--- title: "Show the Real Price or Get Sued: FTC Puts More Car Dealers on Notice" date: "2026-03-17" modified: "2026-03-17" authors: - name: "Byron Hurd" job_title: "Editor" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/byron-hurd" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/show-the-real-price-or-get-sued-ftc-puts-more-car-dealers-on-notice" categories: - "Car Buying" - "News" --- # Show the Real Price or Get Sued: FTC Puts More Car Dealers on Notice ![ELK GROVE VILLAGE, IL - JUNE 2: Sales incentives are shown on the window of a 2003 Chevrolet Trailblazer in the showroom of Hoskins Chevrolet June 2, 2003 in Elk Grove Village, Illinois. Auto dealers are looking to increase sales with incentives for car buyers to try and help disappointing sales in May. (Photo by Tim Boyle/Getty Images)]() *\Tim Boyle/Getty Images\* In a year already racking up examples of [dubiously beneficial about-faces from the U.S. government](), we've finally found one that seems unambiguously positive. This week, the Trump administration is taking aim at deceptive dealership fees, warning 97 dealership chains to end "deceptive" pricing practices (including hidden or last-minute fees) — or else. “The Trump-Vance FTC is committed to preventing auto dealers from misleading consumers with low advertised prices and then adding on mandatory fees at the end of the purchasing process,” said Christopher Mufarrige, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, in [the FTC's announcement](). “The FTC will remain focused on monitoring auto dealerships to ensure that the market functions efficiently and competitors are transparently competing on price.” "To help support affordability in the marketplace," the announcement said, "the agency is dedicated to ensuring that consumers only pay the advertised price for products and services, and are not subject to undisclosed fees, hidden charges or other illegal conduct." A generic copy of the letter being sent to dealers is [available online](), but if you're only interested in what the FTC considers "deceptive," here's a list of practices that the FTC will monitor going forward: - Advertising a price that does not reflect all required fees, - Advertising a price that reflects rebates or discounts not available to all consumers, - Advertising a price that fails to take into account the amount of an additional required down payment, - Conditioning the advertised price on consumers using dealer financing, - Requiring consumers to buy additional items not reflected in the advertised price, and - Advertising unavailable or nonexistent vehicles. The announcement also noted that the government is currently pursuing cases against several dealerships for similar practices, including [Lindsay Chevrolet](), [Leader Automotive Group](), and [Asbury Automotive Group](). In surveys of customers who purchased cars at those three dealership groups, the FTC says it found examples of deceptive business practices in at least 75% of responses. *Got a news tip? Let us know at tips@thedrive.com!* ## Author Byron is an editor at The Drive with a keen eye for infrastructure, sales and regulatory stories. He brings a light, punchy style to all of his content, believing that there's plenty out there to be laughed at—himself included. Born and raised in Maryland but now based just a stone's throw from Detroit, Byron is an auto enthusiast and generalist who enjoys building and tinkering with things of all kinds, from cars, computers and digital cityscapes, to the new garage that will soon house his fleet (a CT4-V Blackwing, a JK Wrangler and an NA Miata). Inspired by an early love of rollercoasters, Byron quickly caught the high-performance driving itch. He's been tracking and auto-crossing his cars since 2007. In his downtime, Byron enjoys reading, playing city builders, and studying the history of the Motor City. ### Author social links [Bluesky]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()