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Notes & Essays

Everything You Need to Know About Car Buying

by Collin Blewett

A full-size Ford pickup truck with its lights on, parked outdoors.
The Story6 min read

How I Found My Dad the Right Truck in One Weekend

The right truck was a few states away, for reasons that had nothing to do with the truck itself. So I flew out, checked it, and drove it home. This is the trip that started everything.

By Collin Blewett · August 5, 2026Read
Two people shaking hands over paperwork at a desk, representing a car-buying deal being closed.
The Story6 min read

What Happened to My Mom at the Dealership (And Why It Happens to So Many Women)

Two hours of being talked over, then a lowball on her trade. What happened to my mom wasn't a bad day at one bad store. It's the standard, and it's why I do this.

January 29, 2026Read
A used car driving down a road at dusk, illustrating how good cars and lemons can look the same.
The Economics6 min read

The Lemons Problem: The Real Economics Behind Why You Can't Trust a Used Car Deal

That uneasy feeling on a used-car lot has a name. An economist explained decades ago why buyers brace themselves, and why the side that knows more always wins.

July 26, 2025Read
A person signing paperwork with a pen at a desk, illustrating the dealership negotiation process.
The System7 min read

Inside the Dealership Playbook: How the House Always Wins

It's not a culture. It's a playbook. Salesman, manager, finance office: three rooms, one job. Here's how the play runs, in the words of the people who used to run it.

January 18, 2025Read
A gleaming sports car displayed in a dealership showroom, evoking the feeling of walking into a trap.
The System7 min read

Why Buying a Car Feels Like a Trap (And How It Got That Way)

It wasn't always this way. My mom's trade-in got lowballed, and it made me ask why almost everyone dreads the dealership. The answer goes back further than one bad salesman.

July 15, 2024Read
A set of keys and a house key fob resting on a desk, representing trusted advocacy for the buyer.
The Service6 min read

What Is a Car Buyer's Agent? (Like a Real Estate Agent, But for Cars)

You'd never buy a house without an agent. So why face a trained sales team alone for your second-biggest purchase? Here's exactly what I do, and what it costs.

January 8, 2024Read

Buying soon? Let's talk.

Most of what I do starts with a short conversation, long before any dealership sees you coming.

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