Spot these 5 shady tricks and price tactics!

Buying a used car should be an exciting and happy occasion, but for many buyers, it can quickly turn stressful. One of the main reasons is because some used car dealerships still rely on hidden fees, vague pricing, and pressure tactics to close a sale.

Imagine walking into a dealership, eyeing a car that costs $90,000, liking it and eventually deciding on said car. Right as you’re about to sign off, you’re told that it’s actually $98,888 “with everything included”. We know you’ve encountered this, and so have many others.

Here are some common shady pricing practices to watch out for—and why you won’t find any of them at Carro:

1. Hidden fees that inflate the price

Some dealers list cars at attractive prices to draw you in, but the final bill looks very different. Charges like “admin fee,” “handling fee,” and “processing fee” can quietly add hundreds or even thousands of dollars to your total. Some even charge you a fee if you take on a bank loan for your car! This is a very common tactic used by some car dealerships. They advertise and market at a low price to reel customers in, and when you’ve picked your car, they hit you with the extra fees.

At Carro: Our prices are all-in. What you see is what you pay. We include all fees and other necessary costs in the listed price. And best of all? Carro doesn’t charge ANY fees if you choose to take a bank loan.

2. Excluded taxes and mandatory charges from listings

Another common price tactic shady dealers use – last-minute GST inclusions. It is not uncommon for a listed price to exclude GST, service fees, or road tax These extra costs are only revealed after you’ve shown serious interest and are about to pay the final bill..

At Carro: All taxes and standard charges are already included. We believe in transparency—no surprises at the last minute.

3. Inflated loan interest rates

You’ll often find some dealers and platforms advertising monthly loan repayments and interest rates that seem too good to be true. You’ll find an asterisk (*) there indicating “terms and conditions apply”. 

They’re able to provide you with these misleading figures because they actually take the lowest loan interest rates in the market that are usually unavailable to the average buyer. This markup is often not disclosed clearly and leads to higher monthly repayments. 

At Carro: We offer competitive, transparent financing, with interest rates as low as 1.48%. You’ll always know your rate upfront, with no hidden costs.

4. Surprise costs after signing

You shake on a price, sign some papers, and think it’s a done deal—then come the “extras.” Extra payments to cover the fact that you take on a bank loan instead of an in-house loan. These costs add up and you may end up paying much more than you bargained for.

At Carro: Everything you see from the get-go to the final transfer is what you get. We list out all our charges and fees and manage the entire process—no unexpected and hidden charges.

5. Unnecessary car packages

Shady car dealers love slipping in overpriced, unnecessary add-on packages to pad the final bill — think $1,200 for “premium” tint you could get cheaper elsewhere, $2,500 for “nano-coating” that’s basically fancy polish, or $999 for anti-rust treatments your car already has from the factory.

These extras sound impressive, but usually offer little real value. Always ask for an itemised breakdown, compare costs, and don’t be afraid to say no or walk away. 

At Carro: Our advertised prices are all-inclusive. If you’d like further add-on’s that actually add value – such as car insurance or car maintenance, they’re offered outside of your vehicle’s final price. We don’t package it together and overcharge you.

Buy with confidence, with Carro

At Carro, we’ve reimagined the car-buying experience. Our goal is to make it simple, safe, and straightforward. When you shop with us:

• The price you see is the price you pay
• You won’t be forced into unwanted packages
• We handle all the paperwork and inspections
• You get full transparency, from start to finish
  

Skip the tricks and hidden charges. Choose the platform where honesty and transparency are the default.