Do I have to pay the full price upfront when buying a car?

No. Most buyers either finance through a lender or the dealer, lease, or pay part in cash as a down payment and borrow the rest. If you pay cash, the dealer will typically require payment by cashier's check, wire or another verified method before you take delivery. Ask the dealer what payment methods they accept and whether there are any limits on card payments. OffLot's Build your deal flow lets you explore buy, lease and cash options with illustrative numbers.