Question 1

What is the Out-The-Door (OTD) price?

Accepted Answer

The real total amount you'll pay to drive the car off the lot — including the vehicle price, taxes, title, registration, doc fees, destination charges, and every add-on. Dealers love to hide behind monthly payments because it lets them pack in thousands in junk fees. We force the conversation back to the true OTD.

Question 2

How does Car Buying Bouncer work?

Accepted Answer

You enter your deal details → our engine applies accurate 2026 state tax tables and fees → it reveals the real OTD and flags suspicious add-ons → you get personalized battle scripts to negotiate. No fluff. No signup. Just protection. See the flow diagram above for a visual walkthrough.

Question 3

What are time-based passes?

Accepted Answer

We offer flexible passes (24-hour, 5-day, 10-day, 30-day) so you only pay for the time you need while shopping or negotiating. Choose the tier that matches your buying timeline. All passes unlock the full suite of tools.

Question 4

What tools are included?

Accepted Answer

OTD Reality Engine — Calculates your true total cost. Scam Scanner / Trap Detector — Flags common junk fees and risky tactics. Battle Scripts — Ready-to-copy negotiation lines tailored to your deal. The Club — Community wall of fame/shame for dealerships. The Garage — Merch and vehicle maintenance resources.

Question 5

Is my data safe?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We require no account or persistent login. Everything is session-based. We don't sell your data, and VIN lookups use the public NHTSA database. Your deal details stay private to your browser session.

Question 6

What is the refund policy?

Accepted Answer

Passes are digital goods and non-refundable once activated. Merchandise refunds follow standard policy (before production begins). We stand behind the accuracy of our 2026 tax tables and tools.

Question 7

How do I decode a VIN?

Accepted Answer

On the OTD Engine or Scam Scanner page, type or paste a 17-character VIN. It auto-decodes using the official NHTSA database. You'll instantly see Year, Make, Model, Trim, and Engine details. The manual search button remains as a fallback.

Question 8

What states are supported?

Accepted Answer

All 50 states + Washington D.C. Our built-in tax tables are updated for 2026, including base state rates and common local variations (e.g., California 7.25% base + local, no-sales-tax states like Montana, Oregon, New Hampshire). Doc fees and other state-specific charges are factored where possible.

Car Buying Bouncer

How Car Buying Bouncer Works

Frequently Asked Questions