A Houston woman who went from deciding to buy a car on Monday to driving off the lot on Wednesday is sharing her negotiation tactics with other first-time buyers looking to avoid getting taken advantage of at the dealership.
Here’s what you need to know so you can get a good deal on a car and avoid overpaying.
Three Days From Decision to Driving
In a viral video with more than 691,000 views, content creator Jaylah (@itsjustjaylahh) broke down her rapid car-buying experience and offered detailed advice for women navigating the often-intimidating dealership process.
"On Monday, I told my mom I was going to buy a car. On Wednesday, I was driving off the lot in said car," Jaylah shared.
"I just want to come on here and tell the other girlies who are buying their first car, don't know where to start, don't know where to go, [and] don't know how to not get finessed."
Jaylah's first tip is to determine exactly what car you're looking for, including the make, model, and year. Once you've found a dealership that has the car, she warns against trusting the online selling price.
"That selling price that you see online is not the out-the-door price," she pointed out.
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Her crucial advice: call the dealership and ask for the out-the-door price before coming in.
"They're gonna try to finesse you and say, just come in," Jaylah warns. "You do not have to come in to get an out-the-door price. All they need from you to get an out-the-door price is your address. That is it."
Jaylah says that after the phone call, she visited the dealership to test drive the Toyota Camry she wanted. After falling in love with the car, the negotiation began. The salesperson kept focusing on monthly payments, but Jaylah had a different strategy.
"When they ask you about your monthly payments or they show you a paper of monthly payments, you say, I'm flexible. We're not worried about that," she advised. "What you're worried about is that out-the-door price because that has all the fees, all the things baked into it that they did not tell you about."
Negotiate Hard and Be Prepared to Walk Away
In an example, Jaylah set the selling price at $25,000 online, but the out-the-door price at around $30,000. She’d immediately pushed back, asking for $27,000.
In her case, when the dealership resisted, she employed a powerful tactic—pretending to leave.
"They're gonna say, ‘No, we can't do that.’ You can't do that? I'm walking. Pretend to leave. Say, ‘OK, I'll find it somewhere else," she explained.
Once they agree to a lower number, keep asking for lower.
"Now they're gonna act like you just asked them to cut off their right arm and feed it to an alligator," she says.
She says she faced two salespeople who made her feel like she was being irrational, but she stood firm.
"Baby, do you believe they came back right where I wanted them?” Jaylah shared.
Jaylah emphasized that buyers shouldn't be afraid to negotiate, even if they don't feel like experts.
"I don't know ball. I'm just good at pretending like I do know ball, and I'm confident enough in myself and my abilities and my intelligence to know I'm gonna get what I want," she says.
Once the price was settled, Jaylah went through her credit union to get a check for the full amount.
"When you go through your credit union or bank, you have a lower APR," she explains. "If you go through the dealership, which they want you to, they want you to finance through them because they get more money, but nine times out of 10, they'll have a higher APR."
Gallery: 2026 Toyota Camry
Are Cars Realy That Expensive?
Jaylah's aggressive negotiation approach comes at a time when car prices remain stubbornly high.
According to NerdWallet, the average transaction price for new vehicles in August 2025 was over $48,000, and new car prices have climbed 22% since 2019, remaining approximately $11,000 higher than before the pandemic.
On top of elevated prices, car buyers who finance face high interest rates and payments. NerdWallet reports that the average car payment in the third quarter of 2025 was $754 for a new car and $565 for a used one, with nearly 20% of new-car buyers committing to monthly payments of $1,000 or more.
These figures underscore why negotiation skills like Jaylah's are more critical than ever. NerdWallet emphasized that doing research and knowing what you can afford before visiting a dealership helps level the playing field with experienced salespeople. Buyers should research current market values using sites like Edmunds or Kelley Blue Book to recognize when dealers are overcharging.
NerdWallet also stresses the importance of asking for a breakdown of fees to see the total out-the-door price, as some dealerships insert bogus charges or inflate documentation fees, exactly what Jaylah avoided by refusing to discuss monthly payments and focusing solely on the out-the-door price.
Commenters React
“Can you just come with me to the dealership,” a top comment read.
“Just know everyone: certified pre-owned or pre owned can be negotiated for ANY AMOUNT. 20k, 15k, 5k. doesn't matter. if its pre-owned, be selfish and negotiate any amount you want,” a person said.
“ALSO GO AT THE LAST DAY OF THE MONTH AND A FEW HOURS BEFORE THEY CLOSE KNOWING WHAT YOU WANT !!!!” another wrote.
Motor1 reached out to Jaylah for comment via email and TikTok direct message. This story will be updated if she replies.
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