The FTC Named the Dealers It Warned Over Pricing. Here's the Full List, and How They Score on Transparency.
Key Takeaways
- The FTC has now released the names of the dealers it warned in March over deceptive pricing. That covers 97 warning letters and more than 200 individual dealership locations.
- CarEdge already independently grades 81 of the named dealerships on our Dealer Transparency Index. Thirteen score a D or F.
- A warning letter is not a guilty verdict. In fact, 41 of the named dealers earn an A on our index. Look up any dealer before you visit at caredge.com/dealer-ratings.
Back in March, the Federal Trade Commission put the car business on notice. It sent 97 warning letters to auto dealership groups telling them, in plain language, that the price they advertise has to be the price a customer actually pays. No hidden mandatory fees, no rebates only some buyers qualify for, no “this price requires our financing” games.
At the time, the FTC didn’t say who got a letter. Now it has. The agency released the recipients, and we pulled every dealership named. The letters cover more than 200 individual dealership locations across roughly 30 dealer groups, from one-rooftop independents to some of the largest publicly traded auto retailers in the country.
Here’s the part that matters for you as a shopper: CarEdge has been independently grading these same dealers all along. We already have a Dealer Transparency Index score for 81 of the named dealerships, built from real, itemized out-the-door quotes rather than from what the dealer advertises. So we can show you exactly how the dealers the regulators flagged actually behave.
What the FTC Was Warning About
The letters flagged the same handful of practices the FTC considers illegal under the FTC Act:
- Advertising a price that doesn’t include all required fees
- Advertising a price that reflects rebates not available to every buyer
- Conditioning an advertised price on the customer using dealer financing
- Requiring add-on purchases that aren’t reflected in the advertised price
- Advertising vehicles that don’t actually exist or aren’t available
If you’ve ever watched a $32,000 car turn into a $38,000 car in the finance office, you already know exactly what the FTC is describing. We covered the warning itself in more detail when it landed: The FTC Warned Dealers to Stop Hiding Fees. We Built a Tool to Catch Them Doing It.
The FTC Buried the Names, So We Dug Them Out
Here’s the frustrating part: the FTC never published a clean, searchable list of the dealerships it warned. Finding out who actually got named takes real detective work.
The recipients live in the FTC’s warning-letter library as roughly 97 separate PDFs, one per dealer group. The catch is that each letter is addressed to a parent company, and the individual dealership rooftops are listed only in the “cc:” line at the very bottom of the last page. To see which stores are actually covered, you have to open every single PDF and scroll to the end.
The warning letter to Lithia Motors is a perfect example. The letter itself never names a single store, not until you reach the bottom of page 2:
That single letter quietly covers 14 dealerships across four states, and you’d never know it without opening the file. We went through all 97 letters, pulled every cc’d rooftop, and matched each one against our Dealer Transparency Index so you don’t have to.
How the Named Dealers Score on Transparency
Of the 81 named dealerships we’ve already graded, here’s how the grades break down:
| CarEdge Grade | Number of Named Dealers |
|---|---|
| A | 41 |
| B | 11 |
| C | 16 |
| D | 6 |
| F | 7 |
Two things jump out.
First, a warning letter is not a conviction. Forty-one of the named dealers, more than half of the ones we’ve scored, actually earn an A on our index. The FTC’s March letters went out broadly, and being on the list doesn’t prove a given store is doing anything wrong today. Several of these dealers run genuinely clean, transparent pricing.
Second, for the dealers at the bottom, the FTC’s instinct lines up with our data. Thirteen of the named dealerships score a D or an F on the Dealer Transparency Index. That means high doc fees, frequent mandatory add-ons, or dealer markups that balloon the out-the-door price well past the advertised number. These are the ones to scrutinize hardest.
