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Questions and answers

The questions buyers actually ask

Every answer below is the same one you would get on the phone. If your question is not here, ask us and we will answer it plainly.

How we work

Who we work for, how we are paid, and what we need from you.

Does The Auto Advocate work for a dealership?

No. The Auto Advocate is fully independent. It is not a dealership, lender or law firm, and the team works exclusively for you, the buyer.

How is the team paid?

Coaching is a flat fee you pay. Optional protection products (warranties, GAP, and similar coverage) are quoted after a call, are never required, and are not part of any coaching package.

Does the service cover new and used vehicles?

Yes. The service supports both new and used vehicle purchases.

Does the service work nationwide?

Yes. The Auto Advocate is rooted in Oklahoma and supports buyers across the United States.

What information does the team need from me?

The vehicle you are considering, your budget, your timeline, your financing plans and any trade-in details.

Financing and your trade-in

What we review on the money side, and what stays your decision.

Can you help with financing?

Yes. We can help you understand and compare the financing options available to you.

We review the APR, term, amount financed, payment, fees and add-ons so you can see what the financing really costs before you commit.

We don't make lending decisions. You decide which financing option is right for you.

If you need financing options, we can also connect you with vetted resources that work with a wide range of credit situations. You're always free to choose your own lender.

Can you help with my trade-in?

Yes. Trade-In Shield gives you dealer-grade bookouts, a Carfax, and a script so you can defend the number yourself.

Buying in Oklahoma

Why you speak to the store, and what we do on either side of that.

Do you call the dealership for me in Oklahoma?

For new vehicle purchases in Oklahoma, we generally coach you through the negotiation rather than negotiate directly with the dealership on your behalf.

Oklahoma law expressly protects the economic interests and continued viability of its franchised new-car dealerships. The Legislature specifically says the law is intended to protect the state's dealership and franchise system, including preventing disruption of that system and "prevent bankrupting of motor vehicle dealers."

What does that mean for you?

The law creates an uneven playing field.

The dealership can have an entire team of professionals working its side of your deal: a salesperson, sales manager, finance manager and general manager.

You get you.

Oklahoma law effectively keeps the new-car negotiation inside the dealership. You generally have to speak for yourself when negotiating the financial terms. Auto Advocate can research, prepare, analyze, advise and coach you, but no one, including your dad, can simply step in and negotiate those terms for you. Now, don't worry. The dealership won't pursue your dad. However, they may pursue someone helping you professionally, someone who understands exactly how dealerships make their profit because they spent more than two decades doing it from the dealership's side of the desk.

That doesn't mean you're on your own.

Before you go, we help establish what the vehicle should cost, what your trade is worth, what financing should look like and what your overall deal should look like.

While you're there, you can reach out to us. We can talk with you, review the numbers you're being shown, explain what they mean and coach you on what to say, what to ask for and when to walk away. You speak to the dealership. We help make sure you know what to say.

After the purchase, if we didn't assist with the original transaction, we can review the deal and help you understand exactly what you signed and what options you may still have.

That's why our Oklahoma service is built around making sure you know what they know before you walk through the door, and have someone in your corner while you're there.

They may have the home-field advantage. That doesn't mean you have to play the game alone.

Timing, changes and refunds

How long it takes, and what happens if your plans change.

How long does it typically take?

It depends on where you are in the buying process and how much help you need.

If you've already found the vehicle, we may be able to get you prepared quickly. If we're helping locate a vehicle, evaluate your trade, compare financing, or work through the entire purchase, it can take longer.

But time at the dealership is only part of the equation.

We also want to make buying a vehicle easier and more convenient. That means doing as much of the homework as possible before you ever walk through the dealership doors: researching the vehicle, establishing the numbers, reviewing your trade and financing, and giving you a plan.

Some customers need us before they visit the dealership. Others want us available while they're there. And some come to us after the purchase to figure out exactly what happened.

Our goal isn't just to save you time. It's to save you unnecessary trips, frustration, surprises, and potentially a lot of money.

Tell us where you are in the process, and we'll tell you what we need, what we can handle for you, and what kind of timeline to expect.

Need it quickly? Tell us. If we can accommodate you, we will.

How long does a Deal Autopsy review take?

Most Deal Autopsy reviews are completed within one business day after we receive all of the required documents and information. If anything is missing or unclear, we will reach out and let you know what we need. Your review time begins once we have everything necessary to properly evaluate your deal. We would rather get it right than rush it.

How fast do you respond if I buy Skip the Line?

A representative from our company will reach out to you within 15 minutes.

What if I need to reschedule?

We understand that plans change. Let us know as soon as reasonably possible. Rescheduling does not cancel your service or require you to purchase it again, and we will work with you to move your appointment to the next mutually available time. Because some services require us to reserve time or adjust our availability for other customers, repeated rescheduling, missed appointments, or last-minute changes may affect when we are able to provide your service. Be reasonable with us, and we will be reasonable with you.

What happens if I decide not to buy a vehicle?

That's completely okay. You're never obligated to buy a vehicle.

If you cancel before we begin working on your service, we'll refund your fee. Once we've started working your deal, researching vehicles, analyzing numbers, evaluating your trade, building your strategy, or coaching you, the service fee is non-refundable.

You're paying for the work we do, whether you buy the vehicle or not.

Certain priority services require us to reserve immediate capacity, and any special terms are disclosed at the time of purchase.

We recognize that unusual circumstances happen, and we may make reasonable exceptions where that is fair to both you and us.

And if we help you discover that the deal isn't worth making, we'd consider that money well spent.

Still have a question?

Ask it directly. You will get a straight answer, not a sales call.

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