Nissan dealerships low-balled customers, then tacked on add-ons, Arizona officials say
Two Nissan dealerships in Arizona must pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in restitution and penalties over accusations that they falsely advertised the prices of their vehicles.
The two dealerships, ABC Nissan and Pinnacle Nissan, advertised cars with low prices online, but refused to sell them for those prices, according to a news release from the Arizona Attorney General’s Office. Instead, the dealerships told buyers that they had to purchase various add-ons that raised the sale price, the release said.
“Arizonans shopping for a vehicle deserve an honest and transparent car buying experience,” Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich said in the March 29 statement. “While the market may be experiencing fluctuations, dealerships should avoid advertising prices that they are not prepared to honor.”
Berkshire Hathaway Automotive, the owner of the two dealerships, did not immediately respond to a request for comment from McClatchy News. ABC Nissan and Pinnacle Nissan denied the allegations, the attorney general’s office said.
The attorney general’s office ordered Pinnacle Nissan to pay $305,000 in restitution to customers and $50,000 in civil penalties. ABC Nissan was ordered to pay $100,000 in restitution, $25,000 in civil penalties, and $25,000 in costs and attorney’s fees, the release said.
The two dealerships were also ordered to change their advertising practices, according to the complaints filed by the attorney general’s office. The dealerships must advertise the actual price of vehicles instead of excluding the price of mandatory add-ons, and they must clearly state if other costs are excluded from the sticker price of a vehicle, including tax, title and license fees, the complaint said.
The judgments also require the two dealerships to remove customers who have asked to not receive sales calls from their call lists.
Anyone who believes they were mislead or harmed by the dealership’s practices can file a complaint with the attorney general’s office to be considered for restitution.