These 97 Car Dealers Were Warned About 'Deceptive' Pricing By The FTC

The list includes some of the largest dealers in the country.

Photo by: AutoNation

Anthony Alaniz

By: Anthony Alaniz

Jun 5, at 10:00am ET

Add Motor1.com as a preferred source in Google

Comment

The US Federal Trade Commission warned 97 dealers about engaging in “deceptive pricing” practices in March.
The FTC revealed the dealership names in late May.
The agency wants to encourage dealers to ensure the ‘advertised price is transparent and truthful.’

The US Federal Trade Commission has revealed a list of the 97 dealers it warned about allegedly using "deceptive pricing" practices. The list includes some of the largest dealerships in the country, like Lithia Motors, AutoNation, and Hendrick Automotive Group.

In March, the agency said the letters were sent to "encourage dealers to review their advertising and pricing practices, including ensuring advertised prices include all fees consumers will be required to pay when buying a vehicle." At the time of the announcement, the FTC did not disclose which dealers it had contacted.

The FTC is attempting to ensure that prices are "transparent and truthful,” according to the letter it sent to dealers. The agency wants to discourage certain pricing practices that obscure the true cost of the car and has sent letters to dealers advising them that they may be promoting prices that are "lower than what you actually charge consumers."

The letters list possible illegal practices such as "Advertising a price that does not reflect all required fees," "Conditioning the advertised price on consumers using dealer financing," "Advertising unavailable or nonexistent vehicles," and more. The letters don’t mean the dealers are necessarily guilty of engaging in these practices. It reads:

'This letter is not intended to be a comprehensive statement of concerns that may exist about your dealership or dealership group. Nor is it intended to represent any conclusions on whether your dealership or dealership group is engaging in these practices'

What do you think?

View

Comments

The agency revealed the names in late May, and these are the 97 dealerships that received a letter.

Aaron Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram
Adzam Inc. dba Doug’s Lynnwood Mazda
AutoNation, Inc
Autopia Motorcars
Benson’s Ingram Park Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram
Berkshire Hathaway Automotive
Best Price Dealer
Bud Clary Auto Group
California Beemers Inc
California Motors Direct
Capital Auto Mall Premier
Cardinal Buick GMC
Cardinale Automotive Group
CarHub
Cincy Automall
City Kia of Greater Orlando
Clay Cooley Auto Group-Clay Cooley Enterprises
Encore Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram
Fayetteville Dodge Ram
Findlay Automotive Group
Fontana Motors Direct
Ford of Elizabethton
Frisco Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram
Gettel Automotive
Gilroy Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram
Greenway Auto Group
Group 1 Automotive Inc.
Hanna Imports
Hardin Buick Pontiac GMC
Hayes Chrysler Dodge Jeep of Gainesville
Headquarter Hyundai
Hendrick Automotive Group
Hiley Automotive Group
Holman
Honda of Downtown Chicago
Honda of Manhasset
Houston Direct Auto
Huntley Ford
Hyundai of El Cajon
Hyundai Stockton
Integrity Automotive/MCS Integrity Co Inc
Jack Phelan Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM
Jeff Wyler Automotive
Jim Keras Automotive
John Sisson Mercedes Benz
John Sisson Motors
John Sisson Nissan
Ken Ganley Automotive Group
Ken Garff Automotive Group
Killeen Hyundai
King of Jamaica Auto Inc
Lancaster Mitsubishi
Legend Auto Sales
Liberty Nissan
Lithia Motors Inc
Lokey Automotive Group
Mac Haik Auto Group
McGrath Acura of Downtown Chicago
McGrath Acura of Libertyville
McGrath Arlington Kia
Miami Lakes Chevrolet
Midlands Volkswagen of Columbia
Morgan Auto Group, LLC
Nissan of Cool Springs
Noller Auto Group/Laid Noller Automotive Inc
NorthStar Kia
Old Orchard Nissan
Orr Auto Group
Ourisman Automotive Group
Page Honda of Bloomfield
Page Toyota
Prestige Imports Lamborghini Miami
Rairdon’s Honda of Burien
Red McCombs Motors Ltd
Route 23 Nissan
Route 46 Auto Group
Safford Automotive Group
Sanford Imports
Serra Chevrolet Buick GMC of Nashville
Serra Honda
Serra Kia of Trussville
Serra Toyota
Serramonte Subaru
Seth Wadley Auto Group
Sonic Automotive
South Shore Nissan
South Team Automall
Stream Auto Outlet
Superior Ford Inc
Supreme Motors LLC
Titanium Motors Inc
Universal Nissan Orlando
Vancouver Toyota
Victory Mitsubishi
Visalia Hyundai
Wagner Kia of Shrewsbury
Zeigler Automotive Group

Motor1’s Take: There are few things as frustrating as seeing a car advertised for one price, only to get to the dealer and find out it is far more expensive. That not only wastes time and frustrates consumers but is also bad business that could turn buyers toward brands with direct-to-consumer sales models just to cut down on the chaos.