The Car Buying
Playbook
Car buying has to be split into two stages — and most people get that wrong from the start. Follow this playbook in order, take your time, and you will walk away completely in control. No pressure tactics. No post-purchase regret. Because you made the decisions — not the dealership.
Why Surveys Say 50%+ of Car Buyers Have Regrets
Nobody books a flight the same day they decide to take a trip. You research destinations, compare hotels, and figure out what kind of trip you actually want before you ever open your wallet. Skip that part and you end up overpaying for the wrong thing in the wrong place. Car buying works exactly the same way — the research stage and the buying stage are two completely separate trips. The dealership's entire process is designed to collapse both into one visit — under their roof, on their timeline, all to get you paying as much as humanly possible and not understanding why. That's why so many people walk out feeling like they lost. This playbook breaks that.
You might be wondering — why would I pay for something I could do myself? That is true, we don't claim to have some secret sauce or dealer partnership that gets us a better discount than you could get on your own. But we do claim to take the stress and anxiety out of the second biggest purchase of your life — and turn it into something you can actually look forward to. Think of us like a great restaurant. You could cook a Michelin-star meal at home if you had the time and patience. But the point of fine dining was never just the food — it's the ease, the enjoyment, and the feeling you walk away with. That's what we are here to do with the car buying experience. Will we save you money? Absolutely. But that's the byproduct, not the point. — Austin McDonald, Between Gears Consulting
Who's Behind This
I'm Austin McDonald, founder of Between Gears Consulting. I spent a decade in the corporate world before deciding to pursue something I've been passionate about my entire life — cars. I've owned and driven more than most people will in a lifetime, researched virtually every segment obsessively, and as a former car salesman, I know how the process works from both sides of the table.
What corporate life taught me is what actually motivates people — and how rarely they feel taken care of in a big transaction. Car buying is one of the worst offenders. You do your homework, walk in with good intentions, and somehow leave feeling like you lost on what is most people's second biggest purchase. Between Gears exists to change that. The experience should match the size of the decision — and the relationship doesn't end when you drive off the lot. Getting a great deal on the wrong car is still the wrong outcome. That's what I'm here to prevent.
For years, friends and family came to me whenever they were buying a car. I walked them through the process, helped them find the right vehicle, and made sure they didn't leave money on the table. After enough people told me I should be doing this professionally — and after seeing the difference it made for them — Between Gears Consulting became the natural next step.
Austin helped me understand different cars & options I didn’t even know existed. His expertise and knowledge of cars along with a deep understanding of my lifestyle helped me make a smart decision that I am still happy with 2+ years later.
Most people start shopping before they've answered the basics. Don't. Work through these first.
Every client engagement starts here. Before a single vehicle comes up, we talk through how you use your car, what matters to you, and what your real budget looks like. Most people have never had that conversation before someone starts recommending cars. Getting that part right is what makes everything else easier.
Walking into a showroom doesn't mean you're buying. You're still gathering information. Keep numbers completely out of it.
This is where you get specific. One car, one trim, one color. Not a shortlist. One.
That's Stage 1. Most people skip it entirely.
They walk in blind, get steered toward the wrong car, and wonder why they feel regret a year later. If you've done the work above, Stage 2 is just execution.
Walk into every dealer conversation already knowing what a competitive rate looks like. It changes how you negotiate.
Most buyers stop at one or two quotes. That's where they lose thousands. Volume is the strategy.
Most buyers make one or two calls and give up. We make twenty. We know exactly what to say to get a real number, and we don't stop until we have enough quotes to create genuine competition.
You now have real quotes. Use them against each other until the price stops moving.
Your trade-in and the new car purchase are two separate transactions. Treat them that way.
More deals go sideways in the finance office than anywhere else. The bottom line alone doesn't tell you the whole story.
Every contract gets reviewed line by line before you walk into the dealership. If anything looks off from what was agreed upon once you're there, you simply step out and give us a call. We are with you every step of the way.
Signing the paperwork isn't the finish line. You haven't accepted the vehicle until you've walked around it and approved what you see.
The paperwork is signed and the car is in your driveway. There are still a couple of things worth taking care of right away.