California car buyers catch a break as state clamps down on sale scams

Here’s something to honk about.

A new California law set to take effect October 1 takes aim at slimy car salesmen, protecting Golden State buyers and lessees from hidden costs, misleading terms, and predatory sale tactics.

Dubbed the California Combating Auto Retail Scams, or CARS Act, Senate Bill 766 requires dealerships to advertise the total price of vehicles — and indicate which add-ons and features are optional.

The bill was authored by Senator Bill Allen of Santa Monica — and signed into law last October by Governor Gavin Newsom.

“This bill will codify best-in-class protections for California car buyers,” said Allen in a press release. “It’ll make a real difference for consumers by making the car buying experience more fair and transparent.”

The bill includes a first-in-the-nation “right to cancel” policy — that gives buyers and lesees three days to return a vehicles worth less than $50,000.

“This bill is a significant step forward for California consumers and for an industry that has been allowed to get away with outrageous sales tactics for far too long,” Ted Mermin, director of the California Low-Income Consumer Coalition, said in an October press release.

“Today, when you ask a car dealer how much a car costs, you’re going to get a three-hour wait in an office,” Mermin said. “When the CARS Act takes effect, you’re going to get a direct answer.”

The bill applies to both used and new vehicles weighing under 100,000 pounds. 

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