01
Hours you won't get back
The showroom marathon — waiting, stalling, "let me check with my manager."
Houston, Texas — Automotive Negotiation Concierge
I switched sides of the table.
Ten years selling cars on the Houston dealership floor — now I do the research and the negotiation alone. You show up only when you want a test drive, and on signing day — where I'm in the F&I chair beside you. Your Saturday back, the markup off the page.
Start with a free 5-minute consultation — see exactly how I can help.
Flat fee. No surprises.
Zero dealer commissions.
10 years on the inside.
The Problem
The deck is built against you.
A dealership runs a trained team with one job: protect their margin. You get an afternoon and a gut feeling. That isn't a fair fight — it's a system, and the system usually wins.
02
Fees in the fine print
Padded add-ons buried in the out-the-door price, where buyers never look.
03
Pressure by design
Tactics engineered to rush you past a calm, clear-headed decision.
04
The "did I overpay?"
Driving home unsure whether you got a fair deal — or lost thousands.
Free Guide
The Houston Car Buyer's Insider Guide.
Ten years on the dealership floor, written for the buyer. The plays, the traps, and the exact phrases that move the number down — concise enough to read tonight.
- The four separate negotiations dealers blend into one
- The F&I office — what to decline, and when
- How to get real out-the-door quotes by email
- Trade-in: what to do before you talk to any dealer
- Pre-approval as your single biggest piece of leverage
- Texas-specific junk fees you can refuse
How It Works
Three steps. No stress.
You make the decisions. I do the rest.
STEP 01
Tell me your plan
A relaxed conversation about the vehicle you want, your budget, and any trade-in. I listen first.
STEP 02
I go to work
I research the fair price, contact dealerships as your advocate, and negotiate the deal and the fees down.
STEP 03
Signing day — together
I hand you a vetted, negotiated deal. On signing day I'm in the F&I chair beside you, so the deal we negotiated is the one that lands on paper. You sign, and drive home.
Why CarSide
Built to be trusted — by design.
Plenty of services say they're on your side. The business model is the proof.
I answer only to you
Not one dollar comes from any dealership. Your flat fee is the only income — so the advice has no hidden agenda.
Insider knowledge
Ten years selling cars. I know every play on the desk — and now they all work for the buyer.
Flat fee, fully clear
One price, agreed upfront. No percentages, no commissions, no surprises on either side.
You stay in control
You make every call and buy the car in your own name. I'm your advisor — never a middleman.
Meet Your Advocate
Hi, I'm Dimitri.
"For ten years, I sat on the dealership's side of the table. Now I sit on yours."
I spent a decade selling cars at Houston-area dealerships — AutoNation in north Houston, then West Point Lincoln in Sugar Land, then Classic Chevrolet in Sugar Land. Top salesperson at every store I worked. I know exactly how the dealership game is played, because I played it well: how the price is built, how the four-square steers you toward a monthly payment instead of the real number, and what the finance office does after you think you're done.
I also watched the frustration up close, every day. After ten years, I decided I'd rather use all of it for you. That's CarSide Concierge — no dealership pays me. You do. That's the whole point.
The F&I Office
Where most buyers lose the money.
After you say "yes," there's another room and another desk. Extended warranties, gap insurance, paint protection, rate markup — pure profit territory, presented as paperwork. The average buyer is tired, two hours past hungry, and a thousand dollars from done. That's where the bill quietly grows.
Extended warranties
Usually overpriced in the finance office and available cheaper later. We decide on facts, not pressure.
Gap insurance
Sometimes useful. Almost always cheaper at your own bank or credit union. We weigh it on its own.
Paint & fabric
The package with the longest profit margin in the building. Default answer: no thank you.
Rate markup
The APR the lender approved isn't always the APR you sign. With a pre-approval in hand, we know where the floor is.
I'm in the chair next to you. We say no together.
The Service
One service. Everything handled.
No confusing tiers. I take your car purchase from the first piece of research to the final signature — for a flat fee of $1,200. Same price whether you're buying a Honda or a Range Rover.
