As can be seen from the representative cases, Lyons and Farrar has been very active in class action litigation and individual litigation advocating for consumer’s rights against banks and their service companies, insurance companies, auto dealers and manufacturers, land development companies and others. Wherever, whenever and however consumers have become victims, Lyons and Farrar stands ready to be their advocate.

Auto Dealer Fraud

Lyons and Farrar has joined with consumer advocates, honest car dealers, attorneys and law firms throughout Florida and across the nation to vindicate consumer rights in transactions involving unscrupulous auto dealers.  We welcome an opportunity to work with any legal teams, consumer advocates, and car dealers who are interested in cleaning up the industry and giving the consumers a fair shake when purchasing their motor vehicle. 

For information concerning the shady dealer practices please see the link to Public Citizen's white paper "Rip off Nation - Auto Dealers' Swindling of America."

For car dealers that are heavily involved in educating consumers about deceptive and unfair practices utilized by unscrupulous car dealers, check out the link to Fitzmall.com, particularly the heading Consumer Publications and browse what's available there where Jack Fitzgerald shares with his consumers the way some car dealers mislead and deceive consumers.

Before you buy a car it would be a good idea to check out these websites.

For more information on these practices, see www.stopautofraud.com.

Part of the Lyons and Farrar mission is to educate the public concerning these deceptive practices, encourage car dealers to stop using these practices, provide compensation for the victims of these practices and in the process provide an incentive for the car dealers to sell cars the right way and allow car dealers who are doing it the right way to compete on a level playing field.

If you are a consumer who has had a bad experience with a lender, car dealer, insurance company, manufacturer or anyone else that you've dealt with, we would welcome the opportunity to review your case with you and see if we can help you.  If you aren't sure if you have been a victim but would like for us to check it out we will do so at no charge.  If we conclude you have been "ripped off" and you want to retain us we would only get a fee if we're successful in making a recovery for you.

Auto Purchasing and Lease Fraud
Shopping for the best deal at an automobile dealership has historically been a mysterious, painful and often regrettably expensive experience for many consumers. With this in mind, the Florida Attorney General's Office recommends the following tips for potential buyers:

Research the price
First decide what car model and options you want. Then visit your local library, bookstore or the Internet and check materials that provide information on the dealer's costs (invoice price) for specific models with the options you desire.

Shop around
Armed with this knowledge, you will be in a stronger position to shop around or to consult car-buying or broker services to obtain the best available deal. Going to only one dealer and relying solely upon the salesman's oral promises, without researching the price or comparison price-shopping with other competitors, is the best way to get "ripped-off." If the dealer does not have the vehicle with the options you desire on its lot, consider ordering your new car, to avoid paying extra for unwanted options.

Negotiate
The STICKER PRICE or "MSRP" is the manufacturer's suggested retail price. Most dealers are willing to bargain on their profit margin, which is generally between 10 to 20 percent of the MSRP. Don't get talked into a lease unless you have researched car leasing and have made an informed decision to lease

Trade-ins
Your local library and Internet will have reference materials which can help you determine the value of your trade-in vehicle. You will usually fare better by selling your car privately. Consider advertising in a local newspaper or flyer. If not, obtain your best possible purchase price from the dealer before discussing the possibility of a trade.

Although lower monthly payments make auto leasing appear to be an attractive alternative to financing the purchase of a car, the technical and complex language, and the greed of some car salesmen, cause car leasing to be an option that is fraught with many pitfalls for the average consumer. The Attorney General of Florida has received numerous complaints from consumers, many of whom have been pressured into auto leasing, not been credited for their trade-in vehicle, or have complained of being defrauded in other ways. Be aware that once you sign a lease, you have no automatic legal right to cancel. Before entering into an auto lease, consider the following:

What is a Vehicle Lease?
A lease is a long-term rental agreement. You are paying for the right to drive a vehicle for the term of the lease, but you do not own it. In most instances, you will be responsible for all maintenance on the vehicle, and your insurance rates will usually be higher.

