Buying and Owning a Car

Buying, Leasing, and Renting

Auto Loan Refinancing Scams

Use caution when dealing with companies that promise to negotiate lower payments for your car loan if you pay them an advance fee.

Auto Trade-Ins and Negative Equity: When You Owe More than Your Car is Worth

What to expect when you owe more on your car than it’s worth.

Buying a New Car

Get tips about pricing terms, financing options, trade-ins, and service contracts.

Buying a Used Car From a Dealer

A Buyers Guide is required on used cars sold by dealers. Learn about vehicle history reports, warranties, and payment options.

Car Dealer Ads and Promotions: Know Before You Go

How to determine whether prices, discounts, and other terms in car ads are true before you go to the dealership.

Financing or Leasing a Car

Shopping for a new or used car? Learn about your financing and leasing options and what to expect at the dealership.

Renting a Car

Compare the total cost, not just the advertised rate, when shopping. Fees and options can increase the base price dramatically.

Ownership and Warranties

Auto Warranties and Service Contracts

Explains differences between a warranty and service contract, how to get the most out of a warranty, your rights, possible scams.

Vehicle Repossession

What to know about when, and how, your car can be repossessed.

Related Scams

From Consumer Alerts

View all Buying and Owning a Car alerts

Consumer Alert

How to steer clear of a flood-damaged car

Colleen Tressler

November 15, 2022

Shopping for a car? With new car prices averaging more than $48,000, you may be thinking about buying used. But in the wake of disasters like Hurricane Ian, tread lightly: after a hurricane or flood

Consumer Alert

Discriminatory financing and bogus fees at the car dealer? No thank you

Rosario Mendez

October 18, 2022

When car shopping, you shouldn’t be charged more than the advertised price, or more than other people because of the way you look or where you’re from. That’s wrong, dishonest, and illegal. Today the

Consumer Alert

FTC returns money to customers of deceptive auto dealerships

Kira Krown

September 15, 2022

Buying a car is a big purchase that most of us have to finance. Many people who financed vehicles they bought at Tate’s Auto had their vehicles repossessed. Why? According to the FTC, Tate’s Auto

Consumer Alert

Concerned about deceptive ads and sales of autos? Last call for comments

Karen Hobbs

September 6, 2022

The FTC is working to address deceptive advertising and unlawful add-on sales in the auto industry by considering changes to the law that would give the agency better tools to protect consumers and