What's included
- A consultation to pin down exactly what you want
- Fair-price research — your true out-the-door target
- I contact multiple dealerships as your advocate
- Written out-the-door quotes, gathered and compared
- Full price & fee negotiation, handled for you
- A junk-fee audit of the final numbers
- Trade-in strategy and guidance
- Plain-English review of any financing offer
- A final, vetted deal summary — ready to sign
$1,200 flat
One transparent price, agreed before any work begins. The same fee whether you're buying a $35K Honda or a $90K Range Rover. No commissions, no percentages, no hidden costs — and never a dollar from the dealership.
Paid in two halves: $600 to start the engagement, $600 on signing day at the dealership.
Start the engagement — pay $600 depositSecure checkout via Stripe · Apple Pay, Google Pay, card
Not sure yet? Schedule a free 5-minute call first →
Put a dealership insider on your side.
Ten years of inside knowledge, working entirely for you. It starts with one short call.
Schedule a 5-Minute ConsultationFree · about 5 minutes · no obligation
Questions
Good questions, answered honestly.
Are you a dealership or a car broker? +
No. CarSide Concierge is an independent advisory and negotiation service. I don't sell cars, hold inventory, or take title to vehicles. You always buy directly from a licensed dealership, in your own name. I'm simply your advocate in the process.
How do you get paid? +
Only by you — one flat fee, agreed upfront. I never accept commissions or payment from dealerships or lenders. That independence is what keeps the advice genuinely on your side.
How much will I actually save? +
It varies with the vehicle and the market, so I never promise a number. Industry data on professional car-buying services shows typical savings well into the thousands, and for most clients the fee pays for itself many times over. I'll always give you an honest read for your situation.
Do I still go to the dealership myself? +
Only twice. Once for a test drive whenever you want one (or skip it if you've already driven the car). And once for signing day — where I'm in the F&I chair beside you, reviewing every line of the buyer's order. The research, the negotiation, and the back-and-forth — all handled before we walk in.
Can you help with financing? +
I don't arrange, broker, or sell financing. I will review a dealer's financing offer with you in plain English so you understand the terms, and I always suggest checking with your own bank or credit union too.
What areas do you serve? +
The greater Houston metro. When a specific vehicle is best sourced beyond the metro, I'll go further if it means a better car or a better deal.
From the Playbook
Articles from the inside.
Standalone reads drawn from the same playbook — every dealership tactic and how to defuse it. Free.
Article · 7 min read · New
AutoNation Houston Dealer Fees, Decoded by a Former AutoNation Salesperson
Five years on AutoNation's Houston floors — Honda, Ford, Mercedes-Benz. Every line on the buyer's order, what it actually costs the dealer, and which ones come off when you push back.
Read the article →Article · 6 min read · New
What an 'Out-the-Door Price' Actually Looks Like at a Houston Dealership
Every line on a Houston dealership OTD price sheet, decoded by someone who used to write them. What's required, what's padding.
Read the article →Article · 6 min read · New
Gap Insurance in Texas: Why Houston Dealers Charge $1,000 for a $200 Product
Why the F&I office wants you to buy gap from them, why you almost never should, and exactly how to get the same coverage for a quarter of the price.
Read the article →Article · 5 min read
How to Buy a Car in Houston Without Getting Hustled
The playbook for buying a car in Houston, the fees you can refuse, and how to walk in calm and prepared.
Read the article →Article · 4 min read
Junk Fees on a Texas Car Deal: Which Ones You Can Refuse
Which fees on your Texas car deal are real, which are padding, and exactly how to push back in writing.
Read the article →Article · 5 min read
How to Negotiate a Car Price in Houston
The exact playbook for negotiating a car price in Houston — and how to defuse the tactics they'll try on you.
Read the article →Article · 4 min read
Why a "Free" Car-Buying Service Is Never Actually Free
"Free" services are paid by the dealerships they route you to. Here's the math — and the transparent alternative.
Read the article →Get Started
Schedule a 5-minute consultation to see how I can help.
No pressure and no obligation — just an honest, quick conversation about your car-buying plans and where I can take the stress (and cost) off your plate.
Call or text(832) 964-8846 Email
[email protected]