You’ve done your research, got a good price from the dealer and now you’re just about to sign the contract for purchasing your new car. But wait, there’s more! Your dealer is about to start talking ‘extras’.

This scenario usually produces two different reactions from the customer. The first is that the customer ‘ooohs’ and ‘aaahs’ over every word that the dealer has to say, walking away with $5000 worth of extras, making the dealer very, very happy. The second is that the customer rolls their eyes and shuts down entirely, regardless of what the dealer is saying. The dealer could actually be trying to communicate that they’re going to throw in a set of limited edition rims, absolutely free (which would never happen), and the customer still has their fingers in their ears going, ‘Lalalalalalala’.

How to choose between dealer and aftermarket extras

The trick, here, is to not be like either of the customers listed above. When asking which way of purchasing extras (dealer vs. aftermarket) saves you more money, there’s no concrete answer. This is because the dealer could be trying to squeeze an unfair price out of you, or they could indeed be offering a pretty good price. Here’s how to decide whether to go for dealer options or aftermarket purchases.

Be prepared

Before you decide to sign the contract and purchase the vehicle, you’re going to need to be prepared for the offering of extras. Your dealer is basically guaranteed to push the extras of floor mats, paint protection, window tinting and the like. The best way to understand whether they’re trying to rip you off or whether their prices are fair is to know how much each extra would cost you if you were to have them installed by an aftermarket workshop.

Get a quote from a car workshop

If you have enough time on your hands, call up a few aftermarket workshops and see if you can get a quote for common extras like window tinting and paint protection. Write them down and bring them into the car dealer so that you can compare between the aftermarket quote and the price your dealer is giving you. This way, you’ll be able to clearly tell which option is going to save you the most money.

Don’t want to deal with chasing up car dealers, aftermarket workshops, insurance brokers, Father Christmas, or anyone else who’s likely to chew up a lot of your time? That’s where Carbroker.com.au comes in to save the day. They use their database of 2,000 car dealerships Australia-wide to crunch the numbers and work out the best deal for you when buying a new car. As expert car brokers, they can quickly figure out whether it’s more cost-effective to purchase extras through the dealer or to get them installed elsewhere. Contact Carbroker.com.au to save big on your next car purchase.