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I just picked up a 2025 6th gen 4Runner Trailhunter in NYC and figured I’d share what worked for me dealing with dealerships in case it helps anyone else. Mine had been sitting on the lot for a while, so they were definitely a bit more motivated to move it, if you can find a unit that’s been there for months or even close to a year old, you’ll have a lot more leverage. I ended up getting about ~$4k off MSRP without playing games, and honestly the biggest thing was going in with the mindset that I wasn’t there to be sold to, I was there to buy on my terms. I knew exactly what I wanted ahead of time and made it clear I was reaching out to multiple dealers, which naturally created competition without needing to be aggressive. I also anchored pricing early based on deals I’d seen others getting. someone on Facebook mentioned getting around $6k off, I wish I knew that before but you can use that as a target to frame the conversation in a realistic range instead of letting them control it. Having outside financing lined up beforehand helped a lot too. I had a quote ready at 5.1% from Pennfed and when the dealer tried to play with rates, they suddenly had no issue matching the promotional rate at 4.9%
On the backend, I told the finance manager upfront I wasn’t interested in any add-ons, warranties, or packages. That alone probably saved me thousands and made the process much smoother since there was no back-and-forth. I also paid close attention to the starting numbers they presented, since some dealers will show a higher “starting price” than what’s advertised and then try to work down from there. Once it was clear I wasn’t emotional about the purchase and was willing to walk if needed, the whole process became pretty straightforward. For reference, MSRP was around $72k and I landed at about $68k before taxes and fees. One key thing, don’t let them pull credit until after they confirm the OTD price. Once they pull credit you lose leverage.
One thing I’d definitely watch out for is dealer add-ons, because that’s where they try to make a lot of their money back. Things like extended warranties, tire and wheel protection, paint protection, VIN etching, and random “protection packages” can add thousands very quickly, and most of it is either overpriced or unnecessary. I kept it simple and just stuck to the base deal. They’ll usually try at least once or twice to pitch something. sometimes even framing it as “you’d be crazy not to take this”but if you stay firm and don’t hesitate, they move on pretty quickly. The only fees that should realistically be part of the deal are taxes, DMV/registration, and the standard doc fee. anything beyond that is usually where you need to start asking questions. At the end of the day, all of those add-ons are optional, and saying no is one of the easiest ways to keep the deal clean and under control.
At the end of the day, it’s less about “winning” against the dealer and more about knowing your numbers, staying calm, and not letting them control the pace. Curious what kind of deals others are seeing right now, especially in different regions.
On the backend, I told the finance manager upfront I wasn’t interested in any add-ons, warranties, or packages. That alone probably saved me thousands and made the process much smoother since there was no back-and-forth. I also paid close attention to the starting numbers they presented, since some dealers will show a higher “starting price” than what’s advertised and then try to work down from there. Once it was clear I wasn’t emotional about the purchase and was willing to walk if needed, the whole process became pretty straightforward. For reference, MSRP was around $72k and I landed at about $68k before taxes and fees. One key thing, don’t let them pull credit until after they confirm the OTD price. Once they pull credit you lose leverage.
One thing I’d definitely watch out for is dealer add-ons, because that’s where they try to make a lot of their money back. Things like extended warranties, tire and wheel protection, paint protection, VIN etching, and random “protection packages” can add thousands very quickly, and most of it is either overpriced or unnecessary. I kept it simple and just stuck to the base deal. They’ll usually try at least once or twice to pitch something. sometimes even framing it as “you’d be crazy not to take this”but if you stay firm and don’t hesitate, they move on pretty quickly. The only fees that should realistically be part of the deal are taxes, DMV/registration, and the standard doc fee. anything beyond that is usually where you need to start asking questions. At the end of the day, all of those add-ons are optional, and saying no is one of the easiest ways to keep the deal clean and under control.
At the end of the day, it’s less about “winning” against the dealer and more about knowing your numbers, staying calm, and not letting them control the pace. Curious what kind of deals others are seeing right now, especially in different regions.
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