Sorrell
MONTPELIER, Vt. (Legal Newsline) - Vermont Attorney General William Sorrell announced an assurance of discontinuance with eight car dealers on Tuesday, resolving allegations of failing to honor advertised sales prices.
Springfield Auto Mart Inc., Quality Motors Inc., Quality Ford, Lincoln, Mercury Inc., Littleton Chevrolet Buick, Oldsmobile, Pontiac Inc., Littleton Auto Mart Inc., L&T Auto LLC, L&T Auto Group LLC. and Capital City Automart Inc. will refund the alleged overcharges to consumers by May 5. Capitol City Automart Inc. also paid $16,000 worth of penalties to the state of Vermont.
State law requires that automobile dealers honor the advertised sales price for vehicles sold during the period an advertisement ran, whether or not the customer knows about the advertisement.
"In fairness to both consumers and other dealers, all dealers must comply with our automobile advertising laws," Sorrell said. "Consumers need to make sure they understand what the advertisement offers, and insist that they pay nothing more, except tax, registration, and title fees."
Under the terms of the agreement, the dealerships will ensure that their sales contract prices will not be more than their current advertised sales prices, comply with Vermont's Consumer Fraud Rules connected to automobile advertising, make their advertising sales promotions and vehicle sales contracts available to Sorrell's office until 2014, and inform all sales and management supervisors about their requirements under the law.