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.

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.

Know Before You Go: Car Dealer Ads and Promotions

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

One thing that comes with being in the military is almost constant change — new cities, new homes, new friends — and new cars. As part of Military Consumer Month, if you’re thinking about buying a new

Consumer Alert

FTC says companies’ warranty restrictions were illegal

Seena Gressin

July 7, 2022

Sometimes good gizmos go bad. If the gizmo — whether a motor vehicle, home appliance, or other consumer product — is under warranty, you may want to bring it to the dealer for repair. Or, you may

Consumer Alert

Share your experiences to help the FTC address deceptive car pricing and sales

Colleen Tressler

June 23, 2022

Over the past ten years, the FTC has brought more than 50 auto-related law enforcement actions. Despite these actions, deceptive advertising and unlawful add-on sales continue to cause people to spend

Consumer Alert

Auto dealers to pay $10 million for discriminatory lending and sneaking in junk add-on fees

Seena Gressin

April 1, 2022

Napleton, a multi-state auto dealership group, has settled a joint FTC and Illinois lawsuit alleging that it charged customers hidden fees for unwanted add-on products and discriminated against Black