Can Car Dealer Offer A Price Then Change

Ownership a automobile is ane of the biggest purchases you'll brand, then you lot don't desire to pay any more than you accept to.

1 human said a dealership didn't laurels the advertised toll, and an expert says that's all too common.

"Our family is expanding. We had a newborn baby. And we demand more space," Alex Tonisson said.

Tonisson bought a 2018 Chrysler Pacifica.

"It was the right color, had all the features. Information technology had depression mileage. Still nether bumper to bumper warranty. It was certified preowned," he said.

And the best part - the price. The dealership advertised the machine on Carfax for just under $27,000.

"The price was very depression for the blue book value. Information technology was a really good deal," he said.

Local

But he was charged $1,500 more than. He says he argued with the dealer, but staff wouldn't budge.

"I thought, this is a dealership, taking advantage of the fact that they knew nosotros had driven as a family of four on a Sunday afternoon over an hour in traffic and that we needed a car. And they saw information technology every bit an opportunity to use information technology as leverage to go us to pay more than what they advertised online," he said.

John Van Alst of the National Consumer Law Center said tactics like this are common in the used car business.

"They want you to feel in a position that all that fourth dimension would have been wasted if you walk abroad," Van Alst said.

In Florida, the advertised price of a vehicle must include all fees or charges the client will pay and a dealership can not increment the price of the vehicle subsequently accepting an society of purchase.

Van Alst says consumers should walk away if they are asked to pay a higher toll than the advertised price.

"If they've already changed the toll on the car, you tin can't trust anything else this dealer's going to tell yous," he said.

NBC Responds reached out to the dealership. It said it charged Tonisson the incorrect cost because its system wasn't updated with the new price. Information technology cut Tonisson a check for the amount he was overcharged.

"I was actually happy to get that money back. And having your support made a huge difference," Tonisson said.

The National Consumer Law Center has some more advice when buying a used auto:

Bank check to make sure there are no open up safety recalls on the machine. You can do that at safercar.gov.
Have an independent mechanic inspect the car to be certain nothing is incorrect with it.
Try financing the car through your own bank or credit union. You might get a better involvement rate.