Cases in the News
Protecting
Consumers From Deceptive Car Dealers
The Clark Martino law firm is currently
handling numerous consumer class action lawsuits against
Florida automobile dealerships. Most recently, our firm
was successful in certified a statewide class action against
Sonic Automotive, Inc. For more information, see the links
below:
There are a variety of ways you can
protect yourself when purchasing a vehicle. Florida Law
defines deceptive and unfair trade practices as any “unfair
methods of competition, unconscionable acts or practices,
and unfair or deceptive acts or practices in the conduct
of any trade or commerce.” Fla. Stat. §501.204.
Simply put, if a car dealership takes advantage of you by
failing to accurately disclose the terms of your financing,
or fails to disclose accurately the types of products (like
warranties, insurance, etc.) that are included in your sales
transaction, that dealership may have violated the law.
There are a variety of ways you can
protect yourself when purchasing a vehicle. For more information,
you can review the following:
ETCH
/ Vehicle Theft Protection
Over the past few years, car dealerships have been including
what is called ETCH or Vehicle Theft Protection in the sales
transactions. ETCH or Vehicle Theft Protection is a process
of putting traceable numbers on the windows of your vehicle.
Many dealerships exercise “price packing” of
after-market products, such as theft etch protection and
other insurance products that customers had not agreed to
buy.
Silence
Alarm Protection
Similar to ETCH, car dealerships
are also selling after-market security systems that include
insurance coverage. Often times, consumers do not realize
that the car or truck they are purchasing already has a
manufacturer installed alarm system. In addition, car dealerships
do not disclose that the alarm system comes with insurance
coverage. Such coverage may not provide and protection to
consumers due to other available coverage under the consumer’s
standard auto insurance policy. Thus, the consumer pays
for something that they may not need.
Spot
Deliver / Yo-Yo Deals
Car dealerships perpetrate this
money making scam by “baiting” its less sophisticated
customers and those with poor or no credit into signing
purchase and finance contracts that include mere “guess
work” as to annual percentage rates and finance charges,
along with all other necessary paperwork that purport to
complete the purchase of a car, and then deceptively “switching”
them into higher interest contracts with larger down payments
by strategically refusing to return their trade-in vehicles
or down payments as a means of pressure. The scam is called
“Spot Delivery.” As a result of Spot Delivery,
the consumer may not receive accurate disclosures regarding
their finance and other important information about the
sales transaction.
If you have purchased a car or
truck in the last four years, and would like to have your
sales transaction reviewed by our firm free of charge, please
complete this questionnaire for our review.
Cases Certified Against Car Dealers
Sonic Automotive, Inc.
We represent those
who have victimized by these alleged unfair and deceptive
trade practices.
|
