The Consumer Protection advocates

Monthly Archives: April 2009

Apr
29

Car dealers usually use odometer rollback to raise the value of a car. This practice of car dealer is illegal. The higher the mileage of the vehicle the less you pay for it, that’s why if you consider buying a used car you should always check the vehicle’s odometer. It is a good idea to start by checking the vehicle’s history. Do the following: • Checking the inspection sticker for mileage at the car’s last inspection; • Have the car inspected by a qualified mechanic; • Asking sellers who sold the vehicle previously for copies of the vehicle’s odometer disclosure forms; • Checking oil change stickers (usually inside the …



Apr
28

Sometimes you can save a lot of money by refinancing your car loan and reducing your payments. However if you decide to do so you should be very careful to avoid possible dealer scams. Following are some tips you should use to prevent dealer fraud. 1. Always do your own auto loan research. You can get information about car loan rates and terms online. Financing broker sites can be a good source to compare interest rates and fees, as well as APR. Make sure to check out terms. Decide what the better option for you is: a short or extended term. 2. Another way to avoid dealer scam is …



Apr
27

In case you don’t want to pay for the preparation fee, simply tell the car dealership to credit you the amount of the preparation fee service on your contract. If the car dealer refuses to do so, just walk away from the deal. Remember, that it is legal for a car dealer to charge you for preparation fee, however if you step into the dealership armed with information it will be very hard for dealer to scam you and you will be able to save your money. There are more and more scams and fraud going on today and the best way to protect yourself from dishonest dealers and …



Apr
26

Car preparation fee is a good way for the dealer to make a quick profit from customers in the range between $500 and $2500. In fact, this fee is not illegal, but it is considered a dealer fraud, because these fees are covered not by the consumer, but by the factory. Generally, car dealers charge consumers for peeling of plastic off the seats, checking of fluid levels, vacuuming the interior, and washing and waxing the exterior. Most consumers do pay for this because they are not informed that these fees are already paid for and listed on the MSRP. The fraud when you have to pay for something that …



Apr
22

After the recent hurricanes in the southern part of the United States a lot of vehicles were damaged. Though insurance companies have declared these vehicles to be salvage, many flood vehicles appeared in dealership lots. These salvaged vehicles have extensive water damage, but there are steps you can take to protect yourself from buying them. Flood vehicles are usually sold to consumers “as is” and the buyer finds out that the vehicle is salvaged only when he/she take it to get insured. This is when they realize that their agent can’t even issue them an insurance rate quote because of the salvage title on the vehicle. In cases like …



Apr
21

Many cars are sold each year in America and financing is obtained in order to pay for them. You might think that receiving financing is relatively easy, however it is not always so. If you consider buying a new car you should first read these tips on automobile financing before you head to your local dealership. Compare Rates You can get financing for your vehicle from a number of lending institutions such as banks, online lenders and the dealership. The difference is they will offer different general requirements, interest rates as well as fee structures. Make sure you evaluate as many financing options as possible and choose the best …



Apr
20

The purchase of a new car may sometimes be complicated and confusing for car buyers. For most Americans the purchase of a car is the second-largest purchase they make. Some dealerships assure that you can buy a car from start to finish in an afternoon. However this is not always the best option for the consumer. Following are several tips to use to avoid any type of dealer fraud and scams when you buy a car. 1. Go to the dealership just to look around and drive the cars. Never buy the first time. This way you will have an opportunity to go home and get some information on …



Apr
19

Following are some other scams you should be aware of when shopping for a new car. 1. One of the scams the dealer may use to make more profit is the VIN# Scam. This scam happens when the dealer tries to charge you for having the VIN# etched on the window, because it is required by the finance company. This is not true. 2. Another dealer fraud is the forced warranty scam when the auto dealership will insist that you purchase a $2000, 2 or 3 year warranty in order to qualify for the car loan. The dealer is simply trying to scam you and the truth is you …



Apr
17

The purchase of a new car is usually challenging and some car dealers may put a lot of additional pressure on you. If you intend to buy a new car you should be wary of scams and dealer tricks designed by salespersons to make more profit out of the sales process. Following are some of the scams and dealer fraud to be aware of when you go to the dealership to shop for a new car. 1. One of the scams popular among the dealers is the credit score scam. This happens when a car dealer informs you that your credit score is lower than it actually is and …



Apr
16

The excusive fee scam is for sure one of the simplest and most common scams used by car dealers. Today lot of car buyers easily fall into this dealer fraud. This car scam happens when the car dealer adds a number under the car price total and asks you to pay it. The car dealer informs that this fee covers their expenses if someone did a check on the car, for cleaning it or removing the plastic from the car seats. However, be aware that this scam is not illegal. Remember that almost always the extra charge is rather high for such services and you should never agree to …



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