How To Stop Car Dealers From Forcing Extras! Kevin Hunter The Homework Guy

A major dealer trick exposed. We won't sell you the car unless you buy a laundry list of crap, which is known as tying the sale. This is a Homework Guy guide to illegal tying sales and how to shut them down. At the Homework Guy, we've seen almost every dirty trick a dealership can throw at unsuspecting buyers, but one of the most outrageous and often illegal is the classic tying arrangement. The amazing Elizabeth joins me now to discuss it. So what exactly is tying the sale, Liz? This is where the dealer says, we won't sell you the car unless you also buy our window etching, paint protection, or this $2,999 protection package. All a bunch of protection garbage is what it is. That's right. If it does, don't worry, you're not alone and you're not powerless. In fact, this show will help you legally trap the dealer, shut the whole thing down and walk away with your wallet intact. To the point of your question, Kevin, what is a tying arrangement? In legal terms, a tying arrangement happens when a business conditions the sale of one product like your car, for example, on the mandatory purchase of another product like nitrogen filled tires, wheel locks, or bogus protection packages. It's a form of coercive bundling and depending on how it's presented, it also can be a violation of your state UDAP laws. That's unfair and deceptive acts and practices. The federal truth and lending act, if it affects loan terms, franchise agreements, especially if it's a brand name dealer like Toyota, Ford, and Honda. Okay. So why do tying laws exist? A little bit of history here. Tying arrangements have long been recognized as anti-competitive and deceptive. The concept dates back to the antitrust laws in the early 20th century. The Sherman antitrust act and later the Clayton act prohibited companies from conditioning one sale on another if it restricted competition. In consumer protection law, UDAP statutes were added in the 1970s and beyond to stop businesses from using deceptive tactics against average Americans, like forcing them to buy something they didn't ask for. For auto sales, this is especially important because franchise laws prohibit dealers from undermining the brand's image or gouging customers with forced add-ons. That's why many OEMs, the original equipment manufacturers require franchisees to sell vehicles at published terms without forced extras. In short, tying is illegal because it manipulates buyers and disrupts free and fair markets. So here's a quick statistic. According to the federal trade commission, car dealers are among the most complained about industries in the U S no surprise there. And forced add-ons are a top issue. Now let's talk about what to do about it. We'll go step by step, how to shut it down like a pro. Number one, get it in writing or record where it's legal to do so. So you can ask the salesperson, are you saying I can't purchase the vehicle at MSRP or the agreed upon price unless I also buy this insert add-on? If they dodge the question, follow up with, can you repeat that while I record it for my notes? You can use a state by state guide to see if one party recording is legal where you live. In most states, it actually is. If one party recording is legal in your state, you don't even need their permission to record them. Number two, dropping the legal bomb. Using the right words matters here. Tying arrangement are the magic words. Say this to the sales manager. What you're doing sounds like an illegal tying arrangement requiring purchase of unrelated products in order to get the car. That's a deceptive practice under both state and federal law. Dealers hate hearing this and they hate hearing it from a car buyer who knows this and most will backpedal immediately. Number three, name the right agencies. Let them know you're serious. I'll be filing a complaint with the state attorney general, the FTC and the CFPB if this is a finance deal. So where to file your complaint? You can start with the FTC complaint portal, the CFPB complaint form. You can find your state attorney general's website and file a complaint online in most cases. Number four, demand your consumer right. Say, I want the car without optional add-ons. Are you refusing to sell it unless I pay for them? If they say yes, you've got a legal case. So here's a bonus. Create a paper trail for yourself. Always get a printed buyer's order or sales sheet. If it lists unwanted add-ons, write on the contract. Customer declines, write the add-on. Requested removal, dealer refused. Then sign it and ask the dealer to co-sign. If they don't, you write dealer refuses to sign. Yep. You can take a photo of the document if they refuse to sign. Now you've got proof and that's your ammunition. What to do if you catch them in the act, you're ready to file official complaints. Here's some of the agencies and why you contact them. State AG's office, UDAP laws, deceptive business practices, the FTC, national deceptive practices enforcement, and the CFPB credit related coercion or fraud. Also an OEM or manufacturer because of franchise agreement violations. And that's a big one. Here's a pro tip. Some OEMs have rules that prohibit forced add-ons. So reach out to the automakers because franchise agreements require clean sales like Toyota, Ford, Honda, and GM actually prohibit forced products in their franchise agreements. Some have internal audit teams and compliance hotlines. If you're working with a brand name dealership, you can contact the manufacturer directly through their customer relations department. And we'll give you some of these links in the description box below. These agreements often prohibit any mandatory or deceptive product bundling, state franchise laws, reinforced lists, dealers can't force vehicle options or sign on to promotions that violate the OEM network standards. The final move, speak like a pro. If they're pushing back at this point, you just say, I'll be seeking legal advice and reporting this as a tying arrangement unless you remove the forced add-ons and provide