Used Car Dealer Scams

When a used car dealer is trying to sell you a cheap used car, he might tell you he won’t get paid if you don’t purchase an attached options package. This is a pretty common scam in the auto dealership industry. If the car salesman tell you this, just tell him you are not interested to buy something you don’t want but only because that the dealer get paid. If that is a big problem, suggest that he or she start looking for another job.

In many ads nowadays we can see car dealerships advertise you don’t have to pay for six months. Well, you buy the car and then the car salesman tells you that it is due for payment in 2 months. How is that possible? Well, some dealers can be cynical and for example claim a typographical error or that the deal referred to was a week ago. If you have been a victim of this trick, insist on getting your deposit back . The best way to prevent this scam is to ask the dealer to put all the exact terms in writing before you purchase the car. You should also make your deposit by credit card so that you can refute it.

A friend of mine called a dealership the other day, asking for a specific car make, model and color (a black Volvo S70, 2001). The dealership told that they had it. However, when he got there later in the afternoon, he was told that they miraculously sold the only one they had just before he arrived. Next they told him that they had another car similar to the one he wanted for only $500 more. My friend just shaked his head and left the dealership's store.

The same happened with me when I searched for a Jaguar 1987. And I did exactly the same as my friend did; left the dealership.