Press & Media
Everything your newsroom needs to cover the Dealer Transparency Index. Data, story angles, brand assets, and boilerplate — ready to go.
By the Numbers
How We Get the Data
Every score in the Dealer Transparency Index is based on real out-the-door (OTD) price quotes collected by CarEdge's AI car-buying agent. The agent contacts dealers on behalf of real consumers, requests itemized pricing, and captures the full breakdown — doc fees, add-ons, taxes, and final OTD price. This creates a closed loop: consumers get better deals, and the data powers transparency scores for every dealer in the country.
About CarEdge DTI
Copy-pasteableThe CarEdge Dealer Transparency Index (DTI) is the first data-driven rating system that scores car dealerships based on their actual pricing practices — not reviews, not advertising spend, not self-reported data. Every score is calculated from verified out-the-door (OTD) quotes collected through CarEdge's nationwide car-buying platform.
The DTI analyzes doc fees, dealer add-ons, and the gap between listing price and final out-the-door price to assign every dealer a transparency score from 0 to 100 and a letter grade (A through F). The same methodology is applied to every dealer, regardless of size, brand, or location. Dealers cannot pay to improve their score.
To date, CarEdge has analyzed over 33,567 verified OTD quotes from more than 8,762 dealerships across all 50 states. The DTI is a free, public resource at dealer-transparency.caredge.com, giving car buyers an objective way to compare dealers before they set foot on a lot.
Story Angles
Pre-researched pitches with supporting data. Each links to a full report with additional detail.
“We Analyzed 33,000+ Car Dealer Quotes. Here's What They're Hiding.”
The average car buyer pays $387 in doc fees and hundreds more in add-ons they never asked for.
- Average dealer markup is 7-8% above listing price — before tax and title
- Only 25% of dealers charge zero add-ons
- Doc fees vary by up to $800 between states for the same service
“The Most (and Least) Transparent Car Dealers in Every State”
State-by-state data reveals which dealers play fair and which ones pad your bill.
- Every state has a different legal cap on doc fees — some have none at all
- The best dealers in each state charge $0 in add-ons
- Some states average 2x the national doc fee
“Which Car Brands Have the Most Honest Dealers?”
Not all brand dealerships are created equal — some charge thousands more than others for the same "service."
- Grade A dealers exist for every major brand
- Some brands have 3x more F-rated dealers than A-rated ones
- Luxury brands aren't always worse — the data might surprise you
“The $3,000 Line Item Dealers Hope You Won't Notice”
Dealer add-ons — nitrogen tire fills, paint protection, LoJack — are the fastest-growing hidden cost in car buying.
- Average add-on cost when present: $1,500+
- These fees are almost always negotiable (or removable)
- Dealers with mandatory add-ons score dramatically lower on transparency
“A New Rating System Scores Car Dealers on What Matters: Their Actual Prices”
CarEdge's Dealer Transparency Index grades every dealer based on verified out-the-door quotes — not reviews, not advertising spend.
- Scores are based on real OTD quotes, not self-reported data
- The same methodology applies to every dealer — no pay-to-play
- Consumers can compare doc fees, add-ons, and markup side by side
Brand Assets
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