Most car dealers who sell used vehicles must comply with the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC's) Used Car Rule. In fact, car dealers who sell more than five used vehicles in a 12-month period must comply with the Rule. Banks and financial institutions are exempt from the Rule, as are businesses that sell vehicles to their employees, and lessors who sell a leased vehicle to a lessee, an employee of the lessee, or a buyer found by the lessee.
The Used Car Rule applies in all states except Maine and Wisconsin. These two states are exempt because they have similar regulations that require dealers to post disclosures on used vehicles. The Rule applies in the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and American Samoa.
This booklet defines the Rule's requirements, explains how to prepare and display the Buyers Guide, and offers a compliance checklist.
You must post a Buyers Guide before you "offer" a used vehicle for sale. A vehicle is offered for sale when you display it for sale or let a customer inspect it for the purpose of buying it, even if the car is not fully prepared for delivery. This requirement also applies to used vehicles for sale on your lot through consignment, power of attorney, or other agreement. At public auctions, dealers and the auction company must comply. The Rule does not apply at auctions that are closed to consumers.
Previously titled or not, any vehicle driven for purposes other than moving or test driving, is considered a used vehicle, including light-duty vans, light-duty trucks, demonstrators, and program cars that meet the following specifications:
Exceptions to the Rule are:
A disclosure document that gives consumers important purchasing and warranty information, the Buyers Guide tells consumers:
If you conduct a used car transaction in Spanish, you must post a Spanish language Buyers Guide on the vehicle before you display or offer it for sale.
The Buyers Guide must be posted prominently and conspicuously on or in a vehicle when a car is available for sale. This means it must be in plain view and both sides must be visible. You can hang the Guide from the rear-view mirror inside the car or on a side-view mirror outside the car. You also can place it under a windsheld wiper.The Guide also can be attached to a side window. A Guide in a glove compartment, trunk or under the seat is not conspicuous because it is not in plain sight.
You may remove the Guide for a test drive, but you must replace it as soon as the test drive is over.
At the top of the Guide, fill in the vehicle make, model, model year, and vehicle identification number (VIN). Write in a dealer stock number if you wish.
On the back of the Guide, fill in the name and address of your dealership. Also fill in the name (or position) and the telephone number of the person the consumer should contact with complaints. You may use a rubber stamp or preprint your Guide with this information.
You may include a signature line on the Guide and you may ask the buyer to sign to acknowledge that he or she has received the Guide. If you opt for a signature line, you must include a disclosure near it that says: "I hereby acknowledge receipt of the Buyers Guide at the closing of this sale." This language can be preprinted on the form. The signature line and the required disclosure must appear in the space provided for the name of the individual to be contacted in the event of complaints after the sale.
State Law. In some states, use of the "As Is-No Warranty" Buyers Guide may be legally sufficient to eliminate implied warranties. In other states "as is" sales are allowed only if specific action is taken or certain language is used. For example, some states may require you to eliminate implied warranties by using special language and/or a document other than the Guide.
If you're not sure which version of the Buyers Guide you should use or if you have questions about state requirements, contact the FTC or your state Attorney General.
For a warranty to be considered "full:"
The warranty is considered "limited" if any of these conditions don't apply.
Fill in the percentage of parts and labor costs covered by the warranty in the spaces provided. If a deductible applies to repairs made under the warranty, put an asterisk next to the number and explain the deductible in the "systems covered/duration" section. For example, "*A $50 deductible applies to each repair visit."
There's one column to list the systems covered, and another to list the length of the warranty for each system. In the left hand column, you must specify each system that's covered by the warranty. The Rule prohibits the use of shorthand phrases such as "drive train" or "power train" because it's not always clear what specific components are included in the "power train" or "drive train."
In the right hand column, you must state the length of the warranty for each system. If all systems are covered for the same length of time, you may state the duration once.
If the manufacturer's warranty hasn't expired, you may disclose this fact by checking the "Warranty" box and including this disclosure in the "systems covered/duration" section: "MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY STILL APPLIES. The manufacturer's original warranty has not expired on the vehicle. Consult the manufacturer's warranty booklet for details as to warranty coverage, service location, etc." The disclosure must be stated in the exact language quoted above. Using phrases such as "balance of factory warranty" are not sufficient.
If the consumer must pay to get coverage under the manufacturer's warranty, you may not check the "Warranty" box. Such coverage is considered a service contract. However, you may check the "warranty" box if you pay for coverage from the manufacturer and the consumer doesn't have to pay anything more than the price of the vehicle to get the coverage. If you provide a warranty in addition to the unexpired manufacturer's warranty, explain the terms of your warranty on the Buyers Guide.
