New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 13 - LAW AND PUBLIC SAFETY › Chapter 45A - ADMINISTRATIVE RULES OF THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS › Subchapter 26A - MOTOR VEHICLE ADVERTISING PRACTICES › Section 13:45A-26A.7 - Unlawful advertising practices

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) In any type of motor vehicle advertising, the following practices shall be unlawful:
1. The use of any type size, location, lighting, illustration, graphic depiction or color so as to obscure or make misleading any material fact;
2. The setting forth of an advertised price which has been calculated by deducting a down payment, trade-in allowance or any deductions other than a manufacturer's rebate and dealer's discount;
3. The setting forth of an advertised price which fails to disclose, adjacent to the advertised price, that it has been calculated by deducting a manufacturer's rebate or dealer's discount;
4. The failure to state all disclaimers, qualifiers, or limitations that in fact limit, condition, or negate a purported unconditional offer (such as a low APR or high trade-in amount), clearly and conspicuously, next to the offer and not in a footnote identified by an asterisk. Such disclosure shall be made verbally in a radio or television advertisement. Identical information pertaining to all motor vehicles in a group of advertised motor vehicles, however, may appear in a footnote, provided the type is no smaller than 10 point;
5. The failure to state the applicable time period of any special offer, in at least 10-point type immediately adjacent to the special offer, unless the special offer is a manufacturer's program;
6. The use of the word "free" when describing equipment or other item(s) to be given to the purchaser or lessee of a motor vehicle, if the "free" item has a value which has increased the advertised price. In using the word "free" in advertising, the advertiser shall comply with the Federal Trade Commission Rule, 16 CFR § 251, and any amendments thereto;
7. The failure to disclose that the motor vehicle had been previously damaged and that substantial repair or body work has been performed on it when such prior repair or body work is known or should have been known by the advertiser; for the purposes of this subsection, "substantial repair or body work" shall mean repair or body work having a retail value of $ 1,000 or more;
8. The use of the terms "Public Notice", "Public Sale", "Liquidation", "Liquidation Sale", or terms of similar import, where such sale is not required by court order or by operation of law or by impending cessation of the advertiser's business;
9. The use of terms such as "Authorized Sale", "Authorized Distribution Center", "Factory Outlet", "Factory Authorized Sale", or other term(s) which imply that the advertiser has an exclusive or unique relationship with the manufacturer;
10. The use, directly or indirectly, of a comparison to the dealer's cost, inventory price, factory invoice, floor plan balance, tissue, or terms of similar import; or the claim that the advertised price is "wholesale" or "at no profit";
11. The use of the terms "guaranteed discount", "guaranteed lowest prices" or other term of similar import unless the advertiser clearly and conspicuously discloses the manner in which the guarantee will be performed and any conditions or limitations controlling such performance; this information shall be disclosed adjacent to the claim and not in a footnote;
12. The use of the statement "We will beat your best deal", or similar term or phrase if a consumer must produce a contract that the consumer has signed with another dealer or lessor in order to receive the "better" deal;
13. The use of such terms or phrases as "lowest prices", "lower prices than anyone else" or "our lowest prices of the year", or similar terms or phrases if such claim cannot be substantiated by the advertiser.