"Dealerships Are Shady": Man Says Texas Toyota Dealership Agreed To Sell Highlander Hybrid For $26,900, Then Jacked Up The Price

A disgruntled car buyer left a dealership after he claimed the business wouldn’t honor a vehicle’s advertised price. Podcaster Nick (@nicksrightpod) posted a viral clip on TikTo delineating his purchasing experience from a Texas Toyota dealership.

He explains in his video that he was looking to purchase a larger vehicle to use while he drives for Uber and that one Highlander hybrid at Toyota of Richardson caught his eye.

“They advertised this Toyota Highlander Hybrid for $26,900, and then when I get here, they pre-approve me. My credit union pre-approved me.”

Toyota Dealer Won’t Sell Car for Advertised Price

Nick says the dealership initially told him they couldn’t accept outside financing but were eventually able to overcome that obstacle. However, if he wouldn’t pay for the vehicle via their in-house financiers, he would then have to have a slew of extra charges added to its total price.

“They’re like, ‘Okay, we’ll do your financing, but we’re gonna put all these additives on. We’re gonna put this warranty on, we’re gonna put all these extras on,’ and now the price comes out to be $35,100.” Nick says.

“I’m like, ‘The advertised price is $26,900. I’m not doing anything other than the advertised price,’” he continued. “Their guy said, ‘Well, we can get down to $31,000.’ No!”

With the dealership refusing to sell the car for the advertised price, Nick says he walked away.

Dealership Add-Ons

Other car buyers have vented their frustration with “fine print” additions to vehicles that jack up their out-the-door pricing. Motor1 previously reported on a woman who tried purchasing a car from a Honda dealership. Her buying experience was soured due to the fact that the sales rep refused to remove additional expenditures added to the car’s total bill of sale.

One selling point that appeals to drivers looking to own electric vehicles is that many states allow manufacturers to sell directly to consumers—that is, you won’t have to worry about purchasing a car via a middle man such as a dealership just to own a car. Tesla famously offers direct EV sales, which is a pro some car buyers consider when looking for a new ride.

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The Electrification Coalition has published a map detailing which states allow for electric vehicles to be sold to consumers straight from automakers. This includes Oregon, Idaho, California, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, Arizona, Virginia, Tennessee, Missouri, Minnesota, Illinois, Florida, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Maryland, Delaware, and Massachusetts. In Washington, Nevada, Mississippi, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Georgia, North Carolina, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York, direct-to-consumer sales exist only for certain manufacturers. And the rest of the U.S. strictly prohibits direct EV sales to car buyers.

Car Dealer Won't Honor Advertised Price

Different states have varying rules when it applies to misleading/false advertising claims. Texas-based news outlet NBCDFW highlighted a state DMV ruling that if a car is being advertised for sale at a price, then the seller must “be willing to sell that motor vehicle for that featured price.”

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Additionally, the Federal Trade Commission urges consumers to report businesses they believe are being dishonest about sales tactics, including speciously advertised pricing for its inventory.

InsideEVs has reached out to Toyota of Richardson and Nick via email for further comment.

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