BOWIE, Md. — A car dealership in Bowie is under investigation for allegedly engaging in unethical business practices.
Attorney General Anthony Brown has charged DARCARS Honda and its owners after allegations of deceptive practices that have left many Maryland car buyers feeling duped and overcharged.
The dealership, located at 2260 Crain Highway in Bowie, Maryland, has been accused of violating the Maryland Consumer Protection Act.
The Statement of Charges outlines a range of alleged violations, highlighting deceptive practices at nearly every stage of the vehicle sales process including:
Misleading sales commission fee: DARCARS Honda allegedly charged consumers a fee equal to an extra 2% of the vehicle sales price, deceptively labeled as a “sales commission” and claimed to be “optional.” However, this fee was not a commission to a salesperson, and consumers were often unaware that they had the option not to pay it.
Overcharging beyond advertised prices: Consumers were allegedly charged more for their vehicles than the advertised price, with significant charges added for pre-installed equipment and dealer markups.
Unlawful financing of add-ons: The dealership is accused of unlawfully financing the sale of added products such as the “DARCARS Assurance” and “DARCARS Protection Plan.”
Packing sales with unwanted products: Allegations include the practice of deceptively including unwanted equipment and products in vehicle sales transactions.
Failure to disclose costs: The dealership allegedly failed to itemize and disclose all goods and services consumers were paying for when purchasing a new vehicle, as required by Maryland law.
The Consumer Protection Division wants to stop these alleged violations and is asking for repayment, damages, penalties, and costs. A hearing on these charges is scheduled for October 16-25.
Attorney General Brown emphasized the importance of this case, stating, “Consumers deserve transparency and fairness when making significant purchases like vehicles. These charges reflect our commitment to holding businesses accountable and ensuring that consumer rights are protected.”
A spokesperson for Honda of Bowie issued a statement that reads:
"Over the last two years, Honda of Bowie has cooperated fully with the Maryland Attorney General to respond to its request for information and address its concerns. This is an instance where the premise of the case is not supported by the record or the facts.
We feel confident about our level of disclosure on this matter and proactively sought to partner with the Attorney General to establish new industry best practices that could benefit all Maryland consumers. We are prepared to defend our company and our lawful practices in court against these baseless claims, while continuing to provide our customers with the industry’s best service in every market we serve."
Consumers who believe they may have been affected by these practices are encouraged to call the Consumer Protection hotline at (410) 528-8662 or toll-free at (888) 743-0023 for more information.
