The FTC is working to address deceptive advertising and unlawful add-on sales in the auto industry by considering changes to the law that would give the agency better tools to protect consumers and honest dealerships. Want to help? Don’t wait! Submit a comment on the rulemaking and make your voice heard.
The FTC’s proposal would ban so-called junk fees and bait-and-switch tactics, and other practices affecting car buyers and honest dealerships. The deadline for comments is September 12, 2022.
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Teresa September 06, 2022Update the lemon law. Like the medical industry all cost and fees upfront or have banks pre-approve prior to contacting the consumer. Just some thoughts might help.
FTC Staff September 07, 2022The comments you put in here in blog are not added to the formal rulemaking.
Add your comments to the rulemaking
Mail your comment to: Federal Trade Commission, Office of the Secretary, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite CC-5610 (Annex C), Washington, DC 20580.
Thomas Hedges September 07, 2022Lying is the way products and services are sold in the USA. The FTC is ineffective. Let me know when you tackle “truth in advertising”. Otherwise, the FTC is a fraud.
Summary Comment September 06, 2022"The proposed rule would
- prohibit motor vehicle dealers from making certain misrepresentations in the course of selling, leasing, or arranging financing for motor vehicles. (That means a demonstrable falsehood.)
- require accurate pricing disclosures in dealers' advertising and sales discussions, (That means bait and switch prohibition.)
- require dealers to obtain consumers' express, informed consent for charges. (That means a column of initialing boxes you may not understand.)
- prohibit the sale of any add-on product or service that confers no benefit to the consumer. (That means no worthless goods may be sold.)
- and require dealers to keep records of advertisements and customer transactions." (A Dealer keeps records of their ads? Fox and Hen House. A Dealer keep records of Purchases or any type of Purchase?)
In reply to "The proposed rule would -… by Summary Comment
The comments you put in here in blog are not added to the formal rulemaking.
Add your comments to the rulemaking.
ONLINE: Go to www.regulations.gov/document/FTC-2022-0046-0001 and click on the COMMENT button.
OR
MAIL your comment to: Federal Trade Commission, Office of the Secretary, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite CC-5610 (Annex C), Washington, DC 20580.
In reply to "The proposed rule would -… by Summary Comment
These same rules should be applied to Recreational Vehicle sales. The RV industry places many upcharges on the vehicles that are not advertised, including charging for inspections, charging to certify the RV is safe, and prep charges, plus many more that are never listed on the ad.
frankie ho September 06, 2022Those cars ad for sale from out of state, do these cars meet California State emission standard?
James Kelly September 07, 2022I reported to this to FTC 2 months ago, no response, but dealer markup on vehicles with Toyota was/is happening and way out of line, only due to shortages! Orders can be taken by the way, but the markup is totally unfair to consumer. Currently Subaru has stock with no dealer markup!
What is listed with a MSRP of $42,000., added dealer markup was $10,000.+.
Donna T September 12, 2022In reply to I reported to this to FTC 2… by James Kelly
100% agree not just Toyota but other dealerships for the popular Maverick truck. Advertise one price on-line but then when get there another $7000+ added to the on-line price.
Rigoberto Alvarado September 13, 2022It’s time that someone put the car dealers in their place, buying a car at the right price always been stressful, specially after Covid where the Honda Westshore in Tampa want it $8,000 plus MSRP for a Honda Civic LX.
Rose Mullet September 07, 2022I understand credit basis for loans. Adequate income should be a consumer option to use instead of credit as in not all instances with credit harm is it the consumer fault. Life events. Divorce. Job loss. Etc. All factors can affect credit including wrong debt reporting that the denial shouldn't inhibit standards of living for a consumer to overpay or be denied in instances of need. Dealership offer bad credit loans but banks deny no matter what. This shouldn't stop needed decent transportation for needed life income.
Francisco Licon September 07, 2022In my option I charge the Dealerships, owners for who they hire, train, supervise, tolerate & temper their sales force as well as their service departments.
Sharma September 07, 2022I live in NJ and car dealerships here are charging markups up to 5K-7K on a new car with additional mandatory dealer add ons. This is immoral practice and should be criminaliz. Very shocking to see why there is no legal check or control over such dealerships. No one should be allowed to sell anything over MSRP, if there is inflation then the products should be marked from the manufacture that way. On one end govt is forgiving billions of dollars in student loans for individuals who make upto $125K individually and $250 as couple (kididng me, do they really need the debt wavier) and on other hand the people who need vehicle as their daily need for their commute, and do house hold things are being targeted by these dishonest car dealerships.
Lisa Olson September 07, 2022People are placing vehicle sales on Facebook and then selling them on eBay. They refuse to let you see the vehicle but quickly send a bill. They want their money before you even get a chance to think about it. But, they purposely mislead you saying their out of the country and say it needs to go now. I doubt they are legit. So I believe it’s just another way to steal money from people.
Devon Allen Downs September 07, 2022I keep getting all these wierd car ads telling me to trade my car that I don't have anymore for another car and to make sure I bring the title this is at every dealership.
tony b September 07, 2022Over the years I've had scams happen to me from different dealerships . Made payments for years and paid a car off then received a letter telling me I owed a lump sum payment before I could get title . Dealership add-ons I did not want like VIN etch on windows , plastic paint coating , listing fees ? etc. Many times it's in the final stage of car deal with finance manager where the customer really gets "bamboozled", they will add any and everything to the contract . Very difficult to get the real "out the door price" from salespeople . Bought my last car online , cash no financing . That's the only way to get an honest deal nowadays . I don't trust any dealership to buy/sell or do maintenance , that's how bad it has gotten . Please if anything just make dealerships give a customer the bottom line "out the door " price for goods and services. Thank you for taking comments.