If you and the consumer negotiate changes in the warranty, the Buyers Guide must reflect the changes. For example, if you offer to cover 50 percent of the cost of parts and labor for certain repairs, but agree to cover 100 percent of the cost of parts and labor after negotiating with the customer, you must cross out the "50 percent" disclosure and write in "100 percent." Similarly, if you first offer the vehicle "as is" but then agree to provide a warranty, you must cross out the "As Is-No Warranty" disclosure and complete the "Warranty" section of the Buyers Guide properly.
If you offer a service contract for repairs, check the box next to the words "Service Contract." However, if your state regulates service contracts as the "business of insurance," you don't have to check this box. Check with your Attorney General or state insurance commissioner to find out if your state regulates service contracts as insurance.
You must give the buyer the original or a copy of the vehicle's Buyers Guide at the sale. The Guide must reflect all final changes. If you include a signature line on your Buyers Guides, make sure the buyer signs the Guide that reflects all final changes.
If you offer a written warranty, or if the manufacturer's warranty still applies, you also must comply with the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act and other FTC Rules, including the "Warranty Disclosure Rule." The Warranty Act contains provisions that establish consumers' rights with respect to written warranties. For example, the Act prohibits you from eliminating implied warranties when you provide a written warranty.
The Warranty Disclosure Rule requires that you disclose certain information about the coverage of your warranty and consumers' rights under state law. This information must be included in a single document that is clear and easy to read.
The warranty information you provide on the Buyers Guide is not sufficient to meet the requirements of the Warranty Disclosure Rule. Therefore, your written warranty and the Buyers Guide must be two separate documents.
Another federal rule — the FTC's Rule on Pre-Sale Availability of Written Warranty Terms — requires that you display written warranties in close proximity to the vehicle or make them available to consumers, upon request, before they buy.
Two publications are available to help you comply with these and other federal regulations on warranties: A Businessperson's Guide to Federal Warranty Law and A legal Supplement to Federal Warranty Law. Both are available from the FTC. Call toll-free
1-877-FTC-HELP (382-4357), or write: Consumer Response Center, Federal Trade Commission, Washington, DC 20580. You also will find the full text of these publications at www.ftc.gov.
Split cost warranties are those under which the dealer pays less than 100% of the cost for a warranty repair. This type of warranty includes 50/50 warranties where the dealer pays 50% of the cost for a covered repair and the buyer pays the remaining 50%. Another type of split cost warranty is one under which the buyer pays a deductible amount and the dealer pays the remaining cost for the repair.
If you offer a split cost warranty that requires you to pay a percentage of the repair cost for covered repairs, you should include the following disclosures in your warranty document:
If your warranty requires buyers to pay a deductible, your warranty document should disclose the deductible amount and the details as to when and under what circumstances the deductible must be paid.
Dealers offering split cost warranties can require that buyers return to the dealer for warranty repairs. If your warranty includes this restriction, however, you should provide an estimate of the total repair cost before work is started. This will allow the buyer to decide whether to approve the repair or have the work done elsewhere.
You can get Buyers Guides from business-form companies or trade associations, or you can download the Buyers Guide from the FTC's Web site. You also can generate them yourself on a computer. However, you must use the wording, type style, type sizes, and format specified in the Rule. You are not allowed to place any other wording or symbols (including logos) on the Buyers Guide. The Guides must be printed in 100% black ink on white paper cut to at least 11" x 7 1/4." These requirements cannot be modified in any way. You may use colored ink to fill in the blanks.
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Dealers who violate the Used Car Rule may be subject to penalties of up to $11,000 per violation in FTC enforcement actions. Many states have laws or regulations that are similar to the Used Car Rule. Some states incorporate the Used Car Rule by reference in their state laws. As a result, state and local law enforcement officials may have the authority to ensure that dealers post Buyers Guides and to fine them or sue them if they do not comply.
If you have questions about the Used Car Rule, contact the FTC and request a free copy of the Rule or staff compliance guidelines for the Used Car Rule; both documents explain some aspects of the Rule in more detail. You also can download these documents from the FTC's website.
The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair practices in the marketplace and to provide information to businesses to help them comply with the law. To file a complaint or to get free information on consumer issues, visit ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The FTC enters Internet, telemarketing, identity theft, and other fraud-related complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure online database available to hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad.