
California bill aims to make car shopping more transparent
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A new bill to make car shopping more transparent goes before the California Senate Transportation Committee Tuesday.
Senate Bill 766 would require dealers to disclose the full "out-the-door" price before a purchase. The legislation is meant to prevent people from getting tricked by offers that require certain add-ons.

Senator Ben Allen, D-Santa Monica, is its sponsor.
"People need to be able to really understand what they're spending," Allen contended. "Some car dealers, you walk in and you're basically upsold - folks, they've ended up spending a lot more than they thought they were going to spend when they walked into the dealership."
The bill would require car dealers to tell consumers when an add-on is optional and it would require them to get customer approval before any add-ons. The Biden administration tried to put the rule in place nationallylast December but a judge invalidated the attempt. The Trump administration is not expected to revive it.
The California Chamber of Commerce opposes new regulations on dealerships, saying they would lead to more lawsuits against car dealers and increased costs for consumers. Allen stressed he hopes the bill will do the opposite.
"By giving consumers some extra time and having greater transparency about what exactly they're spending, it'll reduce the likelihood for folks to file litigation to remedy the issue," Allen argued.
The bill would also give customers who bought a used car three days to return a vehicle for a full refund, with a small restocking fee.