And there’s a third group worth flagging. For more than 120 of the named dealerships, we have no grade at all, not because we didn’t ask, but because they wouldn’t give our shoppers a price in writing. When our team requests an itemized out-the-door quote by email or text and a dealer won’t put numbers in writing, we can’t score them. We think that silence is a yellow flag in its own right: the same reluctance to commit to a price up front is exactly what the FTC’s letters are about.
The 13 Named Dealers That Also Fail Our Transparency Test
These FTC-named dealerships score a D or F on the CarEdge Dealer Transparency Index. Click any name to see their full scorecard.
| Dealership | Location | Parent Group | CarEdge Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lithia Nissan of Clovis | Clovis, CA | Lithia Motors | F (40) |
| Encore Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram | Mobile, AL | Independent | F (41.3) |
| Lithia Toyota of Billings | Billings, MT | Lithia Motors | F (43.2) |
| California Motors Direct | Santa Ana, CA | Independent | F (47.3) |
| Largo Honda | Florida City, FL | Lithia Motors | F (51.3) |
| Lancaster Mitsubishi | East Petersburg, PA | Independent | F (53.1) |
| Jim Keras Buick GMC | Memphis, TN | Jim Keras Automotive | F (57.5) |
| Clay Cooley Hyundai of Dallas | Dallas, TX | Clay Cooley Auto Group | D (60.9) |
| Miami Lakes Chevrolet | Miami Lakes, FL | Independent | D (63) |
| Clay Cooley Ford | Arlington, TX | Clay Cooley Auto Group | D (63.5) |
| John Sisson Nissan | Washington, PA | Independent | D (66.7) |
| Serra Honda | Akron, OH | Independent | D (67) |
| Gettel Nissan of Sarasota | Sarasota, FL | Gettel Automotive | D (69) |
Notably, three of the seven F-rated dealers belong to Lithia Motors, one of the largest dealership groups in the United States: Lithia Nissan of Clovis (CA), Lithia Toyota of Billings (MT), and Largo Honda (FL).
The Full List: Every FTC-Named Dealer We Could Find
Below is the complete list of dealerships named in the FTC’s March warning letters. Where we have a Dealer Transparency Index score, we’ve included the grade and linked to the dealer’s full scorecard.
“No written quote” is its own kind of warning sign. Those dealers didn’t provide a price in writing when our team asked for an out-the-door quote by email or text. A dealer that won’t commit to numbers before you walk through the door is often the same dealer with surprises waiting in the finance office. We add dealers to the index as they respond, so check caredge.com/dealer-ratings for updates.
| Dealership | Location | Parent Group | CarEdge Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aaron Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram | Norco, CA | — | C (79.6) |
| Adzam Inc. dba Doug’s Lynnwood Mazda | Edmonds, WA | — | No written quote |
| Airpark Dodge Chrysler Jeep Dealer | — | Berkshire Hathaway Automotive | No written quote |
| Arrigo Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM Sawgrass | — | Morgan Auto Group | No written quote |
| Arrigo Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM West Palm Beach | — | Morgan Auto Group | No written quote |
| Autonation Chevrolet West Colonial | Orlando, FL | AutoNation | C (78) |
| Autonation Ford Katy | Katy, TX | AutoNation | A (100) |
| Autonation Ford of North Canton | — | AutoNation | No written quote |
| Autonation Ford South Fort Worth | Fort Worth, TX | AutoNation | C (74) |
| Autonation Honda Tucson Auto Mall | Tucson, AZ | AutoNation | A (100) |
| Autonation Hyundai Valencia | Santa Clarita, CA | AutoNation | A (95.5) |
| Autonation Toyota Irvine | Irvine, CA | AutoNation | A (100) |
