committing too much. A buyer who has quotes from multiple dealers on multiple vehicles has an advantage. There is no one to commit to a buyer buying a car at a dealer.
There is more inventory and more promotions on the market than in years, but the good deals are spread across brands and segments, and they change monthly. It’s the buyer who finds them, willing to follow the data rather than a predetermined list.
Start with what you need, set a realistic budget, then look at what the market is actually offering before deciding.