Isn't a lease a good deal if my monthly payments are less than if I purchased the car with financing?

Not necessarily. The monthly payments should be significantly less because you don't own the car. Your monthly payments are based upon the following items:

CAPITALIZED COST or "Cap Cost." This is just fancy terminology for the price of the car. The lower the cap cost, the lower your monthly payment. Cap cost may be the same as the STICKER PRICE of the car, but you can negotiate for a lower cap cost, just like you can to buy it, so don't be afraid to shop around. The cap cost is reduced by the amount of cash or trade equity that you put into the deal that exceeds inception and acquisition fees. The correct amount of credit for your trade-in should be indicated. If manufacturer rebates or dealer coupons are offered, such credit should also reduce the cap cost. Your total credits should be specified. MONEY FACTOR. This is a fancy term for "interest rate." The lower the money factor, the lower your monthly payment. The money factor will usually range from .0021 to .0046. Ask the dealer to put your money factor in writing. Then you can multiply it by 2400 to calculate the interest rate. Remember that even the money factor is negotiable!

What else should I know about leasing?
The Motor Vehicle Lease Disclosure Act took effect on October 1, 1995, and it provides that all leases must meet certain requirements. You are entitled to copies of all documents which you sign during the course of the lease transaction especially the lease contract which will contain several very important terms. First, the lease contract will be clearly marked as a lease. Second, the price of the car or truck, with any added options and costs, will be listed. Third, your net trade-in value, cash, or rebate will be listed. And fourth, the bottom line price of what you are leasing will be indicated. It is important for you to review these disclosures carefully. Make sure that they reflect what you negotiated with the dealer. Many of the complaints which the Attorney General's Office has received relate to disclosures, so please read the disclosures with care.

You should beware of:
Leasing a car on the first visit; Relying on verbal promises made by agents or Lease Managers (whose profit motive may well out-weigh their motive for telling the truth); Giving the agent a deposit before you thoroughly read, reread, understand and are satisfied with any completed lease agreement; Paying a lot of extra money for an extended service contract when your new car warranty will provide coverage for the major portion of the lease term.

Financing /AutoPurchasing/AutoFinancing
Check the "APR" (annual percentage rate) at your bank, credit union or even your insurance company or motor club, and compare them to the interest rate quoted by the dealer. Advertised low interest rates by the dealer may require you to pay the vehicle's sticker price.

Extended Service Contracts
The dealer is likely to try to sell you a service contract to provide for repair of certain specified parts or problems. These service contracts usually overlap the initial warranty coverage included by the vehicle manufacturer in the price of the car. Read the contract carefully to determine what repairs are covered, the extent of the coverage (parts, labor, deductibles, exclusions), and the other terms and conditions.

Florida's Lemon Law Read Florida Attourney General Bill McCollum's Definition
The dealer is required to provide you with a booklet published by the Attorney General's office, which explains your rights under Florida's Lemon Law.

Source: The Florida Attorney General's Office

Misleading and Unnecessary Warranties
If you have purchased or leased a vehicle you may have been misled by the dealer into purchasing costly unnecessary warranty products. New vehicles come with a standard warranty from the factory. Unnecessary warranty products are touted by dealerships and in some cases hidden or stuffed into a general category without being specifically listed. These unnecessary warranty products earn the dealer an extra profit. In some cases the warranties duplicate the manufacturers warranty. Some unnecessary warranties are written by under financed warranty companies that go bankrupt before a warranty can be used. Because the profits to the warranty company are based on the number of claims made, this provides a built-in incentive for the dealer to limit the number of warranty repairs.

Is Your Dealer Cheating You on Warranty Claims?
When you take your vehicle to the dealer for service problems many dealers examine the vehicle and claim no problem was found. Many service warranty companies maintain a close relationship with dealers. Because profits to the warranty company is based on the number of claims made this provides a built-in incentive to keep claim rates low. Keeping warranty work low benefits the dealers relationship with manufacturers and the warranty companies. In some instances they split their profits with dealers.

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