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Back in March, the Feds sent notice to nearly 100 car dealerships warning them to stop engaging in deceptive pricing practices—or else. But despite making a pretty big deal about the whole thing at the time, the FTC declined to publicly identify the dealerships they’d sent warnings to. Late last week, the FTC dumped the full list of recipients online.
Automotive News shared highlights of the list, which is available (somewhat piecemeal and in no obvious order) on the agency’s website, where you can peruse them at your discretion. There are some nationally recognizable names in the list, including AutoNation and Hendrick Automotive Group. Also among the recipients was Lithia Group, which represents more dealers in the U.S. than any other single entity.
Here’s the full list of the dealership groups that received notices; note that it only totals up to about 85 distinct entries; some dealer groups received multiple warnings for the distinct corporate entities in the various regions in which they operate.
- 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
- 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
- Superior Ford, Inc.
- Supreme Motors LLC
- Template Auto Warning Letter (System reference document)
- Titanium Motors Inc.
- Universal Nissan Orlando
- Vancouver Toyota
- Victory Mitsubishi
- Visalia Hyundai
- Wagner Kia of Shrewsbury
If a dealership made this list, it’s because the FTC has reason to believe they are or have been engaged in one or more of the following sketchy practices:
- 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.
Chances are, you recognize at least a few of the names on this list. Got any bait-and-switch pricing horror stories? Feel free to share them in the comments.
Got a news tip? Let us know at tips@thedrive.com!
Byron is an editor at The Drive with a keen eye for infrastructure, sales and regulatory stories.
