Playbooks / Car dealership
How to complain about a car dealership
Dealership complaints almost always come down to the difference between the advertised deal and the numbers on the finance contract.
What goes wrong most often
- Add-ons and warranties inserted into the contract
- Advertised price not honoured at signing
- Yo-yo financing — being called back to re-sign at a worse rate
- Undisclosed accident history or prior damage
The evidence that decides it
- The advertised listing, screenshotted with date
- The buyer's order and the finance contract
- The vehicle history report
Compare the advertised number to the signed number, line by line.
The regulator most people never use
State DMV dealer licensing division and the attorney general
Dealers hold a state license. Add-ons you did not agree to, or a financing rate different from what was promised, are licensing violations in most states.
Your state's channel is listed in the state complaint guides.
Where to post it
- GoogleEveryone who searches the business by name, plus everyone browsing the map for a nearby alternative.
- Better Business BureauCautious buyers who check a company before spending money, and BBB pages rank strongly in search.
- YelpLocal shoppers comparing several nearby businesses at once.
- FacebookLocals, and the business's own followers.
Wording that survives moderation
Start from a review template, keep every claim tied to a document, and read the wording rules before you post. If it comes down anyway, there is an appeal path.