BALTIMORE — The Maryland Attorney General's Office has filed administrative charges against a Bowie car dealer.
Prosecutors accuse Darcars Honda on Crain Highway in Bowie of unfair and deceptive sales practices in violation of the state's Consumer Protection Act.
The dealership allegedly posts prices online for well below what buyers end up having to pay.
Hidden fees are what catch customers off-guard.
According to the Attorney General, Darcars charges an extra 2 percent of the car value under the guise of "sales commission."
The dealer claims the fee is optional but they reportedly don't tell the consumer that it is.
Despite being listed as "sales commission," the state says Darcars employees see none of that two percent.
In fact, prosecutors argue Darcars instead pockets the money to offset commission they pay their workers.
On top of that, Darcars is said to charge an additional $895 for preinstalled equipment that's supposed to already be included in the sales price.
Again, Darcars insists such equipment is optional under what they call the "Honda Value Package."
Prosecutors, however, dispute that. They believe buyers are left with no choice since the dealership already installs the parts without their prior knowledge.
Another misleading practice is the dealer's failure to let customers know up front about a $500 processing charge which lawfully accompanies every purchase of a new or used car.
A hearing is scheduled for October 29 through November 8.
The state is seeking restitution and a court injunction forcing Darcars to halt their deceptive practices.
A spokesperson at the Honda of Bowie sent us the following statement:
"Over the last two years, Honda of Bowie has cooperated fully with the Maryland Attorney General to respond to its request for information and address its concerns. This is an instance where the premise of the case is not supported by the record or the facts.
We feel confident about our level of disclosure on this matter and proactively sought to partner with the Attorney General to establish new industry best practices that could benefit all Maryland consumers. We are prepared to defend our company and our lawful practices in court against these baseless claims, while continuing to provide our customers with the industry’s best service in every market we serve."
A full copy of the charges can be read here.
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