| Autonation Toyota Tempe | Tempe, AZ | AutoNation | C (76.5) |
| Autopia Motorcars | Union, NJ | — | No written quote |
| Benson’s Ingram Park Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram | San Antonio, TX | — | No written quote |
| Best Price Dealer | Hallandale, FL | — | No written quote |
| Big Star Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram Fiat Clear Lake | — | Ken Garff Automotive Group | No written quote |
| Big Star Hyundai | Friendswood, TX | Ken Garff Automotive Group | B (82.5) |
| Bob Howard Buick | Oklahoma City, OK | Group 1 Automotive | C (71.9) |
| Bob Howard Chevrolet | Oklahoma City, OK | Group 1 Automotive | C (71.9) |
| Bob Howard Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram | Oklahoma City, OK | Group 1 Automotive | C (71.6) |
| Bob Howard Hyundai | Oklahoma City, OK | Group 1 Automotive | C (71.9) |
| Bob Howard Toyota | Oklahoma City, OK | Group 1 Automotive | A (95.9) |
| Brandon Honda | Tampa, FL | Morgan Auto Group | B (84.4) |
| Brandon Mitsubishi | — | Morgan Auto Group | No written quote |
| Bud Clary Auburn Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram | — | Bud Clary Auto Group | No written quote |
| Bud Clary Chevrolet Longview | — | Bud Clary Auto Group | No written quote |
| Bud Clary Subaru Longview | — | Bud Clary Auto Group | No written quote |
| Bud Clary Toyota of Yakima | — | Bud Clary Auto Group | C (78.5) |
| California Beemers Inc. | Costa Mesa, CA | — | No written quote |
| California Motors Direct | Santa Ana, CA | — | F (47.3) |
| Capital Auto Mall Premier | Tampa, FL | — | No written quote |
| Capitol Chevrolet of Austin | — | Berkshire Hathaway Automotive | No written quote |
| Cardinal Buick GMC | Belleville, IL | — | B (84.7) |
| Cardinale Way Hyundai of El Monte | — | Cardinale Automotive Group | No written quote |
| Cardinale Way Mazda Las Vegas | — | Cardinale Automotive Group | No written quote |
| Cardinale Way Mazda Mesa | — | Cardinale Automotive Group | No written quote |
| Cardinale Way Volkswagen Corona | — | Cardinale Automotive Group | No written quote |
| CarHub | Stafford, VA | — | No written quote |
| Cincy Automall | Fairfield, OH | — | No written quote |
| City Kia of Greater Orlando | Orlando, FL | — | B (81.2) |
| Clay Cooley Chevrolet of Irving | Irving, TX | Clay Cooley Auto Group | B (81) |
| Clay Cooley Ford | Arlington, TX | Clay Cooley Auto Group | D (63.5) |
| Clay Cooley Hyundai of Dallas | Dallas, TX | Clay Cooley Auto Group | D (60.9) |
| Clay Cooley Kia Irving | Irving, TX | Clay Cooley Auto Group | A (99.2) |
| Clay Cooley Nissan Duncanville | — | Clay Cooley Auto Group | No written quote |
| Dewey Ford | — | Ken Garff Automotive Group | No written quote |
| EchoPark Automotive San Antonio | — | Sonic Automotive | No written quote |
| Encore Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram | Mobile, AL | — | F (41.3) |
| Fayetteville Dodge Ram | Fayetteville, NC | — | No written quote |
| Findlay Automotive Group | Henderson, NV | — | No written quote |
| Fontana Motors Direct | Fontana, CA | — | No written quote |
| Ford of Elizabethton | Elizabethton, TN | — | A (92) |
| Frisco Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram | Frisco, TX | — | C (76.1) |
| Gene Messer Ford | — | Group 1 Automotive | No written quote |
| Gene Messer Kia | — | Group 1 Automotive | No written quote |
| Gettel Hyundai of Charlotte County | — | Gettel Automotive | No written quote |
| Gettel Nissan of Sarasota | Sarasota, FL | Gettel Automotive | D (69) |
| Gettel Stadium Toyota | Tampa, FL | Gettel Automotive | B (83.8) |
