Buying a car can be an exhausting experience. Researching car stats and comparing models, checking out a car’s history and condition, and, well, paying for it. This process can be made even worse when you factor in dealing with salespeople, especially the shady ones.
There are some common sales tactics and schemes that you’ll find at shadier dealerships around the country, including false advertising, tricky finance finessing, and even straight-up lying. While some of these tactics are now illegal, it still helps to be able to identify them yourself.
These are tactics we’ve seen salespeople discuss on forums like Reddit and lists provided by financially focused publications like Money Digest. Here are some of the most-mentioned techniques and schemes you should be aware of.
The Bait and Switch

This tactic is so downright dirty (grungy, even) that the Federal Trade Commission has dubbed it illegal under its newly implemented CARS Rule (Combating Auto Retail Scams) — but that may not stop all sleazy salespeople.
Here’s how it works: You see a car online that seems pretty swell for your budget, so you head to the local dealer to tell them about the sale you saw on their website. When you go in, it’s apparently no longer available. But don’t worry! The car salesperson has a similar model that seems right for you — for a higher price, but just ignore that. If the deal you were promised isn’t real once you show up, leave.
The Misleading Car Photo

It’s not only dating apps where a little filter goes a long way — yes, you can get catfished by car dealerships now. You’ll see a pretty sexy car online with a ton of nice styling and useful features. But when you show up for the date — the appointment, I mean — they’ll show you that same model for the same price, but without the bells and whistles.
It turns out the one in the photo was a higher trim. Oftentimes, these higher trims can cost thousands more, which you might be willing to pay once you have your heart set on it. It’s sort of like when your date shows up looking nothing like their profile pic and hoping their personality will make you forgive them for lying. When this happens, it may be best to find a more trustworthy dealership. This still counts as “misrepresentation” under the CARS Rule, meaning the dealers are being shady.
The See Dealer For Details Scheme

Another tricky online sales tactic is the “see dealer for details” routine. You see a car online, it looks awesome, and the price seems not too shabby… But it’s hard to find further details. Instead, the ad says to come in and talk to a dealer to find out more. This is a way to entice potential customers to come in.
Why? It’s obviously easier to get a deal when you’re talking face-to-face with a dealer and can see the car in front of you. It’s not necessarily as devious as the other tactics on this list, but it’s something to be aware of.
The Promising Monthly Payment

One of the most stressful parts of buying a car is actually paying for it. Car dealers know this and will try to ease your mind with low monthly payments you can easily afford. This makes the car seem more approachable and reduces the stress of making a massive purchase. However, you often need to find out more information before agreeing to a monthly payment plan. Oftentimes, these lower monthly payments are only possible because the dealer has factored in a large down payment upfront or stretched out the loan for an extensive time period, adding more interest and more time paying for it.
Under the CARS Rule, it’s required by law to tell you how they got these monthly payment figures. Make sure to ask how they arrived at those numbers, especially if it sounds too good to be true.
The Painless Add-Ons

It’s not uncommon for car salespeople to try and convince you to buy a higher trim or add on extra features, states Money Digest. They know frugal buyers will turn these down because they can’t fathom paying an extra $5,000 after already sweating bullets over the base model’s price. To help ease your mind, car dealers will use tactics like telling you how little extra that is each month. “Come on, an extra $30 a month won’t make a difference, you’re already paying $870.”
But this kind of thinking will get you in trouble. If a salesperson tries to convince you it’s just a tiny amount more, remember the overall extra cost — is it worth the extra money, and can you afford it?
The Hidden Fees

After agreeing to purchase a car — even doing your due diligence by negotiating for a lower price — you can still get the papers to sign and see a different total cost than expected. Oftentimes, the quoted cost and the final number are not the same. This is due to dealers hiding extra fees and expenses when telling you the price on the sales floor. They’re likely hoping that you will accept the updated cost once the papers are in your hand.
However, the CARS Rule considers this practice illegal. The FTC requires dealers to tell you the “full price” with all added costs upfront. At the end of the deal, many shoppers realize the quoted costs and payments don’t match the final numbers. That’s because dealers often hide fees or exclude important expenses from their initial pricing. Under CARS, dealers have to disclose the full “offering price” that includes all costs except basic government fees like registration. They must also outline the total price if they’re advertising monthly payments.
The Payment Type Trick

According to Reader’s Digest, there’s a common car dealership tactic that car buyers have to stay aware of. Basically, the dealer will ask you upfront how you plan to pay for the car. They may even ask this before further discussion or negotiating a final price. Why? Dealers make a good chunk of change from financing, states Nerd Wallet. So if you’re paying with cash or third-party financing, some dealerships will increase the price to make up for the money they lose on you not financing your loan.
Reader’s Digest’s expert recommends negotiating the price of the car first. Get the price confirmed before talking about financing, ensuring this won’t impact the price you end up paying.
The Irrational Interest Rate

As we said earlier, car dealers make a good chunk of their income from customers setting up a loan through them via a partner bank. The dealer will first offer you a deal that seems pretty sweet on the car itself, making you feel like you’re saving money or pulling a fast one on them.
However, the dealer plans to make up for this loss by marking up your interest rate. The partner bank will approve you for a certain loan, maybe 5%. But the dealer will tell you to your face that you were approved for 7%, pocketing the extra cash. To avoid this tactic, find your own lender before making the deal to get pre-approval.
The Odometer Offensive

Used cars with higher mileage will often save you money at the car dealership, while those with lower mileage can have a higher price tag. For this reason, buyers looking for used cars will always take mileage into consideration. Some dealerships will prey on this in a very sneaky way.
Dealerships will roll back the car’s odometer to lower the mileage. This can be really dangerous since cars with higher mileage require more maintenance and may even require an engine replacement in the near future — added expenses you may not be prepared for if you buy a car with a fake odometer reading. According to a report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 450,000 cars with fake odometer readings are purchased a year, costing $1 billion in repairs. If you’re skeptical that a 2016 Toyota Corolla only has 20,000 miles, check the tires. If they’re not the original tires, this could be a sign that you’re being lied to. Ask to see the car’s title to compare mileage as well as a vehicle history report.
The Military Misrepresentation

The military is often the target of an ongoing dealership scheme that may be one of the most morally corrupt. Luckily, CARS now makes this tactic illegal. Members of the military and veterans can sometimes be targeted by dealerships that want to play on their struggles and experiences to build a fake connection, a report by Military.com explains. Shady salespeople will sometimes pretend they are military as well to better relate to certain issues and struggles, making the military member feel more comfortable — and more likely to offer their support with a sale.
Misrepresenting military ties is not allowed, according to CARS. If you suspect that a dealer could be bluffing, it could be fun to give them a test. But the smart thing to do is to walk away — you don’t want to make a deal with someone willing to make such bogus claims.