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Check your car deal before you sign
Start my deal
We draft it, you send it. $500 better than your best quote, or you pay $0. After you save a card with Stripe ($0 until you sign), your private Deal Vault opens so you can upload your dealer quote sheet or enter the vehicle you want.
Before you sign or send a deposit, know what's in your car deal. Audit every hidden dealer fee, calculate your true 50-state Out-The-Door price, or start your deal and get copy-and-paste dealer replies drafted by our Deal Desk, led by our founder (an 11-year dealership sales & F&I management veteran and 12-year U.S. Marine Corps veteran). You send every message; we never contact dealers. Get a verified Deal Receipt before you sign.
Founding price · first 50 deals
Beat-your-quote guarantee. Beat your best written quote by $500, or you pay $0. Terms
You stay in control and send every dealer message. We review your quotes and draft your replies. Your contact details never go to a dealer through us, and nothing is sent or agreed without you: you choose what to send, when, and to whom.
No card to start. After you see our service price in writing and agree to it, you save a card with Stripe (stored, not charged). We charge $299 ($199 for the first 50 deals) only after our staff verify your signed paperwork. Full refund policy.
No quote yet? To qualify for the $500 guarantee, provide a current written, itemized out-the-door quote for the same vehicle, dated within 14 days of the day you upload it. If you don’t have one yet, you can still use the free Fee Check and start your search. The guarantee applies once you provide a qualifying quote: eligibility starts the day you upload it to your Deal Vault, and it covers the deal you sign after that.
Guarantee terms
$500 Beat-Your-Quote Guarantee: Provide your best written, itemized out-the-door (OTD) quote for the same vehicle, dated within 14 days of the day you upload it to your Deal Vault. If the deal you sign isn’t at least $500 lower in OTD price than that quote for the same vehicle (same year, make, model, trim and new/used condition), you pay $0. Not covered: deals signed before you provide a qualifying quote; quotes that aren’t in writing or itemized, leave out required fees, or are older than 14 days; changing the vehicle after you start; fleet, commercial or special-order vehicles. Hitting your personal target price is not guaranteed, and you always decide whether to buy.
- Send us every dealer quote and text. We read it and draft your reply.
- You copy, paste and send it yourself. We never contact the dealer.
- We point out every fee worth questioning, in plain English, before you sign.
- We check your final paperwork against the deal you agreed to.
Free state fee guides cover all 50 states + D.C. Savings vary; the $500 guarantee is separate.
How this works↓
Illustrative flagged fee/add-on range: $1,594–$2,494 before F&I ($2,594–$4,494 if F&I markup also appears) · Actual savings vary and are never guaranteed · Beat your best written quote by $500, or you pay $0. · 51 Jurisdictions (50 States + D.C.): 50 Verified (49 States + D.C.) · 1 Not Yet Verified (WV).
What these figures represent (illustrative example): individual quotes typically include one, two, or all three of these items (not always all three together): an uncapped doc fee ($699–$999) plus pre-installed dealer add-ons ($895–$1,495 nitrogen, window tint/etching, or recon fees) totals $1,594–$2,494 before F&I, and adding finance-office service-contract or GAP markups ($1,000–$2,000, estimate, varies by lender and state) brings a quote containing all three to $2,594–$4,494 in flagged negotiable charges (see Methodology & CFPB/FTC/NADA Benchmarks). Flagged markup is what the audit identifies on a quote, separate from buyer-reported savings and verified final savings. Actual savings vary and are not guaranteed. (Subject to the $500 Beat-Your-Quote Guarantee.)
- 1. Illustrative flagged fee/add-on range ($1,594–$2,494 before F&I; $2,594–$4,494 if F&I markup also appears): an illustrative example of what optional/excess charges look like when one, two, or all three appear on a quote ($699–$999 uncapped doc fee + $895–$1,495 pre-installed add-ons + $1,000–$2,000 F&I markup) — not a promise of what will appear on every quote.
- 2. Actual customer savings: vary by vehicle, dealer, state, and market inventory, and are never guaranteed.
- 3. $500 Beat-Your-Quote threshold: when you start your deal, if the deal you sign isn’t at least $500 lower in OTD price than your best written quote (dated within 14 days, same vehicle), you pay $0.