| Gettel Toyota of Charlotte County | — | Gettel Automotive | No written quote |
| Gettel Toyota of Lakewood | — | Gettel Automotive | No written quote |
| Gilroy Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram | Gilroy, CA | — | No written quote |
| Greenway Kia at the Avenues | Jacksonville, FL | Greenway Auto Group | A (97.2) |
| Greenway Kia East | Orlando, FL | Greenway Auto Group | B (86.2) |
| Greenway Kia North | Longwood, FL | Greenway Auto Group | A (91) |
| Greenway Kia of Franklin | — | Greenway Auto Group | No written quote |
| Greenway Kia of Riverchase | — | Greenway Auto Group | No written quote |
| Greenway Kia West | Orlando, FL | Greenway Auto Group | A (96.7) |
| Hanna Imports | Raleigh, NC | — | No written quote |
| Hardin Buick Pontiac GMC | Anaheim, CA | — | No written quote |
| Hayes Chrysler Dodge Jeep of Gainesville | Gainesville, GA | — | No written quote |
| Headquarter Hyundai | Sanford, FL | — | No written quote |
| Hendrick Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Fiat Wilmington | — | Hendrick Automotive Group | No written quote |
| Hendrick Lexus Charlotte | Charlotte, NC | Hendrick Automotive Group | A (99.7) |
| Hendrick Motors of Charlotte | — | Hendrick Automotive Group | No written quote |
| Hiley Hyundai of Burleson | Burleson, TX | Hiley Automotive Group | A (98.5) |
| Hiley Hyundai of Fort Worth | Fort Worth, TX | Hiley Automotive Group | A (97.2) |
| Holman Cadillac | Mount Laurel Township, NJ | Holman | A (92.8) |
| Holman Honda Centennial | — | Holman | No written quote |
| Holman Infiniti | — | Holman | No written quote |
| Honda of Downtown Chicago | Chicago, IL | — | A (100) |
| Honda of Manhasset | Manhasset, NY | — | No written quote |
| Honda of Sarasota | — | Morgan Auto Group | No written quote |
| Houston Direct Auto | Houston, TX | — | No written quote |
| Huntley Ford | Huntley, IL | — | No written quote |
| Hyundai of El Cajon | El Cajon, CA | — | No written quote |
| Hyundai Stockton | Stockton, CA | — | A (90) |
| Jack Phelan Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM | La Grange, IL | — | No written quote |
| Jeff Wyler Chevrolet of Columbus | — | Jeff Wyler Automotive | No written quote |
| Jeff Wyler Fairfield Kia | — | Jeff Wyler Automotive | No written quote |
| Jeff Wyler Honda of Colerain | — | Jeff Wyler Automotive | No written quote |
| Jeff Wyler Hyundai of Fairfield | Fairfield, OH | Jeff Wyler Automotive | A (100) |
| Jim Keras Buick GMC | Memphis, TN | Jim Keras Automotive | F (57.5) |
| Jim Keras Chevrolet Memphis | — | Jim Keras Automotive | No written quote |
| Jim Keras Nissan | — | Jim Keras Automotive | No written quote |
| Jim Keras Subaru Covington Pike | — | Jim Keras Automotive | No written quote |
| John Sisson Mercedes Benz | Washington, PA | — | C (76) |
| John Sisson Motors | Washington, PA | — | No written quote |
| John Sisson Nissan | Washington, PA | — | D (66.7) |
| Ken Garff Kia (Avondale) | Avondale, AZ | Ken Garff Automotive Group | A (92) |
| Keyes Chevrolet | — | Lithia Motors | No written quote |
| Keyes Lexus of Van Nuys | Van Nuys, CA | Lithia Motors | A (91.6) |
| Keyes Lexus Valencia | — | Lithia Motors | No written quote |
| Keyes Toyota | Los Angeles, CA | Lithia Motors | A (98.1) |
| Killeen Hyundai | Killeen, TX | — | No written quote |
| King of Jamaica Auto Inc. | Hollis, NY | — | No written quote |
| Lancaster Mitsubishi | East Petersburg, PA | — | F (53.1) |
| Largo Honda | Florida City, FL | Lithia Motors | F (51.3) |
| Legend Auto Sales | Burien, WA | — | No written quote |
| Liberty Nissan | Libertyville, IL | — | No written quote |
