Your Nashville car-buying checklist.

01 / Your starting point

A little preparation gives you more room to decide.

You do not need to know your perfect model before asking a question. Start with the people you carry, the driving you do and a budget that leaves room for insurance and ownership costs. This checklist is for Nashville-area shoppers preparing for a dealership visit, including first-time buyers.

• Bring photo ID and confirm the documents needed for your situation.
• Arrange insurance with your insurer before taking delivery.
• Bring any financing offer you want to compare, through an agreed secure channel.
• For a trade, gather registration, title information and a current lender payoff.
• Ask for an itemized out-the-door quote and read the complete agreement.
• Confirm a visit with Cihan before making the trip to Madison.

02 / Identification and paperwork

Bring the right documents for the job.

For a dealership visit: confirm first.

A valid driver's license is sensible preparation if you want to drive a vehicle; confirm the dealer's test-drive requirements in advance. Ask which buyers or co-buyers need to attend, what identification is accepted, and whether an appointment or a particular document is needed. A driver's license, financing approval and registration eligibility are separate matters.

For Tennessee title and registration: use the official list.

The Davidson County Clerk says vehicle registration requires government-issued photo identification. If your ID was not issued by Tennessee, its instructions call for two acceptable proofs of residency. For a recent purchase, ask whether the dealer is submitting the title on your behalf and keep all documents supplied with the sale. Read the Clerk's current instructions.

Live outside Davidson County? Use your own county clerk's requirements rather than assuming the Nashville office handles your registration.

03 / Money before models

Compare the whole agreement.

Choose a comfortable spending range before visiting. Include the down payment, insurance, fuel, maintenance and an emergency cushion. A monthly payment alone does not tell you the cost of a vehicle.

If you have a bank or credit-union offer, bring its terms for comparison. A lender may ask for income, employment or residence verification; ask the finance team which documents it needs and how to provide them securely. Do not send pay stubs, bank statements, account numbers or your Social Security number through this website or text messages.

• Compare the same amount financed and loan term when looking at APR.
• Ask whether approval is final or conditional and what conditions remain.
• Separate optional products from the vehicle price and financing terms.
• Ask how changing the down payment or term changes the total of payments.

No credit outcome, rate or approval is promised here. The CFPB explains dealer-arranged and direct financing.

04 / Before taking the keys

Talk to your insurer before delivery.

Ask your insurer for a quote on the specific vehicle and when coverage must begin. Do not assume your current policy automatically covers a replacement for a particular number of days. If you finance or lease, confirm any lender coverage and deductible requirements.

Tennessee requires financial responsibility; its Revenue Department explains liability coverage and other qualifying options. Use that guidance and your insurer to confirm your situation. Tennessee financial-responsibility guidance.

A separate Tennessee notice describes changes beginning July 1, 2027, including proof for initial registration. That is a future effective date, not a new October 2026 requirement. Read Notice 26-16.

05 / Bringing another vehicle

Make the trade easier to explain.

Gather the registration, title if you hold it, all keys, mileage and any service records you want considered. Confirm how all titled owners will participate. If a lender holds the title, ask how its payoff and title release will be handled instead of assuming you need a paper title in hand.

Request a current payoff quote from your lender with its good-through date. A statement balance is not always the amount needed to settle the loan. Ask for the trade value, payoff and any remaining gap as separate numbers. Our financed trade-in guide and private equity calculator explain that difference.

Keep originals and financial details private until you have an agreed secure way to share them. The website calculator needs no account number, VIN or uploaded paperwork.

06 / The number beyond the sticker

Ask for taxes and registration to be itemized.

Ask for a written out-the-door quote showing the vehicle price, fees, optional products, taxes and title/registration charges. Keep the trade allowance and loan payoff distinct so you can follow the calculation.

Tennessee's Department of Revenue notes that county wheel and local taxes can vary. Use the official guidance for the county where the vehicle will be registered rather than a single statewide estimate. Tennessee vehicle sales-tax guidance.

For Davidson County, the County Clerk's vehicle sales-tax calculator explains its taxable-amount calculation, including trade-in credit. Confirm the actual transaction with the dealer or Clerk; this page does not quote fees or calculate tax liability.

07 / At the dealership

A useful visit follows your questions.

1. Confirm the plan. Agree on a time, who you are meeting and whether the vehicles you want to compare are available.
2. Explain your everyday use. Passenger space, commute, parking, cargo and trade situation help narrow the choices.
3. Check the fit. Sit in every row you use, try the cargo space and request a test drive subject to dealer requirements.
4. Review the numbers. Discuss the vehicle, any trade and financing separately before combining them.
5. Read before signing. Ask about anything unclear and keep a complete copy of what you agree to.

This is a suggested preparation sequence, not a guaranteed visit length or dealership process. If you are comparing three-row SUVs, use the Highlander versus Grand Highlander family checklist to plan what to test.

08 / Before you say yes

Six questions worth slowing down for.

• Does the agreement identify the vehicle and all agreed terms correctly?
• Which products are optional, and what do they cost?
• What warranty applies to this particular vehicle, and what is excluded?
• Are any repairs or promises written into the agreement?
• If financing, what are the APR, term, finance charge and total of payments?
• Who handles title, registration and any trade payoff, and how do I follow up?

For a used vehicle, consider an independent inspection and review the vehicle history and written warranty information. Tennessee's Motor Vehicle Commission offers a practical buying and inspection guide.