Prepare with Miles
Your free car buying consultant, before the dealer
Not sure where to start? Tell Miles the car you want. He checks what it really sells for near you, works from your budget and your trade, and stays in your corner from the first search to the final paperwork.
Free, no account to start. Already have one? Open Prepare with Miles
Miles
Dealer insider, on your side
Here's what the market says about a 2024 Honda CR-V EX-L: listings typically run around $31,500, with most between $28,500 and $34,500. Before we go further, one question so I can tailor this to you. When are you hoping to have this done?
Just about. Here's the math:
| From your facts | Amount |
|---|---|
| Loan: $525 a month, 60 months, 6.9% | $26,577 |
| Down payment | $2,000 |
| RAV4 equity: $17,500 offer, $12,200 payoff | $5,300 |
| Out the door | $33,877 |
| Car price after 8% tax and fees | $31,367 |
| Typical 2024 Honda CR-V EX-L near you | $31,500 |
Aim below the typical price, not at it. Next step: ask three dealers for an itemized out-the-door price by email. Want me to draft it?
Your facts
- How you're paying
- Financing (dealer or a lender)
- Pre-approved
- Yes, 6.9%
- Credit
- Good (700 to 749)
- Monthly target
- $525 a month
- Down payment
- $2,000
Trade-in: 2019 Toyota RAV4, payoff $12,200, outside offer $17,500.
Positive equity: $5,300 toward the next car.
At $525 a month for 60 months at 6.9%, about $33,877 out the door, or about $31,367 for the car before tax and fees.
What matters to you
- AWD
- Heated seats
- Apple CarPlay
Want to be done before the RAV4's registration renews in December.
Where to start when you're buying a car
Most people start with a monthly payment, which is the number a dealer is happiest to hear. Start here instead. Miles takes you through it in this order.
- 1
Know what the car really sells for
Not the sticker, not the listing. Miles searches live listings near you for the exact year, trim and mileage and shows the typical price and range.
- 2
Know your budget out the door
Add your monthly target, rate and down payment to your buying profile and Miles works back to the most you should spend out the door, and what that leaves for the car.
- 3
Know what your trade is worth
Your equity is an outside offer minus what you still owe. Miles shows you the number and tells you how to get a written offer the dealer has to beat.
- 4
Get your own financing first
A pre-approval from a bank or credit union gives you a rate to hold against the finance office. Miles explains what rate your credit should get.
- 5
Ask for the out-the-door price in writing
One number, itemized, by email, from more than one dealer. Miles helps you word the request, so every dealer is quoting the same total.
- 6
Scan the quote
When a dealer sends numbers, scan the document. Miles checks every fee, add-on and rate on the page and gives you the words to push back with.
More on the first two steps in what you should pay for a car, and on the financing in what a good APR looks like.
Start with the car you want
Type the car. Miles checks live listings near you and shows the typical price in about a minute. Then create a free account and your consultant opens with that car already on your list.
- 1. Check the market price. No account needed.
- 2. Sign up free under the result.
- 3. Add your trade, budget and what matters. Miles takes it from there.
DealPrepare does not sell cars. Miles works for you.
What Miles does for you
Remembers your situation
Every car you are considering, your trade, your budget, and what matters to you, in one place. You never start over.
Uses real numbers
Miles quotes only figures from your market checks and the profile you gave him. When something is missing, he asks instead of guessing.
Keeps you on track
What to do next and when to walk in, one step at a time, so the first time you talk to a dealer you already know your numbers.
What Miles won't do until you scan a quote
He won't audit fees or give a verdict on a price you type in. A dealer's number means little without the fees, add-ons and rate around it, and those are on the document. When a quote arrives, scan it and Miles reads every line. Your first scan is free.
A consultant, not a broker
A car broker negotiates for you and charges a fee for it, often several hundred dollars or more. Miles gives you what a good broker knows, the market price, the fair fees and the rate you should get, so you negotiate your own deal with confidence. If you want a person in your corner too, an Expert Review adds a human professional, and in the Chicago area an advocate can come to the dealership with you. Broker or AI: which is right for you.
Frequently asked questions
- Where do I start when buying a car?
- Start with two numbers before you talk to a dealer: what the exact car sells for near you, and the most you can spend out the door. Then get your own financing and an outside offer on your trade, and ask dealers for an itemized out-the-door price in writing. Prepare with Miles walks you through each step for free.
- Is there a free car buying consultant?
- Yes. Prepare with Miles is free: check a car's market price with no account, then sign up to keep going with Miles, up to 30 messages a day. Scanning a dealer's quote uses your free monthly scan or a $29 Deal Review.
- What does a car buying consultant do?
- A consultant helps you decide what to pay and how to approach the dealer before you sign anything: the market price for the car, your real budget, your trade-in's value, your financing, and what to ask for. Miles does this from live market data and your own numbers. He does not negotiate for you; you walk in knowing what a fair deal looks like.
- Does Miles sell cars or work for dealers?
- No. DealPrepare does not sell cars. Miles works for you, the buyer, and his advice comes from live market listings and the numbers you give him.
- Can Miles tell me if a dealer's quote is good?
- Only after you scan it. A typed-in price is not enough to judge fees, add-ons or the rate, so Miles gives no verdict on a quote until he has read the actual document. Scanning it checks every line against real benchmarks.
- Should I get pre-approved before going to a dealership?
- Yes. A pre-approval from a bank or credit union tells you the rate you actually qualify for and gives you a number to compare against the finance office's offer. Dealers can mark up the rate they show you, and a pre-approval is the simplest way to see it.