How it works
- Enter your car or upload your quote
Year, make and model, or a photo/PDF of the dealer’s quote.
Have ready: The car details, and the dealer’s quote if you have one.
- See your free Fee Check and our price in writing
An A–F grade on each fee, plus our service price before you agree to anything.
Have ready: Your registration state.
- Save a card only if you continue
Stored with Stripe, not charged. We charge only after we verify your signed paperwork.
Have ready: A debit or credit card.
- Upload dealer replies, get a draft to send
We post a copy-and-paste reply in your Deal Vault within 1 business day (Mon–Fri, 9 AM–6 PM CT). You send it.
Have ready: Each dealer text, email or new quote.
Sample drafted reply (fictional) & the guarantee in brief
- Bring your best written, itemized out-the-door quote, dated within 14 days of the day you upload it. No quote yet? Start anyway; the guarantee applies once you upload one.
- Same vehicle: year, make, model, trim, new or used.
- If the deal you sign isn’t at least $500 lower, you pay $0.
- Not covered: fleet, commercial or special-order vehicles, or changing the vehicle after you start.
What’s included, who built it & methodology
| What’s Included | Our service |
|---|---|
| Line-item fee & OTD audit | Included |
| Copy-paste dealer scripts | Included |
| F&I fair-price guide | Included |
| Drafted reply for every dealer message (you send it) | Included |
| Help getting add-ons removed in writing | Included |
| Shareable / Printable Deal Receipt (“Get your Deal Receipt before you sign”) | Included |
| Pre-signing contract check | Human desk review |
| What you pay | $0 today · $299 when you sign |
How we grade fees (methodology) · Results & sample audit
Built by a Former Dealership Sales & F&I Manager (11 Years) & 12-Year U.S. Marine Corps Veteran: VaultRubric was built by an 11-year dealership sales & F&I management veteran and 12-year U.S. Marine Corps veteran who sat on the other side of the desk and knows every doc-fee overage, rate-reserve bump, and back-office F&I menu markup. We work 100% for the car buyer and never take referral fees or lead payouts from dealerships.
Start my dealFree Fee Check
No card needed. Upload the dealer’s quote or type 3 numbers to get an A–F grade.
$0 today$199 when you signFounding price: $199 for the first 50 deals, then $299.
Beat your best written quote by $500, or you pay $0. You send every dealer message yourself, from your own phone or email, using copy-and-paste replies we draft in your Deal Vault. VaultRubric never contacts dealers for you.
Guarantee terms
$500 Beat-Your-Quote Guarantee: Provide your best written, itemized out-the-door (OTD) quote for the same vehicle, dated within 14 days of the day you upload it to your Deal Vault. If the deal you sign isn’t at least $500 lower in OTD price than that quote for the same vehicle (same year, make, model, trim and new/used condition), you pay $0. Not covered: deals signed before you provide a qualifying quote; quotes that aren’t in writing or itemized, leave out required fees, or are older than 14 days; changing the vehicle after you start; fleet, commercial or special-order vehicles. Hitting your personal target price is not guaranteed, and you always decide whether to buy.
Step 1 of 4
See full pricing & the $500 guarantee
Your dealer quote
Paste the quote text or upload a photo or PDF. That’s all for this step.
No quote yet? Tap Next. You can upload it later.
Your best written quote & free Fee Check
Upload a photo or PDF of the dealer quote for a free A–F Fee Check. No quote yet? Skip this step.
No file? Type 3 numbers
From the dealer’s quote. Then tap Run my free Fee Check.
EXAMPLE ONLY — not a real customer quote
Tennessee cash quote: $32,000 price, $899 doc fee, two add-ons ($695 + $349).
Grade D · Doc fee: 1 · Add-ons: 2 · $1,144 worth questioning. Taxes and title fees never lower the grade.
No quote yet? You can still continue. The $500 guarantee applies once you upload a written, itemized quote dated within 14 days.
Your car & trade-in
Your car (optional, add it any time)
Add trade-in details (optional)
Your price & card
Where it works: Start my deal is available in 39 supported jurisdictions; it is not available yet in AZ, CO, NV, CA, IN, AR, MS, TX, ND, SD, PA, WV. The $39 DIY Audit is available in all 50 states + D.C. See the $39 DIY Audit (one-time, all 50 states + D.C.).
