Auto Dealer Advertising Rules: What Actually Works
The rules governing vehicle advertising, covering pricing, financing claims and availability.
Samir Haddad
Where most projects go wrong
The usual mistakes:
- Bait advertising for unavailable vehicles
- Monthly payments without required terms
- Fees added at the desk
- Unsupported safety or economy claims
What good looks like instead
- Disclose finance terms as required
- Advertise only vehicles you have available
- Include mandatory fees in advertised prices
- Keep substantiation for performance and safety claims
- Archive advertisements as required
Why it matters
Vehicle advertising is closely scrutinized, and price and finance claims have specific disclosure requirements.
The specs that matter
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Truth in Lending | credit terms in advertising trigger disclosure requirements |
| Availability | advertised vehicles must be genuinely available |
| Total price | hidden mandatory fees are treated as deceptive |
| Safety claims | vehicle safety claims must be substantiated |
Knowing when to hand it over
Tip: Bring in help when advertising vehicles or financing.
Where this comes from
- Federal Trade Commission — Advertising FAQs: A guide for small business
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Vehicle safety
The figures and practices above come from the sources listed.
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