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Email templates › Cars and getting around

Cars and getting around

18 emails, grouped by the kind of business you are writing to. Each template is a complete email with the blanks marked, plus what to have ready before you send and what to expect after. If you'd rather not run the conversation yourself, every page has a button that hands the job to myagent@standinfor.me.

Car dealer

  • Ask about a used car's historyThe questions to ask when buying a used car, in one email to the seller: history report, title, service records, known problems and an inspection.
  • Ask a dealer for the out-the-door priceWhat the out-the-door price covers, and a copy-and-paste email that gets a dealer to send it itemized and in writing before you set foot in the showroom.
  • Ask a dealer to remove add-onsA polite email that lists each dealer add-on on your quote, from VIN etching to paint sealant, and asks for a revised total in writing without them.
  • Ask for a lease buyout quoteHow a lease buyout works, plus an email that gets your leasing company or dealer to list the payoff, fees, tax and registration in writing, line by line.
  • Get quotes from several dealers at onceSend one quote request to every dealer with the car you want, line up the written out-the-door prices, then ask your preferred dealer to match the lowest.
  • Get trade-in offers by emailBefore you trade in a car, email dealers and buyers the same photos and details, collect written offers, and use the best to raise your dealer's number.
  • Negotiate a car price by emailNegotiate a car price without the showroom pressure: a counteroffer email with your out-the-door number, the reason for it, and the day you'll sign.

Auto repair shop

  • Ask a body shop for an estimateSend your photos with this email and get a written, itemized body shop estimate back, with parts, labor and paint broken out, insurance claim or not.
  • Ask if the diagnostic fee counts toward the repairBefore you drop the car off, ask what the mechanic's diagnostic fee is, whether it's credited toward the repair, and to call before going past your cap.
  • Ask a mechanic for a repair estimateAn email that gets a written car repair estimate from several mechanics, split into parts, labor and fees, so you can compare shops before you book.
  • Ask a shop to redo a failed repairThe problem your mechanic fixed is back. This email asks the shop to redo the repair at no charge under its parts and labor warranty, invoice attached.
  • Dispute an auto repair billA calm auto repair complaint for a bill above the estimate you approved or with work you never OK'd, asking the shop for a corrected invoice or a refund.

Freight and trucking

  • Report freight damage or a delayFile a freight claim by email: report the damage or delay to the carrier, attach photos, the delivery receipt and invoice, and ask for one specific amount.
  • Get quotes to ship a carGet a written car shipping quote from several companies with one email, and learn who's a carrier or broker, the deposit terms and what insurance covers.
  • Get a freight shipping quoteAn email with the size, weight, packing and dock details a carrier needs for an accurate freight quote, liftgate and residential fees included.

Bus rental

  • Change a charter bus bookingAn email that asks a bus company to change the date, times, stops or passenger count on an existing charter booking and to confirm the new price in writing.
  • Cancel a charter bus and get a refundA polite email that cancels a charter bus booking, cites the cancellation terms in your contract, and asks for the deposit or payment to be refunded on time.
  • Get a charter bus quoteAn email with the group size, itinerary and dates a bus company needs for an accurate charter bus quote, asking for gratuity, fuel and overtime up front.