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A car expert is going viral on TikTok after laying out what he says are some of the most important things buyers should know before stepping into a dealership’s finance office.
Tomislav Mikula (@tomislavmikula), who bills himself as a personal car-buying advocate, says one of the most stressful parts of buying a vehicle often comes after shoppers think they’re done negotiating—it’s during their subsequent chats with the finance office. Here is where Mikula says buyers are usually talked into spending more than they expected.
He says that’s because finance managers are trained to squeeze extra profit out of the deal through things like add-ons or tweaked interest rates.
That’s why Mikula says preparation matters just as much in the finance office as it does on the showroom floor. In his video, he walks viewers through several tips he believes can help buyers avoid costly mistakes and leave with a better overall deal.
As of this writing, the clip had racked up more than 57,400 views.
What Are The Tips?
Mikula starts by urging buyers to understand exactly who they’re dealing with. He says the finance manager is often the dealership’s strongest salesperson, skilled at selling products and terms that may not actually benefit the customer.
He uses interest rates as a prime example. Many buyers assume getting pre-approved is always the smartest move, but Mikula says that isn’t necessarily true, depending on what you’re buying.
“The question you have to ask is if you’re buying a new car or a used car?” Mikula says.
For new vehicles, he recommends checking the manufacturer’s website for promotional financing before ever stepping into the dealership.
“Your credit union isn’t touching this rate, but if you don’t look this up before you go,” Mikula says, “the dealership is ecstatic because a lot of time they can mark up these rates and seem like they’re beating your rate even though they’re making money marking you up.”
When it comes to used cars, Mikula says pre-approval can still work in your favor. “Bring that to the dealership and have them beat it,” he says. “There’s no negative to this as you are going to get a better rate at the end result.”
He also cautions buyers about add-ons in the finance office, saying most don’t deliver the value they promise. “My general rule of thumb to get the best possible deal is to just keep saying no,” Mikula says. “With gap insurance, use your car insurance as a negotiation tool to get the price down.”
One thing he’s firm about is avoiding monthly payment negotiations altogether. “Always negotiate the actual cost,” he says. “If you’re ever worried if you’re overspending, just shop it.” His final piece of advice is simple but often overlooked.
“Make sure everything’s correct,” Mikula says. “This is where things change.”
Negotiating With the Finance Manager
Mikula is onto something: While negotiating with a dealership’s finance manager isn’t necessarily intimidating, it does require finesse and preparation.
And as Mikula suggested in his video, one of the biggest mistakes buyers make is letting the conversation drift toward monthly payments rather than the car’s actual cost.
Before you ever step into the finance office, it helps to have a baseline. Oftentimes, that means getting pre-approved through a bank or credit union—a move which gives buyers both leverage and a clear idea of what a fair interest rate looks like. Just as important, you should already have the out-the-door price locked in with the salesperson.
Inside the finance office, the goal is to stick to the total price and the interest rate. And if you have a pre-approval, as Mikula suggested, ask whether they can beat it.
Then comes more negotiating. Finance managers will often walk through warranties and other add-ons—none of which are mandatory. If you feel comfortable, ask for itemized pricing. And remember, it’s OK to say no to extras.
In the end, even if the negotiating process feels rushed, be sure to take your time reviewing the paperwork. Be sure to double-check the APR, loan term, and final price line by line. Remember, if something doesn’t add up, you can pause or walk away. Sometimes the best negotiating tool you have is doing just that.
Commenters Share Experiences With Finance Managers
Several commenters backed Mikula’s blunt approach, echoing his sentiment that the simplest answer is often the best one.
“Just say NO,” one person urged.
“‘No’ is a complete sentence,” another echoed.
A third said sticking to that strategy changed the dynamic.
“I said no to everything,” they wrote. “You could tell they were not happy with me.”
Others shared frustration with what they described as relentless upselling.
“I really hate the hard sell they try on the extended warranties (service contracts),” one commenter wrote. “I’ve been burned in the past, and I’ll never get another one, but they just can’t seem to accept no as an answer.”
“When I bought my Toyota, the finance manager tried to sell me thousands and thousands of add-ons and a $2,000 GAP insurance, and when I told him no, he called me extremely irresponsible,” they said. (GAP, aka guaranteed asset protection, insurance pays the difference between the actual value and what you owe if the vehicle is stolen or declared a total loss.)
“I had a dealership actually try to sell me ‘loan insurance’ for $3,500 in case I can’t make the payments,” a third commenter wrote. “Complete scam.”
Still, not every upsell ended badly. One viewer shared a rare case where the finance manager’s pitch paid off.
“Glad I let the guy talk me into GAP insurance on my 2025 Santa Fe,” they said. “I hit a deer and totaled it within 3 months lol.”
Motor1 has reached out to Mikula via a direct message on TikTok. We’ll update this article if he replies.
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