| Lithia Hyundai of Fresno | — | Lithia Motors | No written quote |
| Lithia Hyundai Reno | — | Lithia Motors | No written quote |
| Lithia Nissan of Clovis | Clovis, CA | Lithia Motors | F (40) |
| Lithia Nissan of Eugene | Eugene, OR | Lithia Motors | A (95.7) |
| Lithia Subaru of Fresno | — | Lithia Motors | No written quote |
| Lithia Toyota of Billings | Billings, MT | Lithia Motors | F (43.2) |
| Lithia Toyota of Springfield | — | Lithia Motors | No written quote |
| Lokey Kia | Clearwater, FL | Lokey Automotive Group | B (82.7) |
| Lokey Nissan | Clearwater, FL | Lokey Automotive Group | A (93.3) |
| Mac Haik Ford of Pasadena | — | Mac Haik Auto Group | No written quote |
| Mac Haik Houston | — | Mac Haik Auto Group | No written quote |
| McGrath Acura of Downtown Chicago | Chicago, IL | — | No written quote |
| McGrath Acura of Libertyville | Libertyville, IL | — | C (79) |
| McGrath Arlington Kia | Palatine, IL | — | No written quote |
| Miami Lakes Chevrolet | Miami Lakes, FL | — | D (63) |
| Midlands Volkswagen of Columbia | Columbia, SC | — | No written quote |
| Nissan City of Red Bank | — | Integrity Automotive | No written quote |
| Nissan City of Springfield | — | Integrity Automotive | No written quote |
| Nissan of Cool Springs | Franklin, TN | — | A (92.5) |
| Noller Ford of Lawrence | Lawrence, KS | Noller Auto Group | B (87.2) |
| Noller Ford of Topeka | Topeka, KS | Noller Auto Group | A (96.6) |
| Noller Hyundai of Lawrence | Lawrence, KS | Noller Auto Group | C (75.3) |
| NorthStar Kia | Woodside, NY | — | No written quote |
| Old Orchard Nissan | Skokie, IL | — | No written quote |
| Orr Chevrolet Cadillac of Fort Smith | — | Orr Auto Group | No written quote |
| Orr Nissan Bossier | — | Orr Auto Group | No written quote |
| Orr Nissan Central | — | Orr Auto Group | No written quote |
| Orr Nissan South | — | Orr Auto Group | No written quote |
| Ourisman Chevrolet Bowie | Bowie, MD | Ourisman Automotive Group | A (99.3) |
| Ourisman Chevrolet of Rockville | Rockville, MD | Ourisman Automotive Group | A (90.3) |
| Ourisman Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Clarksville | Clarksville, MD | Ourisman Automotive Group | A (90.4) |
| Ourisman Kia of Fairfax | Fairfax, VA | Ourisman Automotive Group | A (93.8) |
| Page Honda of Bloomfield | Bloomfield Hills, MI | — | A (100) |
| Page Toyota | Southfield, MI | — | A (100) |
| Prestige Imports Lamborghini Miami | North Miami Beach, FL | — | No written quote |
| Rairdon’s Honda of Burien | Burien, WA | — | No written quote |
| Red McCombs Ford | — | Red McCombs Motors | No written quote |
| Red McCombs Superior Hyundai | San Antonio, TX | Red McCombs Motors | A (100) |
| Red McCombs Universal Toyota | — | Red McCombs Motors | No written quote |
| Rick Hendrick Chevrolet Charleston | — | Hendrick Automotive Group | No written quote |
| Rick Hendrick Chevrolet of Buford | — | Hendrick Automotive Group | No written quote |
| Rick Hendrick Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram | — | Hendrick Automotive Group | No written quote |
| Route 23 Nissan | Butler, NJ | — | No written quote |
| Route 46 Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram | — | Route 46 Auto Group | No written quote |
| Route 46 Mitsubishi | — | Route 46 Auto Group | No written quote |
| Route 46 Nissan | — | Route 46 Auto Group | No written quote |
| Safford Honda Arlington | — | Safford Automotive Group | No written quote |
| Safford Honda Glen Burnie | Glen Burnie, MD | Safford Automotive Group | A (97) |
| Safford Hyundai Manassas | Manassas, VA | Safford Automotive Group | A (94.9) |
| Sanford Imports | Sanford, NC | — | No written quote |