You stay in control and send every dealer message. We review your quotes and draft your replies. Your contact details never go to a dealer through us, and nothing is sent or agreed without you: you choose what to send, when, and to whom.
No quote yet? To qualify for the $500 guarantee, provide a current written, itemized out-the-door quote for the same vehicle, dated within 14 days of the day you upload it. If you don’t have one yet, you can still use the free Fee Check and start your search. The guarantee applies once you provide a qualifying quote: eligibility starts the day you upload it to your Deal Vault, and it covers the deal you sign after that.
You won’t be charged today. Full refund policy.
Full workflow, refund policy, methodology & 50-state sourcesView details ↓
You send every dealer message yourself using replies we draft; VaultRubric never contacts dealers. Software does the tax and fee math; when you start your deal, our human desk drafts every reply for you to send. To check a sheet, upload a photo or PDF inside your Deal Vault. Educational only, not financial or legal advice. Verify all figures with your lender and dealer.
Full workflow, refund policy & service terms (our service)View details ↓
What happens next & refunds
Retention: Deal Vault records stay until you delete them (no automatic expiry); uploaded quote and contract files are deleted automatically 30 days after upload. See Privacy → Retention.
Who does what & full retention details
Who does what: Software calculations: deterministic 50-state sales-tax, doc-fee, and payment math and fee checks. Automated reading: quote photos and PDFs are read with text extraction and OCR software, and scripts are filled from templates; no AI model is used. Human review: only when you start your deal, where our desk reads the quotes you upload and drafts replies that you send yourself. VaultRubric never contacts dealers.
Deal Vault access & retention: Your private Deal Vault link (/auto/my-deal/...) keeps working until you delete it; Deal Vault records do not expire automatically. Uploaded quote and contract files are deleted automatically 30 days after upload. Tap Delete now in your Deal Vault to remove your Deal Vault record and the files you uploaded from active systems immediately (email requests to support@vaultrubric.com are completed within 2 business days; deleting needs a one-time code emailed to the address on file). Who can open it: the link is a long random code (128-bit). On any browser other than the one that saved it, we email a one-time 6-digit code to the address on file before showing your deal details or uploads; deleting a vault always needs a fresh emailed code.
Refunds: Start my deal: $0 today; $299 ($199 for the first 50 deals) only after staff verify your signed paperwork; $0 if you don’t buy, cancel before you sign, or we don’t beat your written quote by $500. Full refund policy.
Educational math, quote audit, and written buyer-side counter-offer drafting only — not legal, tax, CPA, or licensed auto-broker representation. Dealerships are independent sellers and final vehicle pricing and availability are subject to dealer acceptance. See Terms & Final-Sale Policy.
1. What the Audit Engine Checks Line by Line
Every quote sheet or vehicle listing is checked against 7 statutory and financial rules:
- Market adjustment or price over sticker: Flags dealer markups above MSRP or online advertised price.
- Doc fee over your state’s statutory cap: 17 states cap dealer doc fees; checked against our 50-state doc fee table.
- Unrequested dealer add-ons: Flags VIN etching, nitrogen, paint/fabric protection, LoJack/GPS, GAP, and service contracts as optional.
- Sales tax & trade-in credit mismatches: Loans use our state sales tax rules (trade-in credit, rebates, TN single-article tax); leases use our state lease tax rules.
- APR or lease money-factor markup: Compares the dealer’s rate against your credit-union pre-approval or the lender buy rate.
- Payment packing: Flags monthly payments, amount financed, or due-at-signing totals higher than the sheet’s own line items add up to.
- Missing rebates, lowball trade-ins & negative equity: Separates true dealer discount from manufacturer rebates and shows rolled-in debt clearly.
2. How the Dollars Are Figured (Deterministic Math)
- Loan payment: amount financed × r ÷ (1 − (1 + r)−months), where r = APR ÷ 12, rounded to the cent.
- Amount financed: price + market adjustment + doc fee + add-ons + tax + title fees − cash down − rebates − (trade allowance − payoff).
- Lease payment: (adjusted cap cost − residual) ÷ months + (adjusted cap cost + residual) × money factor, plus your state’s lease tax.
