On August 20, 2025, I drove over two hours to Steele Hyundai in Kyle, Texas, after seeing a vehicle advertised online included a $3,000 dealer discount and a $3,500 Hyundai rebate, clearly showing the adjusted total. Nowhere in the advertisement was there any mention of a mandatory dealer add-on.
Before any discussion began, the salesperson confirmed that the deal listed online was still available. However, once I expressed interest in the car, they suddenly added a required “Steele Preferred Package” for $2,196, which they said applies to every vehicle on the lot and is not optional. When I asked if it wasn't optional, the charge should have disclosed in the online ad, I was told “all dealers do it” and that this is standard practice.
I politely stated that I did not need the add-on and that it was not disclosed in the advertisement and it isn't a standard practice. I wasn’t asking for anything special — just to pay the price they publicly advertised. Adding a surprise charge of over $2,000 after the fact is unethical and unlawful.
I was handed a dismissive handwritten note from a manager that said, “You’re on the wrong car” — despite the fact that they had confirmed the price and the availability before I drove there and before we discussed the final out-the-door price.
I was not frustrated or emotional — I stayed calm and clear-minded. I refused to sit down with the manager because he raised his voice and said he wanted to “educate” me about this practice. To me, it was a clear violation of Texas consumer protection laws.
§ 17.46(b)(5) – “Representing that goods or services have sponsorship, approval, characteristics, ingredients, uses, benefits, or quantities which they do not have…”
➤ Steele Hyundai advertised a vehicle at $32,275 without disclosing the required $2,196 add-on, falsely representing the true cost.
§ 17.46(b)(12) – “Representing that an agreement confers or involves rights, remedies, or obligations which it does not have or involve…”
➤ This is a textbook bait-and-switch, luring consumers with one price and then obligating them to another.
Per FTC advertising guidelines: “Dealers must include any mandatory dealer-installed options in the advertised price… and may not exclude them through fine print.” The Steele Preferred Package was neither optional nor disclosed, directly violating federal consumer protection standards.
The very next morning — August 21, 2025 — I went to another Hyundai dealer and purchased the exact same model without the $2,196 “Steele Preferred Package” or any similar mandatory add-on. This proves the charge is not required by Hyundai and is specific to Steele Hyundai’s sales practices.
A Message to Fellow Consumers — and Honest Dealers: During my car purchase search, I saw many other buyers share similar stories about undisclosed, mandatory add-ons. I am sharing my own experience not out of anger, but because truth in advertising protects everyone — both consumers and honest dealerships who play by the rules.
When a dealer advertises a price, that number should mean what it says. Hidden, non-optional fees are not just bad business — they undermine trust, disrespect customers' time, and violate consumer protection laws. Most importantly, they take advantage of people’s time, trust, and good faith. No one should have to drive hours, arrange their day, and only to find out the deal was never real in the first place but will be determied and pushed up by the car dealers.
If you encounter this, speak up and file a complaint with:Federal Trade Commission (FTC) & Texas Attorney General’s Office. Your true story and your true experience matter.
I will soon post direct links to these complaint forms so you can submit yours when you encounter "bait-and-switch" advertising at car dealers like this. This is not just about one sale — it’s about ensuring no customer is taken advantage of, and that fair, transparent dealerships are not undercut by false...
Read more
Learn more insights from Wanderboat AI.
