Truth in Advertising? Not this one!
This is Just to Get You in the Door! Read the fine Print!
If it seems too good to be true, it probably is! Take a look at this lease advertised by a VW dealer. It’s misleading because all you see is the ad for a 2013 VW Jetta S sedan for $59 per month, unless you click on the disclaimer. Who really clicks on the disclaimer? And it takes you two clicks to get there, and it’s in fine print. The average person is going to call the phone number and be told to come in to the dealership to talk about it. They will get you in the door and sell you a different car.
Notice they do not include the sticker price in the ad. It turns out this deal is for a manual transmission. I know, I called. To lease this car with no money down would actually cost you $263/mo. with minimum mileage of 10,000/year. That’s quite a difference!
I read the disclaimer, and it states this lease price doesn’t include any miles allowance for the 42-month term of this lease. It also doesn’t say how much the mileage will cost you. The disclaimer reads that the lease requires a minimum annual of 5,000 miles per year. This is not included in the main ad, so if it’s required then why isn’t it included?
The bottom line is: understand that this is just marketing material. It’s to hook you and get you in the door. So ask the right questions:
1)What’s the sticker price?
2)Does this lease include mileage? And how much?
Go armed to the dealership with my Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Dealer Report® so you know what to realistically expect. Don’t get ripped-off!