Dealer Add-Ons.
In plain English
Dealer add-ons are optional products and services a dealership tacks onto the price, such as fabric protection, paint sealant, nitrogen-filled tires, window VIN etching, or an alarm. They show up on a supplemental sticker or in the finance office, and they carry high margins for the dealer. Most are optional even when presented as already installed or non-negotiable. You can ask to remove them, decline them, or negotiate the price down before you agree to the deal.
01Why it matters
Add-ons can pile hundreds or thousands of dollars onto your price for things you may not want, so recognizing them lets you decline and keep that money.
02The math, step by step
A car you agreed to buy at $28,000 comes with a second sticker listing $1,200 in add-ons: paint protection, fabric guard, and nitrogen tires. You can decline these and ask the dealer to remove the charge, which brings the price back to the figure you agreed on.
03What this is NOT
Add-ons are not factory options built into the MSRP. They are dealer-installed extras added after the car arrives, and you can usually refuse them.
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