Paste your out-the-door sheet into the free Deal-Checker and it flags the junk an EV buyer should refuse — instantly, in your browser, with nothing stored and no signup. It also calls out quotes that still claim the $7,500 federal EV tax credit, which ended September 30, 2025.
Typical cost: $500–$1,500
A spray you can buy for ~$12 and do yourself. On an EV it protects nothing the factory finish doesn't already handle.
Typical cost: $1,000–$5,000+
Pure profit slapped on top of MSRP because they think you'll pay it. On an EV that's been sitting on the lot? Laughable. This is a walk-away trigger, not a negotiation.
Typical cost: ~$200–$400
Regular air is already 78% nitrogen. You're paying hundreds for the other 22%.
Typical cost: $200–$400
Your car already came with a VIN. Etching it on the glass is a theft-deterrent you didn't ask for at a markup of roughly infinity.
Typical cost: $1,500–$4,000
Here's the EV-specific kicker: your battery and drive unit already carry an 8-year/100,000-mile factory warranty, and an EV has no oil, no transmission, no timing belt, no spark plugs. The dealer pushing a powertrain service contract on an EV is selling you insurance against a car that barely breaks. This is where they make their money — it's why they're pushing so hard.
Typical cost: $800–$2,000
EV 'maintenance' is tire rotations, cabin filters, and wiper fluid. Regen braking means the brake pads can outlast the car. You do not need to prepay for oil changes that will never happen.
Typical cost: $100–$700
Some doc fee may be legit and state-capped, but 'dealer prep' is usually already covered by the destination charge. Make them justify it and push back hard.
Typical cost: $500–$900
Sometimes worth having, but your own insurer almost always sells it cheaper than the F&I office will.
Typical cost: $500–$1,200
Insurance against potholes. Many tires already carry road-hazard coverage, and your auto policy may too. If you live on the surface of the moon, reconsider.
Typical cost: $300–$1,200
A tracker they pre-installed and now 'have to' charge you for. Your EV already has an app that shows exactly where it is at all times. You cannot buy a more tracked vehicle than an EV.
Typical cost: $200–$800
Forty dollars of parts at a 5–10x markup, pre-installed so it feels non-optional. Everything in this bundle is cheaper online and installs in minutes.
Typical cost: $500–$2,000
Inspecting and prepping a used car is the dealer's cost of having something to sell. If it's 'certified pre-owned,' the certification belongs IN the price, not as a line item under it.
Typical cost: $200–$500
Insurance for losing your key fob. Annoying? Yes. Worth a $400 annuity? No — and most EVs also unlock with your phone.
Quote full of junk? Don't reward that dealer. We'll intro you to one who quotes a straight out-the-door number — free. Or grab the free printable Dealership Survival Kit.