Truck Dealership Predatory Practices You Need to Be Aware Of

Here’s some need-to-know info before you go shopping for a new truck that shows just how dealerships take advantage of truck buyers in order to squeeze more money out of their customers.

It’s a Predatory Business World

News of late has it that home owners who have lost their homes from the recent firestorm that swept Maui are reporting that even before the ashes have had time to cool that they are besieged by not just the expected criminal element in real estate scams, but real estate developers as well hoping to cash in on affected residents misery by offering low sums for their burned property---a problem that is described as predatory land grabs.

A recent Consumer Reports newsletter shows that similar predatory practices even extend in the cost of buying a new truck for truck shoppers concerned about safety features that would protect them and others from traffic fatalities. In one safety feature especially: The blind side warning (BSW) feature that is common and standard in many cars but not for most trucks and large SUVs without having to pay significant add-on fees.

In other words: If you want particular basic safety features proven to reduce traffic accidents and fatalities you are going to have to pay extra for it in your truck as if it were a convenience feature.

The Need for BSW

From an analysis of the 14 best-selling pickups and SUVs that weigh in at more than 4,000 pounds, BSW as standard equipment is only available on three models: the Ford Explorer, Jeep Grand Cherokee, and Toyota 4Runner.

The importance of BSW cannot be overstated. In previous articles I have repeatedly stated that BSW is my favorite safety feature that I personally can attest has prevented lane changing collisions on the part of both parties.

And I am not alone on this view.

According to data CR analysts have gathered, 82 percent of consumers in the market to buy or lease a vehicle in the next 12 months stated that it is important to them that their next vehicle--- be it a car or truck---comes equipped with BSW.

“CR has been calling for making BSW standard in all vehicles since October 2018, and our evaluations have found that it’s the feature drivers love the most, especially older drivers,” says Kelly Funkhouser, manager of vehicle technology at CR’s auto test center. “People tell us that once they’ve experienced BSW, they’ll never buy a car without it again,” CR states in their newsletter.

Related article: Consumer Reports Lists Vehicles That Come Standard with Automatic Emergency Braking

What it Costs to Have BSW

CR analyst reported that it costs over $1,000 extra to get the blind spot warning (BSW) safety feature when buying the most popular, best-selling pickup trucks and SUVs today.

However, it gets worse than that and here is where the real predatory part kicks in: According to Consumer Reports, “…vehicles where BSW is optional, buyers might be forced to also add other options they may not want in order to get it or step up to a fancier trim level with more features and a higher price.”

In other words, if you want what everyone knows is a popular safety feature, rather than make it standard, manufacturers and dealerships see it as a way to squeeze more out of sales by pressuring consumers to spend beyond their budgets---a bundling practice that adds thousands to the purchase price of a new vehicle. And, as CR points out correctly, “Factor in interest rates if a vehicle is financed, and that cost increases further.”

Related article: Are You Paying Too Much for Your Truck?

How truck shoppers can fall victim to what amounts to unfair business practices, CR analysts offer the following example:

“…if you’re shopping for a 2023 GMC Sierra 1500, the GMC.com website lists BSW as part of the $835 1SA Safety Plus Package. But once you select it, you’ll also have to add a $925 Convenience Package, which includes tinted windows and cruise control. And if you’re in the market for a Toyota Highlander, you can’t get BSW unless you step up from the base L to the higher LE trim level, which adds $2,400 to the price.”

Why This is Predatory

If you are unsure if this really constitutes predatory practice and not just business as usual within the industry, consider the following points:

• Similar important safety features such as seat belts and airbags are standard.
• BSW isn’t considered a luxury feature in other classes of vehicles---Hyundai Elantra and Nissan Sentra (both compact sedans) with starting prices below $21,000—come with BSW standard on all trim levels.
• Including more safety features as “standard” does not raise prices for consumers. In fact, CR analysts found that from, “…real-world vehicle purchases made for CR’s testing program between 2003 and 2021, we found that improvements in fuel efficiency and safety did not lead to a statistically significant increase in inflation-adjusted prices.”

Trucks and SUVs with BSW Upgrade Cost from Basic Trim or Higher

Here is a summary of what CR analysts determined to be the lowest added cost shoppers can expect when shopping for the following truck and SUV models that do not come standard with the BSW feature:

• Chevrolet Tahoe: $495 (add to base trim)
• Ford F-150: $1,455 (add to base trim)
• Chevrolet Silverado: $1,735 (add to base trim)
• GMC Sierra 1500: $1,760 (add to base trim)
• Ram 1500: $2,290 (add to base trim)
• Toyota Highlander: $2,400 (upgrade to LE, which has BSW as standard)
• Jeep Wrangler (4-door): $4,895 (upgrade to LE, which has BSW as standard)
• Toyota Tundra: $7,065 (upgrade trim and add-on BSW feature)
• Toyota Tacoma: $7,710 (upgrade trim and add-on BSW feature)
• Ford Bronco: $7,730 (upgrade trim and add-on BSW feature)

For More Details about BSW

For additional details about the blind spot warning features, such as how to know if your new car has blind spot warning, check out the referenced Consumer Reports article. Please note, some access may require a membership.

In addition, find out why it's not just blind spot safety on the sides of the vehicles that has Consumer Reports analysts concerned, but the front blind spots as well demonstrated in the following video:

Bonus Video: HOW TO AVOID CAR DEALER MARK-UPS in 2023

For more about how to not get taken at a dealership with similar mark-up predatory sales practices, here is a recent YouTube video warning from the Kevin Hunter the Homework Guy YouTube channel:

For related articles, here are three useful ones for your consideration:

• Is Your Dealership a Stealership?
• The Biggest Lie Dealerships Use on Their Customers
• Tricks Some Car Dealerships Use to Con Customers

Timothy Boyer is a Torque News automotive reporter based in Cincinnati. Experienced with early car restorations, he regularly restores older vehicles with engine modifications for improved performance. Follow Tim on Twitter at @TimBoyerWrites for daily new and used vehicle news.

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