Sample report
This is what
you get.
Buyer: Sample Buyer, Columbus, Ohio 43215, within 50 miles
Car: 2026 Toyota RAV4 XLE Premium Hybrid, front-wheel drive, any colour but red
Paying: cash or own credit-union loan
Dealers asked: 8 · written prices: 5 · compete rounds: 1
The answer
Dealer A: $40,197 all in, in writing. No extras, paperwork fee at the legal cap. That's $918 under the fair top price of $41,115.
The ranking
After one compete round. "All in" means car + paperwork fee + extras + tax + state fees. On a phone you see the totals; the full breakdown shows on a wider screen and in your PDF.
| # | Dealer | Car price | Paperwork fee | Extras | Tax 8% | State fees | All in | What we spotted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dealer A 22 mi | $36,700 | $398 | none | $2,936 | $163 | $40,197 | Clean |
| 2 | Dealer D 9 mi | $37,050 | $398 | none | $2,964 | $163 | $40,575 | Add-ons removed in round 2 after we asked |
| 3 | Dealer E 31 mi | $37,100 | $450 | none | $2,968 | $163 | $40,681 | Doc fee $450 is above Ohio's 2026 cap of $398 |
| 4 | Dealer B 14 mi | $37,550 | $398 | $995 | $3,083.60 | $163 | $42,189.60 | $995 protection package: ask for it removed |
| 5 | Dealer C 40 mi | $37,550 | $398 | $1,500 | $3,124 | $163 | $42,735 | $1,500 market adjustment above MSRP |
No written price:
- Dealer F (18 mi): Replied asking you to come in; no written OTD
- Dealer G (27 mi): No reply after a follow-up
- Dealer H (45 mi): No reply after a follow-up
Dealer by dealer
Dealer A (22 mi). First price $40,467. After the compete round: $40,197. Clean quote. Beat the round-1 best by $250 in round 2.
Dealer D (9 mi). First price $41,436.84 including Window tint (pre-installed) $399, Nitrogen tyres $199. After the compete round: $40,575. Dropped both add-ons in writing in round 2.
Dealer E (31 mi). First price $40,681. Ask them to correct the doc fee to $398 or less before anything else.
Dealer B (14 mi). First price $42,189.60 including Paint and fabric protection $995. Full sticker plus a protection package. No reply in round 2.
Dealer C (40 mi). First price $42,735 including Market adjustment $1,500. Markup over sticker. Not worth the drive unless stock elsewhere runs out.
The fair top price
What you should never pay more than: the sticker price plus the capped paperwork fee, tax and state fees, with no extras.
| Line | Amount | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Price, XLE Premium Hybrid FWD | $36,100 | toyota.com/rav4 (search result, 14 Oct 2026) |
| Delivery charge | $1,450 | Consumer Reports first-drive review (search result) |
| Ohio paperwork (doc) fee cap, 2026 | $398 | Ohio Dealer Licensing |
| Sales tax, Franklin County | 8.00% | Ohio Dept. of Taxation, Oct 2026 |
| Tax on the car | $3,004 | Ohio has not taxed the doc fee since May 2023 (accounting-firm note; not yet checked with the state) |
| Title fee | $18 | Ohio BMV (some counties $23) |
| Hybrid registration fee | $100 | Ohio BMV |
| Plates and local registration | $45 | Our estimate; the dealer's quote shows the exact amount |
| Fair top price, all in | $41,115 |
What to do next
- Email Dealer A: "I'd like to buy the car in your quote of [date], VIN [VIN], at $40,197 all in. Please hold it and send the buyer's order with the same numbers."
- Take the written price with you. Sign only if every line matches.
- If that car is sold, Dealer D is your backup at $40,575.
What to say
If new extras show up
These weren't on the written price you sent me on [date]. Please take them off, or I'll go with the other written price I have.
If they push their financing
I'm using my own loan. The written all-in price is the number I'm signing for.
If the paperwork fee is too high
Ohio caps the documentary fee at $398 for 2026. Please correct it.
In the finance office
No thank you to all add-on products. I'll decide on coverage later.
If they say the price was a mistake
I have it in writing from [name] on [date]. If you can't honour it, I'll buy from the next dealer on my list.
Before you sign
- The VIN matches the quote
- Car price, paperwork fee, tax and state fees match line by line
- No extras you didn't agree to in writing
- Tax is on the right amount
SAMPLE report built from public data. Dealers and their prices are made up.