| Serpentini Chevrolet of Medina | — | Ken Ganley Automotive Group | No written quote |
| Serpentini Chevrolet of Westlake | — | Ken Ganley Automotive Group | No written quote |
| Serpentini Chevrolet of Willoughby Hills | — | Ken Ganley Automotive Group | No written quote |
| Serpentini Chevrolet Tallmadge | — | Ken Ganley Automotive Group | No written quote |
| Serra Chevrolet Buick GMC of Nashville | Nashville, TN | — | A (95.1) |
| Serra Honda | Akron, OH | — | D (67) |
| Serra Kia of Trussville | Birmingham, AL | — | C (71.5) |
| Serra Toyota | Birmingham, AL | — | No written quote |
| Serramonte Subaru | Colma, CA | — | A (100) |
| Seth Wadley Auto Connection | — | Seth Wadley Auto Group | No written quote |
| Seth Wadley Chevrolet Buick GMC Perry | — | Seth Wadley Auto Group | No written quote |
| Seth Wadley Chevrolet Buick of Ada | — | Seth Wadley Auto Group | No written quote |
| Seth Wadley Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram | — | Seth Wadley Auto Group | No written quote |
| Seth Wadley Ford Lincoln | — | Seth Wadley Auto Group | No written quote |
| Seth Wadley Ford Pauls Valley | — | Seth Wadley Auto Group | No written quote |
| Showcase Honda | Phoenix, AZ | Berkshire Hathaway Automotive | C (74) |
| Sonic Town and Country Toyota | — | Sonic Automotive | No written quote |
| South Shore Nissan | Amityville, NY | — | C (75.3) |
| Southern Team Automall | Roanoke, VA | — | No written quote |
| Southway Ford | — | Mac Haik Auto Group | No written quote |
| Stream Auto Outlet Amity | — | Stream Auto Outlet | No written quote |
| Stream Auto Outlet Islip | — | Stream Auto Outlet | No written quote |
| Stream Auto Outlet Valley | — | Stream Auto Outlet | No written quote |
| Suburban Cadillac of Troy | Troy, MI | Lithia Motors | B (88.5) |
| Suburban Ford of Waterford | — | Lithia Motors | No written quote |
| Superior Ford, Inc. | Siloam Springs, AR | — | No written quote |
| Supreme Motors LLC | Auburn, WA | — | No written quote |
| Titanium Motors Inc. | Hollywood, FL | — | No written quote |
| Universal Nissan Orlando | Orlando, FL | — | No written quote |
| Vancouver Toyota | Vancouver, WA | — | A (100) |
| Vandergriff Honda | Arlington, TX | Berkshire Hathaway Automotive | B (83) |
| Victory Mitsubishi | Bronx, NY | — | No written quote |
| Visalia Hyundai | Visalia, CA | — | No written quote |
| Wagner Kia of Shrewsbury | Shrewsbury, MA | — | A (100) |
| Westshore Honda | — | Morgan Auto Group | No written quote |
| Zeigler Buick GMC of Lincolnwood | — | Zeigler Automotive Group | No written quote |
| Zeigler Chevrolet of Schaumburg | Schaumburg, IL | Zeigler Automotive Group | A (100) |
| Zeigler Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram | — | Zeigler Automotive Group | No written quote |
| Zeigler Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Downers Grove | Downers Grove, IL | Zeigler Automotive Group | A (93.9) |
| Zeigler Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Schaumburg | Schaumburg, IL | Zeigler Automotive Group | A (100) |
| Zeigler Honda of Racine | — | Zeigler Automotive Group | No written quote |
| Zeigler Hyundai of Racine | — | Zeigler Automotive Group | No written quote |
| Zeigler Nissan of Orland Park | Orland Park, IL | Zeigler Automotive Group | A (100) |
How the Dealer Transparency Index Works
Our scores aren’t opinions or survey results. Our AI agent contacts dealers on behalf of real car shoppers, collects itemized out-the-door quotes, and grades every dealer on what they actually charge. The scoring breaks down like this:
- Doc fees (30%): lower fees score higher. The benchmark is $499.
