There’s nothing quite like finding a good deal on a used car. That feeling you get when you find the perfect car at the perfect price is indescribable. Unfortunately, that feeling changes quickly when a salesman at the dealership reveals that the price of the car is actually higher than the advertised sticker price. Perhaps they mis-priced the vehicle, or didn’t remember to update the sticker price after a sale period – either way, changing the sticker price on a car is considered Auto Fraud, and you may have legal recourse.
There are two main scenarios in which a dealer has the opportunity to change the sticker price on a vehicle to benefit their pockets. The first, and most common in today’s day and age is by advertising the car for one price online, but changing the price on the consumer when they arrive at the dealership. While the overall price that you pay may increase depending on your loan, the base price cannot. Be sure to double check your sales contract from the dealer, and have the original ad in hand if you want to sue them for this illegal violation.
The second scenario in which the dealership may employ these types of Bait & Switch tactics is on the lot. A consumer like yourself walks on the car lot to find out what type of vehicles are available within their allotted budget, only to find out that that they “can’t offer it for that price.” If they advertised it at a certain price on the window sticker, they are obligated to honor the offer. Failure to do so can cost the buyer thousands of dollars after taxes and interest.
Now Your Car Payments Are Too High
While the initial shock of being asked to pay more upfront than you expected may be enough to make you raise an eyebrow – the long term effects of making inflated monthly car payments can be the real killer. By adding to the sticker price, the dealer also adds to the financing, and over the lifetime of the car could end up costing you several thousand dollars.
If the dealership changed the sticker price on your car, and you’re now stuck making higher payments than you expected – our auto fraud attorneys can help you undo the deal and get your money back. In most cases, our goal is to leave our clients in the same position they were in the day before they bought the vehicle – they get back their down payment and any money invested in the vehicle, and the dealership has their car returned in exchange. This leaves our clients free to purchase another, well represented vehicle from a reputable dealership.
Get Your Money Back!
Our auto fraud attorneys are able to help consumers like you get their money back from fraudulent dealership transactions like these. Call our firm today for a free consultation where we will let you know if you have a case, and what the next steps are to get your money back from the dealership.