FTC

Recalls have been making headlines for the past several years, but on used car lots, recalled vehicles aren't always easy to spot. That could change thanks to a new lawsuit filed against the U.S. Federal Trade Commission. Recalls in the news The recent crop of high-profile recalls began with...Read More»

Buying a car can give anyone heartburn. Between all the add-ons and upgrades, the fees and taxes, the fine-print of financing, and the iffy opinion that many consumers have of auto salespeople, it's a far more complicated experience than, say, buying a book or a smartphone. That goes double when...Read More»

Tesla isn't the only automaker that's having a bad week. If Elon Musk is buying, Volkswagen could use a drink or three. At the end of June, Volkswagen's Dieselgate scandal seemed like it was finally coming to an end--or at least the beginning of an end. After nearly ten long, confusing months, the...Read More»

If you live in the U.S. and own an Audi or VW 2.0-liter diesel, today's your day--the day you learn how much Volkswagen plans to compensate you for buying an illegally rigged vehicle. It's also the day that you learn whether Volkswagen will buy back your car because you're too disgusted by the...Read More»

It's a gloomy day across much of Europe, with markets in turmoil after UK residents voted to "Brexit" the EU. Volkswagen isn't doing much to improve matters: thanks to its ongoing Dieselgate scandal, the company is poised to make a massive payout to the U.S. (and its diesel owners), one employee is...Read More»

The Volkswagen Dieselgate scandal began making headlines over six months ago, so you might think that the worst of it would be over by now. You would be wrong. In recent days, VW's U.S. dealers and its German executives have met at the National Automobile Dealers Association convention in Las...Read More»

Tesla Motors has had trouble making inroads in some states due to stringent franchise laws and the powerful dealer lobbies that keep those laws in place. But change could be looming around the corner -- change effected not by individual states, but by the Federal Trade Commission. On Tuesday...Read More»

You have to hand it to Elon Musk: he doesn't shy away from a challenge. In launching Tesla, he faced three. First, like any startup, Tesla had to let consumers know about its products. Because of Musk's outgoing personality and Tesla's attractively designed cars, that wasn't hard to do -- though...Read More»

If you're a car dealer and you're unfamiliar with the term "best practices", listen up, because the Federal Trade Commission may soon be knocking on your door. The FTC has investigated consumer complaints at ten U.S. auto dealerships, all of whom were accused of deceptive advertising. The agency...Read More»

On Thursday, we told you about OnStar's new terms of service, which go live this December. Among the more controversial features in the company's new customer agreement, OnStar now reserves the right to share details about owners' location, speed, and other factors with third parties. Worse: OnStar...Read More»

With the price of a new car averaging more than $28,000 and the average dealer-sold used car running around $14,000, most vehicle shoppers opt to either finance or lease. While dealer-arranged financing is certainly more convenient, it's not always fair, and it's not always straightforward. And...Read More»