- Cash Out-The-Door price: price + market adjustment + doc fee + add-ons + tax + title fees − rebates (example: $41,250 + $899 doc + $2,490 add-ons + $3,682.72 tax at 8.25% + $325 title = $48,646.72).
- Flagged overcharge: total cost of the dealer’s quote minus the same deal with each flagged item removed. Negative equity stays in both because it is prior loan debt, not a dealer fee.
3. How VaultRubric Compares to Brokers, Chatbots & Lead-Gen Sites
How our two one-time buyer-funded packages compare with general car-buying service models (with dated regulatory and consumer-agency sources):
| Feature / Protection | VaultRubric (our service, $0 until you sign) | Traditional Auto Brokers & Concierges (General Category) | General-Purpose AI Chatbots (General Category) | Dealer-Funded Listing & Lead-Gen Sites (General Category) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| How the Service Is Funded | 100% buyer-funded ($0 today, paid only when you sign; $0 from dealers or lenders) | Buyer flat fee or dealer-paid broker commission (varies by state broker licensing rules) | Free or monthly software subscription | Free to consumer; funded by dealership advertising, subscription, or lead-referral fees (FTC Auto Buyer Study) |
| Stated Service Window & Workflow | Free Fee Check right away; a drafted reply within 1 business day of each dealer message you upload ($0 until you sign) | Custom human sourcing & phone/email negotiation timeline set by individual broker | Instant conversational text responses (self-service only) | Immediate inquiry routing to participating dealership internet sales teams |
| 50-State Statutory Tax, Trade-In Credit & Doc-Fee Cap Math | Deterministic 50-state + DC rule engine (Rule v2026.10, cited to state DOR/DMV statutes as of Oct 28, 2026) | Manual worksheet review (varies by individual broker) | Generative text prediction (not tied to a deterministic 50-state statutory tax/fee table) | Displays listing prices; does not audit uploaded dealer F&I worksheets or buyer’s orders |
| Dealer Contact & Lead Privacy | You send every dealer message yourself using replies we draft; VaultRubric never contacts dealers (Privacy Policy). | Contacts dealerships under buyer representation agreement | No dealer outreach | Submits buyer contact details to selected or participating dealerships when you request a quote |
Sources & Verification Date (Checked October 28, 2026): Category descriptions are general structural comparisons (not claims about any specific third-party brand’s current price or queue time), grounded in the FTC Staff Report: Buying and Financing a Car, the CFPB Auto Loans & Dealer Worksheet Guidance, and our Disclosures & Independence Policy.
EXAMPLE DATA — Fictional 2026 Honda CR-V EX-L Quote, Flagged Items, Counter-Offer & Deal Receipt CheckView example ↓
1. Example Quote vs. Clean Target Out-The-Door (Fictional 2026 Honda CR-V EX-L AWD · Florida Buyer)
- Advertised / Selling Price: $36,490 — [Dealer-required charge included in advertised price · User-Provided Figure]
- Florida Dealer Doc / Electronic Filing Fee: $999 charged — [Charge to ask the dealer to explain · Verified State Rule: FL has no statutory dollar cap (Fla. Stat. § 501.976(18), checked Oct 2026); negotiate selling price down by $500 to offset]
- Dealer Add-On Package (VIN Window Etch $699 + Nitrogen/Paint $1,195): $1,894 charged — [Optional product or add-on · Negotiation Suggestion: request removal ($0)]
- Florida Sales Tax (6.0% state on price + taxable doc fee & add-ons + $50 county surtax cap at 1% county surtax) & DMV Title/Tag: $2,412.98 quoted tax ($2,299.34 target tax with add-ons removed) + $325 tag — [Government-required charge · Verified State Rule (FL DOR DR-15, checked Oct 2026)]
- Financing Rate Quoted (60-Month Term): 6.99% APR vs. buyer’s 5.49% credit union pre-approval — [Price or term that differs from written offer · Reproducible 60-mo interest difference: if the full $42,120.98 Quoted OTD is financed with $0 down, 6.99% APR is $833.85/mo ($7,910.02 total interest) vs. 5.49% APR at $804.37/mo ($6,141.22 total interest) = +$1,768.80 (~$1,769 unrounded) in extra interest; on $35,000.00 amount financed after cash down, 6.99% APR is $692.88/mo ($6,572.80 total interest) vs. 5.49% APR at $668.38/mo ($5,102.80 total interest) = +$1,470.00 in extra interest]
- Total Quoted OTD vs. Target OTD: Dealer Quoted OTD $42,120.98 ($36,490 selling price + $999 doc fee + $1,894 add-ons + $2,412.98 FL tax + $325 title/tag) vs. Target OTD with optional add-ons removed $40,113.34 ($36,490 selling price + $999 doc fee + $2,299.34 FL tax + $325 title/tag — $2,007.64 in flagged negotiable add-ons + tax on add-ons; actual savings vary and are not guaranteed).
