Is there anything worse than deciding what vehicle you want, then having to endure a day at the dealership? The whole process can feel like an endurance test. Former car saleswoman Eatth3world (@eatth3world1) says that’s the point: dealerships want you too tired and confused to think. So she’s taking to TikTok to give people car-buying advice. Speaking over an in-video text that reads, "How to buy a car from a car dealership as fast as I can, with as much information as I can," the creator, clad in a hoodie and sunglasses, shares her recent buying experience. Timing Is Everything Considering that the video has garnered 4.4 million views, more than a few people apparently want to feel better prepared to negotiate for a new vehicle. Eatth3world says it starts before you get to the dealership: get a preapproval letter from your bank. "Put it in your back pocket and don’t tell them about it," she instructs. Then go to the dealership about two hours before closing time. "Because if you go in the morning, they’re going to keep you all day and by the end of the day, you’re going to be so tired, you can’t even think straight," she says. Forget the Test Drive and Focus on the Numbers Eatth3world then describes her recent purchase of a Toyota Tacoma. She went in three hours before closing without an appointment. Then she just walked up to a salesperson. And "no," she says, she didn’t test-drive it. "I know how a Tacoma drives." Instead of a test drive, she went straight to the numbers. The price for the vehicle was about $30,000, so out the door (tax, title, and registration), she predicted it’d be about $34,000. But she says to "lowball" that out-the-door price while keeping another one in your head. She offered $32,000, with a goal of $33,500. Beware the Add-Ons After some back-and-forth, she says the salesman came back with an unacceptable price. There was no discount, and he said he couldn’t remove the add-ons. Eatth3world says of the add-ons, "You can take it off." Now the real negotiation began. She got the Tacoma price down to $35,000, but it is still not her $33,500 goal. So she told him he needs to adjust the cost, or there’s "no deal." After a back-and-forth that brought the price down to $34,000, "the big boss comes out" to redirect the conversation to the monthly payment. "This is a tactic that they do," she says. She recommends acting unsure about whether you’ll finance or pay cash—tell them it all hinges on the deal. Finally, the dealership came down to $33,000. Then she pulled out the preapproval. Once you reach this point, she warns you not to let your guard down. She says that now they’re going to try to sell you a protection package. Though he started out trying to get her to pay $3,000 for the coverage, being a former salesperson, Eatth3world says she knows the dealership only pays $1,000 for it. So she offered $1,500. He met her there, and, after she reviewed the paperwork, agreed to cover the lift kit on the Tacoma, too. Are Vehicle Protection Packages Worth It? You might be thinking that the real savings she got were with the vehicle protection package. So the question is: are they worth spending time and money on? Redditors on r/serviceadvisors seem to think that if you do your research on the specifics of the vehicle’s needs and the plan's fine print, it may be worth it. "CarShield and other companies can make sense if you're driving an older vehicle and worried about big-ticket items like transmissions or engines. My cousin had a vehicle protection plan that paid for a transmission replacement, which was way more than the cost of the contract. That said, many people pay in and never really use it. It's kind of like insurance, you’re hoping not to need it," wrote one. Car Buying Advice Resonates Everyone seems to have advice or anxiety about car-buying. The comments section was filled with additional advice and praise for Eatth3world's attempt to make it a little easier. "Go at the end of the month," suggested Caryna. "They’re trying to get the last few sales of the month." Pizzaplastic wanted to legislate a solution, writing, "They need to make laws for this bc I should not have to do all this work just not to be scammed." Others thought it might be simpler to pay Eatth3world to negotiate for them. "My sister, I'll pay you 1k to go with me. What the hell is all this?" said Luisa. The takeaway? A little patience and preparation may help keep thousands of dollars in your wallet. Motor1 reached out to Eatth3world via TikTok direct message. We’ll update this if she gets back to us. We want your opinion! What would you like to see on Motor1.com? Take our 3 minute survey. - The Motor1.com Team