Most dealer add-ons are optional, even when they show up pre-printed on a second window sticker. The only charges you should expect to pay on a new car are the selling price, sales tax, title, registration and the dealer's doc fee. Market adjustments, protection packages, nitrogen, VIN etching, tint, GAP and service contracts are all negotiable or removable. Get each removal confirmed in writing before you sign.
Mandatory, negotiable or worthless: the quick reference
Use this table when a quote or buyer's order lands in your inbox. It sorts each common line item by whether you can refuse it.
| Line item | Can you refuse it? | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Sales tax, title, registration | No. These are government charges. | Check the tax rate and fees match your state and county. |
| Destination charge | No. It is printed on the factory window sticker. | Negotiate the selling price instead. Do not pay destination twice. |
| Doc fee | Usually not as a line item. | Compare it across dealers and ask for a lower selling price to offset a high one. |
| Market adjustment (ADM) | Yes. | Ask for it removed. Walk if the dealer refuses on a car that is easy to find. |
| Paint and fabric protection | Yes. | Decline. If it is already applied, ask for the charge removed. |
| Nitrogen in the tires | Yes. | Decline. Little practical value for a passenger car. |
| VIN etching | Yes. | Decline, or ask your insurer whether it earns a discount first. |
| Window tint | Yes, unless already installed. | If installed, negotiate the price down or ask for a car without it. |
| Wheel locks, door edge guards | Yes. | Decline or ask that they be included at no charge. |
| GAP insurance | Yes. | Decide based on your down payment. Price-check your insurer and lender. |
| Extended service contract | Yes. | Optional at signing and usually available later. Read the cancellation terms. |
Why dealers push add-ons so hard
Add-ons carry far more margin than the car itself. A Center for Responsible Lending analysis found an average combined markup of about 170% on GAP and VIN etching, against an average gross of about 3.4% on the new vehicle, according to Auto Finance News. That analysis used 2015 NADA data, so treat it as old. It is still the most recent published figure we found, and no current, reliable dollar data exists for paint protection, nitrogen, tint or market adjustments. We will not guess at those numbers.
Federal regulators have flagged the same pattern. CFPB supervisory reviews found GAP sold to borrowers who got little or no benefit from it, and charges for add-ons that consumers never agreed to buy, as summarized by Sheppard Mullin. The lesson is simple: read every line, because some charges appear without a conversation.
Market adjustments
A market adjustment, sometimes labeled ADM or "additional dealer markup," is a premium above sticker. During the shortage, it was common. Edmunds data showed 82.2% of new-car buyers paid over sticker in January 2022, as reported by Fox Business. That was a historical peak.
The market has turned. In August 2026 the average buyer paid about 3.4% below the average MSRP, according to Kelley Blue Book figures reported by Digital Dealer. A few tightly supplied models still draw markups. For most cars, a dealer asking over sticker is betting that you will not check other stores.
Protection packages and accessories
Paint and fabric protection
These are coatings applied at the dealership, often bundled as an "appearance package." Modern factory paint already has a clear coat. If the coating is already on the car, the dealer has spent the labor, but you have not agreed to pay for it. Ask for the line removed or for a car that has not been treated.
Nitrogen-filled tires
Ordinary air is already mostly nitrogen. Regulators have noticed: California's CARS Act, in effect since October 1, 2026, bans add-ons that give no meaningful benefit and names non-beneficial nitrogen fills as an example, per the California DMV. That law applies only to California dealers, but it shows how regulators view the product.
VIN etching
Etching the vehicle identification number into the glass is meant to deter theft. Some insurers give a small discount for it, and do-it-yourself kits exist. Call your insurer before you agree to pay a dealer for it.
Window tint
Tint has real value for some drivers, and some dealers install it before the car is sold. Check that the tint level is legal in your state. If you want it, compare the dealer's price with a local tint shop. If you do not want it, ask for a car that has none.
Wheel locks and door edge guards
These are inexpensive parts that are easy to add later. They are a common way to pad a "dealer accessories" line. Decline them, or ask for them at no charge if they are already installed.