FTC Staff September 07, 2022In reply to Over the years I've had… by tony b
The comments you put in here in blog are not added to the formal rulemaking.
Add your comments to the rulemaking
ONLINE: Go to www.regulations.gov/document/FTC-2022-0046-0001 and click on the COMMENT button.
OR
MAIL your comment to: Federal Trade Commission, Office of the Secretary, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite CC-5610 (Annex C), Washington, DC 20580
It's a shame that there is no auto dealer you can trust in our Nation and the ONLY one to blame is NOT the auto dealers but it's the local and federal government simply because there is no one TRULY overseeing what the auto dealers are doing upfronts with citizens. I have been looking for a new / used car for 2-3 years and I have not yet found one decent auto dealer to sell me a car . The last one I went to was a Toyota dealer and we ended up not buying a car from them even after approval however I discovered that during the process of applying for the car loan at that dealer; he practically ruined our credit scores simply because in order for the credit manager to entice us with low monthly payments; he ran our loan application thru the total of 19 financial institutes . A week after we met with the dealer; we started receiving notices from financial institutes notifying us of the results of the credit applications. I finally reached out to Experian and they finally told me what the credit manager at that Toyota dealer did. They did it; they ruined my credit score and no one to account them to what they did .
Devin September 12, 2022Implementing4the new laws create a level field for all buyers and consumers who are being Robb by dealers every day
RINGO IN LAS VEGAS September 12, 2022TOYOTA DEALERS HERE IN LAS VEGAS, NEVADA ARE ADDING A MARKET ADJUSTMENT PRICE (AS THEY CALL IT) OF $5,000 ADDITIONAL TO WHATEVER THE PRICE OF THE BRAND NEW ORDERED UNIT THAT A CUSTOMER PLACES. SO FAR, DEALERS ARE HAVING A HEYDAY BUT THE FTC (FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION OR DMV DEALER DEPARTMENT SERVICES) OR WHOEVER IS IN CHARGE OF CHECKING THESE UNSCRUPULOUS PRACTICES IS NOT LIFTING ANY FINGER TO PUNISH THESE SCAMS BY AUTOMOTIVE DEALERS ESPECIALLY TOYOTA DEALERS BECAUSE THEY KNOW THAT HYBRID MODELS ARE SELLING LIKE HOTCAKES AND BUYERS JUST TURN THEIR BACKS AND GO FOR WHATEVER IS IN FRONT OF THEM WITHOUT EVEN CONSIDERING THE CONSEQUENCES LATER ON IN THEIR FINANCIAL BUDGET.
FTC Staff September 13, 2022In reply to TOYOTA DEALERS HERE IN LAS… by RINGO IN LAS VEGAS
The comments you put in here in blog are not added to the formal rulemaking.
Add your comments to the rulemaking
Online: Go to www.regulations.gov/document/FTC-2022-0046-0001 and click on the COMMENT button.
OR
Mail your comment to: Federal Trade Commission, Office of the Secretary, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite CC-5610 (Annex C), Washington, DC 20580.
I bought a care from Kings Auto Mall in Cincinnati Ohio. They said a SUV care would tow 3 ton of landscape equipment and they would install a hitch to accommodate. They lied and told me that the new 2-wheel front wheel drive SUV were doing better than 4x4 trucks. 2 weeks went by I do more research. Low and behold they lied. I had 10 customers who wanted flower gardens done by me. They refused to allow me to pull anything in their grass yard without a 4x4 to protect their yard. When I called the dealership, they told me I was stuck with the vehicle. I did not make any more payments. I felt that if I was going to go in debt after bankruptcy I would on settle with something that would help me to start a business. I already had a family care and really did not need another. 6 3 months go by and I get tired of the run around and take the care back to the dealership. The finance company finally called me and asked where the care was 3 months after I dropped it off at the dealership. They said the dealership swears they never got it. Then I find out they lied by me driving up to the dealership and seeing a sign where they tow vehicles off their property. They said I was responsible for the tow bill. When I called the finance company back, they had a hard time believing me. However, they got the car back, but this messed my credit up pretty bad. I am on a set income and doing all I can to make ends meet. The dealership really repeated a lot of times that I could not buy a 4x4 truck because the finance refused to sell me what I needed. This has got me to the point that if I cannot pay for a car with cash as a brand-new car. I would go to buy here pay here. I know I am buying someone else's problems.
At least they do not sell me what I don't want.
This should have happened decades ago. The dealerships especially in my area are charging absurd amounts in fees and mark ups, lie over the phone to get you to come in, take a deposit for a brand new order then mark it up when you go to pick it up.,they need more regulation…
Tim September 12, 2022I was scammed out of $22,500 trying to flip a car. I should have known but greed got the best of me.
Matt Mann September 20, 2022This is really a breath of fresh air to present and future car buyers even perspective tire kickers.
Richard Nelson April 28, 2023Toyota dealers in Illinois have online prices listed, but then when you go to dealerships to see cars, they all have a market adjustment in the vehicle sticker of anywhere from $7,500 to $10,000!! Why is this not Illegal? Talk about deceptive advertising!!
