CarDealers

American consumers are getting savvier, and happier. We consulted the BBB far more often in 2011 than we did the year before, and lodged fewer complaints. But there were still plenty of gripes, and the worst offenders may not surprise you.

Poor customer service is one of the primary reasons people tend to shun certain companies and even whole industries. 24/7 Wall St. identified the U.S. industries with the most complaints, as well as the troubles people have with them. If customer service is important to success, those we identified could be in trouble.

It's no secret insurance companies and banks have the ears of politicians. But who knew car dealers, and their lobbyists, were so powerful? On Oct/ 22, the House Financial Services Committee approved an amendment (the vote was 47 to 21) to keep automobile dealers under federal and state laws...

There has recently been a lot of political complaining about closing car dealerships and lost jobs for car salespeople. It seems like everyone has forgotten that this is literally the slimiest business on the planet. Haven't they read Matilda?I recently picked up a copy of one of those free...

I saw an infomercial today for Crazy 88, a company that promises that it can get you a new car for $88 down and $88 per month. Bad credit? No credit? Multiple reposessions? Not a US citizen? Do you owe $15,000 more than your current car is worth? No problem! Crazy 88 can get a car loan for...

After writing about a car dealer in Chicago who was offering a PT Cruiser for $1 for customers buying a $40,000 luxury SUV, I now find a two-for-one deal happening in Brussels. Reuters reports that through Dec. 15, a Belgian car dealer is giving customers one car after they buy a more expensive...

Here at WalletPop, we're always trying to give tips on car buying. I offered some advice about how to avoid getting sucked in here, and warned about the dangers of 0% financing here. Now CNNMoney has a great list of 6 things you should never say to a car dealer: never admit to being in love with a...

Buying a car is a pretty daunting experience for most people. When you combine the size of the purchase with the less than stellar reputation of the car selling industry, many of us break out in a cold sweat at the idea of visiting a car lot.Doing some research into the industry as I prepare to buy...

Browsing through the "automotive" section of my local newspaper the other day, I saw a big ad for a dealership offering "0% Financing!" on all new cars -- with an asterisk. Of course, there was an asterisk with the usual boilerplate about "credit approval required" but there was also something more...