a clean buyer's order. You've now put them on notice. You're not their average uninformed customer. You're actually the homework guy's kind of buyer. If you need backup, we've got you covered. We've helped thousands of buyers across America avoid two to $5,000 in bogus charges, all while keeping dealers honest. Do you want a professional to review your deal before you sign? We offer detailed reviews of your contract and fees, step-by-step counter offer advice, identification of legal red flags and peace of mind that a real expert has your back. Make sure you check out our 4.9 star average on Google reviews. We've earned our reputation one honest deal at a time. Try our hassle-free car buying service. Let us handle it all for you from negotiation to paperwork. We do all the work so you don't have to visit thehomeworkguide.com. There's no stress, no scams, just the deal that you deserve. There are several trusted resources used in this show. FTC auto retail complaints, CFPB complaint submission, reporters committee recording laws, find your state attorney general and the Homework Guy legal violation checkup. What exactly is the Homework Guy legal violation checkup? It's a new service available on our website. At the Homework Guy, we just don't give you car buying advice. We go to bat for you when it really counts. That's why we created the legal violation checkup THG edition, a fast expert level review of your dealership interaction that can save you from signing a legally questionable or financially abusive deal. While it addresses legal issues, it is not to be understood to be legal advice. Whether you've already received a buyer's order, lease agreement or a full purchase contract, or you're being pressured to sign something you don't fully understand, this service can offer you a legal shield. What we review and why it matters. When you submit your deal to us, here's what you get. A full contract breakdown. We analyze every section of your buyer's order, purchase agreement, lease or finance disclosure, and explain it in plain English. This includes itemized pricing, add-ons and accessories, taxes, fees, and DMV charges, interest rates, APRs and loan terms, the down payment structure and trade in values. Some red flag identification we do. We flag tying arrangements like we've been talking about, illegal product bundling, bogus fees like market adjustment, inventory fee or non-finance charge, PAC payments, junk products hidden in your loan and arbitration clauses that limit your legal rights. You'll know what's normal and what's predatory. So for the legal focus, UDAP and TILA violation checks, we do those as well. Our checkup is specifically trained to spot violations of the unfair or deceptive acts and practices laws. And these can vary by state, but prohibit misleading practices like forced packages, hidden charges or fake urgency tactics. The truth in lending TILA, we verify that credit disclosures are clear, complete and compliant. Dealers often bury fees or inflate APRs, especially when they assume that you won't read the fine print. We're not just guessing. We work from published federal and state standards and when needed, we direct you to the proper complaint channels. And best of all, we have a 24 hour turnaround because we know that deals move fast. We know time is critical. That's why we promise a response in under 24 hours, excluding Sundays. You send us your paperwork and we get back to you with a plain English summary of your deal, a list of legal or ethical concerns, guidance on what to say next to the dealer advice on whether to sign, renegotiate, or just walk away. So here's what you'll come away with. When you use our legal violation, checkup, you don't just get answers. You get powerful tools. We give you a suggested script to confront the dealer with line item recommendations for what to remove or reduce warning signs of a shady operation and ongoing support. If you're still unsure. So why buyers love this service? One client says Jason K from Texas writes, I almost signed a deal with 3,400 and hidden junk. The homework guy flagged it in minutes. I walked out and saved thousands. Maria S from Michigan writes, I sent my contract for review and within a few hours had a script to use with the sales manager. I got the price dropped and the junk fees erased worth every penny. We're proud to maintain a 4.9 star rating on Google and this service is just another big reason why. How much does it cost for just $149 you get same day turnaround within 24 hours. You get a professional grade legal and financial review and personal feedback from the homework guide team actionable advice that can save you thousands or even help protect your legal rights in the event of fraud and you won't find anything else like it and certainly not from the people trying to sell you a car. Exactly. So ready to use it. Just visit the homework guy.com and check out legal violation. Checkup THC edition. You'll upload your documents securely and our team will respond within 24 hours. Whether you're about to sign or already feeling dealer's remorse, don't wait, get peace of mind before you sign that dotted line. And then if you're interested in our hassle-free car buying service, all you need to do is tell us what type of vehicle you want and we do all the rest. We have the best return on investment in the industry. We eliminate the guesswork, avoid dealer tricks and hidden fees altogether and keep your stress and time investment at zero. If you want in visit the homework guy.com. Now the 99 phone call gets you started. We'll match you with a seasoned car coach and take it from there. Buying a car doesn't have to be hard. Let us prove it to you. To everyone who tuned into our show today. You guys rock. God bless you all. I'm Kevin Hunter, the homework guy signing off on behalf of Alex Stevens, our auto expert, the amazing Elizabeth, our master negotiator and the entire homework guy team. Stick around as we scroll conveniently through some of our recent Google reviews of our hassle-free car buying service. As always, thanks for watching.