- Add-on behavior (30%): fewer mandatory add-ons score higher.
- Dealer markup (30%): lower dealer-controlled fees above the listing score higher.
- Data quality (10%): complete, detailed quotes score higher.
The result is a 0 to 100 score and letter grade for every dealer in our database. These are exactly the behaviors the FTC’s letters describe, which is why the warning list and our index overlap the way they do.
What This Means If You’re Shopping
A warning letter doesn’t force a dealer to change overnight. Enforcement takes time, and the habits baked into a dealership’s F&I process don’t disappear because a letter showed up in the mail. That’s why independent, data-backed ratings matter more than ever.
Before you walk into any dealership, on this list or not, take two minutes to look up its Dealer Transparency score. See its average doc fees, how often it pushes mandatory add-ons, and how its out-the-door prices compare to what it advertises. It’s 100% free.
The FTC is telling dealers to be honest. CarEdge tells you which ones already are.
Check your dealership’s transparency score on the CarEdge Dealer Transparency Index →
Frequently Asked Questions
Which car dealers did the FTC send warning letters to?
In March 2026, the FTC sent 97 warning letters to auto dealership groups about deceptive pricing. Those letters cover more than 200 individual dealership locations nationwide, ranging from independent used-car lots to large public retailers including AutoNation, Lithia Motors, Group 1 Automotive, Hendrick Automotive Group, and Ken Garff Automotive Group. The full named list is published above.
Does getting an FTC warning letter mean a dealer broke the law?
No. A warning letter is not a finding of wrongdoing or a guilty verdict. It puts the dealer on notice about practices the FTC considers illegal and signals that the agency is watching. In fact, 41 of the named dealers that CarEdge has graded earn an A on our Dealer Transparency Index, meaning their real-world pricing is clean.
What were the dealers warned about?
The letters flagged advertising prices that exclude mandatory fees, advertising rebates not available to every buyer, conditioning advertised prices on using dealer financing, requiring undisclosed add-on purchases, and advertising vehicles that aren’t actually available.
Why don’t some named dealers have a CarEdge grade?
A dealer shows “No written quote” when they didn’t provide a price in writing after our team requested an itemized out-the-door quote by email or text. We can’t grade a dealer who won’t put numbers in writing, and we consider that refusal a yellow flag on its own, because a dealer unwilling to commit to a price remotely is often the one with the biggest surprises in the finance office.
How can I tell if my local dealer has a transparency problem?
Look up the dealer on the free CarEdge Dealer Transparency Index. Each dealer gets a 0 to 100 score and a letter grade based on real itemized out-the-door quotes, weighing doc fees, mandatory add-ons, dealer markup, and quote completeness.
Disclosure: This article links to the CarEdge Dealer Transparency Index and dealer ratings, which are free tools operated by CarEdge. Dealer grades reflect data collected by CarEdge and are independent of the FTC's warning letters. Inclusion on the FTC list does not by itself indicate that a dealer has violated any law.
Sponsored by Insurify
Are you overpaying for car insurance?
Compare rates from top carriers in under 5 minutes. CarEdge users save an average of $996/year on auto insurance.
*Disclosure: CarEdge may earn a commission when you compare insurance quotes through our partner, Insurify. This does not influence our editorial content.*
