I just added a Do Say / Don’t Say Car-Buying Checklist to the classroom inside Coach John’s Car Buying Community. It shows you exactly what to say and what not to say — so you don’t give dealerships leverage before negotiations even start. If you haven’t explored the free resources in the classroom yet, now’s a good time. 👉 Jump into the classroom and grab it for free.

Hey everyone, I’ve never been huge on New Year’s resolutions. If you’re already the person at the gym and working on yourself consistently throughout the year, January just means the place gets packed for two weeks… then empties out again. Effort is always good, obviously. But we don’t need a new calendar to tell us what we already know is right. The best time to start is now! So, heading into 2026, here’s one practical mindset shift that will actually save you and your family real money on a car: Start with the numbers, not the emotions. Before you ever step foot in a dealership, get written Out-The-Door (OTD) quotes from multiple dealers. That means the total price—everything included, drive-out price, no surprises. - Don’t negotiate monthly payments. Negotiate the total OTD price and all fees together. - Ask for that OTD number in writing (via email) before you even visit. - Use those written quotes to make dealers compete—show one a lower quote from another and watch them scramble to beat it. - Know which fees are legit and which are optional junk add-ons you can refuse. My personal goal for 2026? Not just keep myself from getting scammed, but help out friends and family who need it too. Be our brother’s keeper. Anyway, that’s it from me for now. Hope you all have a good start to the year. John