2. Example Buyer Counter-Offer Script & Final Paperwork Match Check
Copy-Paste Counter-Offer Text: “Hi — thank you for the worksheet on the 2026 CR-V EX-L (VIN: 2HKRS6H7XTH******). I am ready to purchase at $40,113.34 out-the-door ($36,490 selling price + $999 FL doc fee + $2,299.34 FL tax + $325 title/tag, with the optional $1,894 VIN etch and paint package removed), using my 5.49% pre-approval unless your finance desk matches 5.49% with $0 back-office add-ons. Please send the itemized buyer’s order for my review.”
Final Paperwork Match Check (VaultRubric Deal Receipt): Before signing, the buyer compares the final retail installment contract against the $40,113.34 written offer and catches a $695 Theft-Deterrent Addendum on Line 4G so the finance manager removes it before signature.
4. 50-State Statutory Sources & As-Of Dates
- State vehicle sales tax, trade-in credit & rebate rules: VaultRubric state fee guides (state revenue departments; checked Oct. 2026).
- Lease tax by state: VaultRubric state lease tax rules (state revenue departments; rules last checked Oct 28, 2026).
- Dealer doc fee limits: VaultRubric doc fee by state (rules last checked Oct 28, 2026).
- Benchmark auto loan rate: Federal Reserve G.19, 60-month new car loan rate at commercial banks (FRED RIFLPBCIANM60NM), August 2026 (FRED).
- Optional F&I add-ons & rate markups: CFPB add-on guidance; CFPB auto loan key terms.
FAQ
Does VaultRubric send anything to the dealer?
No. You send every dealer message yourself using replies we draft; VaultRubric never contacts dealers.
What happens to the photo of my sheet?
It's encrypted at rest (AES-256-GCM). Deal Vault access & retention: Your private Deal Vault link (/auto/my-deal/...) keeps working until you delete it; Deal Vault records do not expire automatically. Uploaded quote and contract files are deleted automatically 30 days after upload. Tap Delete now in your Deal Vault to remove your Deal Vault record and the files you uploaded from active systems immediately (email requests to support@vaultrubric.com are completed within 2 business days). Who can open it: the link is a long random code (128-bit). On any browser other than the one that saved it, we email a one-time 6-digit code to the address on file before showing your deal details or uploads; deleting a vault always needs a fresh emailed code. Our own software reads it, and when you start your deal, a human VaultRubric Deal Desk specialist reviews your approved deal.
How does the checkout and Deal Vault flow work?
Tap Start my deal and run the free Fee Check. No card to start. After you see our service price in writing and agree to it, you save a card with Stripe (stored, not charged). We charge $299 ($199 for the first 50 deals) only after our staff verify your signed paperwork. Once your card is saved, your private Deal Vault opens for your dealer quotes. Start my deal is available in 39 supported jurisdictions; it is not available yet in AZ, CO, NV, CA, IN, AR, MS, TX, ND, SD, PA, WV. The $39 DIY Audit is available in all 50 states + D.C. Our state fee guides on /auto (doc-fee caps, rules and sources for all 50 states plus D.C.) are free.
What is the refund policy?
Start my deal — what you pay: $0 today. $299 ($199 for the first 50 deals) is charged only after our staff verify your signed purchase paperwork, never on a self-report. You pay $0 if you don’t buy, if you cancel before you sign, or if we don’t beat your best written quote by $500. Charged in error? Full refund if reported within 30 days.
Is this financial or legal advice?
No. Educational only, not financial or legal advice. Verify all figures with your lender and dealer. It covers the math and the state rules we can source; your signed contract and your state's law decide.
Educational only, not financial or legal advice. Verify all figures with your lender and dealer.