GAP insurance and service contracts
These are sold in the finance office after you agree on a price. Cox Automotive found that choosing finance and insurance products is the second-biggest stress point at the dealership, behind waiting time, according to its August 2025 study. Decide what you want before you sit down.
When GAP makes sense
GAP covers the difference between what you owe and what insurance pays if the car is totaled. It matters when you put little money down or roll an old loan into the new one. Edmunds found 29% of trade-ins toward new vehicles carried negative equity in late 2025, with an average of $7,214 owed, per its presentation at the Chicago Fed. If that describes you, GAP may be worth having. Get a price from your auto insurer or credit union before you accept the dealer's.
Extended service contracts
A new car already comes with a factory warranty. A service contract adds coverage after that ends. You do not have to buy it on the day you buy the car, and the price is negotiable. If you buy one, read how cancellation and refunds work.
How to get add-ons removed in writing
- Ask for an itemized out the door quote by email. Request the selling price, every add-on, the doc fee, taxes and government fees on one page. Our guide to negotiating an out the door price by email has wording you can copy.
- State your terms up front. One sentence works: "Please quote with no dealer-installed add-ons or protection packages. If any are already on the car, list them separately with their price."
- Reply to each add-on in writing. "Please remove the paint protection and nitrogen lines and send a revised quote." A revised written quote is your proof.
- Check the buyer's order against the quote. Every line should match. If a removed item reappears, stop and ask why before you sign.
- Check the finance contract against the buyer's order. The cash price on the retail installment contract should equal the agreed number. Any product you declined should not appear.
There is no federal rule that does this for you. The FTC's CARS Rule, which would have required clear add-on disclosures, was vacated by a federal appeals court in 2025 and formally withdrawn in February 2026, per the Federal Register. General federal law against deceptive practices still applies, and some states add their own rules. The written quote is still your best protection.
How the doc fee fits in
The doc fee is not an add-on, but it behaves like one. Dealers set it, and it varies widely. CarEdge reports a national average of $477 in its dealer fee report, and caps exist in some states but not others. See our doc fees by state guide for the reported figures and how to handle a high one.
How SnagMyCar handles add-ons
When we ask dealers to bid, we ask for a written, itemized out the door price. Add-ons show up as their own lines, so you can see which dealer is padding the quote and which is not. When you pick a dealer, we check that their buyer's order matches the exact number you chose before any success fee is charged. The full process is on how it works, and the $499 fee and guarantee are on pricing. To run your own numbers first, try the out the door calculator or work through the new car buying checklist.
When you are ready, start your search.
Questions
Are dealer add-ons mandatory?
No. On a new car, the only charges you must pay are the selling price, sales tax, title and registration fees, and the dealer's doc fee. Products like paint protection, nitrogen, VIN etching, tint, wheel locks, GAP and service contracts are optional, even when they are pre-printed on a dealer sticker. A dealer can refuse to sell you a particular car without them, but you can then ask another dealer for the same car without the extras.
Can a dealer refuse to remove an add-on that is already installed?
A dealer can decline to sell that specific car without charging for the installed item. You still do not have to accept it. Ask for the charge removed, for a lower selling price that offsets it, or for a different car without it. If the dealer will not move, a written quote from another dealer on the same car with no add-ons is the strongest argument you can bring.
What is a market adjustment on a new car?
A market adjustment, often labeled ADM, is an extra charge above the manufacturer's sticker price. It was widespread during the 2021 and 2022 shortage. In the current market most buyers pay below sticker, so a market adjustment on a widely available model is usually a sign to get quotes from other dealers. It is fully negotiable and not a government or factory charge.
Should I buy GAP insurance from the dealer?
Consider GAP if you are putting little money down, financing for a long term or rolling negative equity from a trade-in into the new loan. If you put a large down payment on the car, GAP may give little benefit. Either way, price it with your auto insurer or credit union first. Dealer GAP is optional and its price can be negotiated or declined.
How do I prove the dealer agreed to remove an add-on?
Get a revised written quote or buyer's order with the add-on gone, sent by email. Before you sign, compare the final buyer's order and the finance contract to that written quote line by line. If a removed item reappears, stop and ask for it to be taken off before signing anything.