CONSUMER NEWS RECALLS COMPLAINT FORM SCAM ALERTS

Small Claims Guide \| Class Actions \| Lemon Law \| FAQ \| Resources \| Newsletters \| Spanish
Automotive Education Electronics Family Finance Health Homeowners Shopping Travel

Tucson Car Dealer to Pay $152,000

Warning: include(/home/html/conaff/ads/tribal_auto_left.inc) [function.include]: failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /var/www/conaff/news04/2005/precision.html on line 35

Warning: include() [function.include]: Failed opening '/home/html/conaff/ads/tribal_auto_left.inc' for inclusion (include_path='.:/usr/share/php:/usr/share/pear') in /var/www/conaff/news04/2005/precision.html on line 35

January 4, 2005
A Tucson car dealer will pay $152,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by the state charging that the company falsely advertised advertised new cars for sale at 50 percent off the manufacturer’s suggested retail price.

The state's suit alleged that Precision Toyota's television and radio ads that offered consumers 50 percent off the manufacturer's suggested retail price on "every new Toyota in stock."

In fact, the discount applied only to the residual value on leased cars, and the lawsuit alleged the practice violated the Arizona Consumer Fraud Act.

“Precision Toyota tried a bait-and-switch tactic, and it backfired,” Attorney General Terry Goddard said. “Arizona consumers have the right to expect a fair and truthful marketplace. This settlement sends a clear message to Arizona businesses that false advertising to bring customers into their showrooms, stores or companies will not be tolerated.”

The $152,000 settlement will go to pay the state's legal costs and contribute to a state consumer-protection fund.

The “50% off MSRP” sale required consumers to sign up for a 36-month lease on a new vehicle, which also required a down payment. At the end of the lease period, Precision Toyota would give the consumer an option to purchase the vehicle for 50 percent off the vehicle’s residual value.

“The Precision Toyota case is a prime example of misleading tactics some businesses use to sell their products,” Goddard said. “I’m committed to ensuring consumers have a level playing field in Arizona’s marketplace.”

The Attorney General’s Office received more than 65,000 consumer complaint calls last year, a figure Goddard said makes clear the need to place high priority on protecting consumers.

Report Your Experience
If you've had a bad experience -- or a good one -- with a consumer product or service, we'd like to hear about it. All complaints are reviewed by class action attorneys and are considered for publication on our site. Knowledge is power! Help spread the word. File your consumer report now.

September 5 2008

FREE CONSUMER NEWSLETTERS

The Daily Consumer
Afternoons M-F
Sign up now!

Consumer News & Alerts
Every Sunday
Sign up now!

Knowledge is free.
Knowledge is power.

Back to the top |

Terms of Use Your use of this site constitutes acceptance of the Terms of Use

Advertisements on this site are placed and controlled by outside advertising networks. ConsumerAffairs.com does not evaluate or endorse the products and services advertised. See the FAQ for more information.

Company Response Welcome If complaints about your company appear on our site, we welcome your response. Please see the Response Form for more information.

For more information, see the FAQ and privacy policy. The information on this Web site is general in nature and is not intended as a substitute for competent legal advice. ConsumerAffairs.com Inc. makes no representation as to the accuracy of the information herein provided and assumes no liability for any damages or loss arising from the use thereof.