Price is the first thing your shoppers want to know. “Request Quote” and “Request Price” are the most-submitted lead forms on dealer websites, and top-turning dealers show pricing on 83.30% of their units. In 2026, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) made clear what that price has to mean: the amount a buyer can pay.
That’s good news for dealers who already price honestly. A clear, all-in number earns trust before the first call, and it keeps your store aligned with a standard regulators are enforcing today. Here are the questions dealers ask most, with straight answers.
Your questions, answered
The CARS Rule was thrown out, and it never covered boats or motorcycles. Does this apply to my store?
Yes. The CARS Rule excluded boats, motorcycles and RVs, a federal court vacated it in January 2025, and the FTC withdrew it in February 2026. But the rule was never the foundation. Section 5 of the FTC Act bans deceptive advertising by any business in any vertical, and the FTC is shifting its focus beyond auto to other verticals. The FTC’s new pricing FAQs are written for auto dealers, yet the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas has told boat dealers the same rules also apply to them. Plan as if they apply to you.
What has to be in my advertised price?
Every charge every buyer must pay. The FTC’s September 2026 FAQs say the advertised price must be one any consumer can walk in and pay, leaving out only government charges like taxes, title and registration. Freight, setup or PDI, doc fees and required add-ons belong in the number. Discounts count only if every buyer qualifies. And a state doc-fee law doesn’t change the rule.
Can’t I add a disclaimer like “plus freight, setup and fees”?
No. A disclaimer doesn’t repair a price that’s missing required fees, and MRAA calls “additional charges may apply” language a red flag. Itemizing is fine and helpful: show the total, then break out base price, freight, setup and doc fee underneath.
My OEM’s MSRP doesn’t include freight and setup. Won’t an all-in price make me look higher than the store down the road?
This is the toughest part, and you’re not alone. The National Powersports Dealers Association has asked OEMs to fold freight into MSRP. Until that happens, lead with the all-in price and keep MSRP as an accurate reference. If an OEM advertising policy seems to conflict, raise it with the OEM and your counsel before you change anything.
My website, Cycle Trader, Boat Trader and Facebook Marketplace show different prices. Does that matter?
Yes. A marketplace listing, a social post and a salesperson’s screenshot are all ads. Mismatches also cost you credibility with shoppers and with the AI tools that now summarize listings. Pick one source of truth for price and make sure every feed pulls from it.
We sell agriculture and heavy equipment mostly to businesses. Are we exempt?
Not entirely. Your ads still fall under Section 5. And if you arrange financing for any personal or household buyer, such as a hobby farmer or a homeowner buying a zero-turn, the FTC Safeguards Rule applies. That means a written information security program and, since May 2024, notice to the FTC within 30 days of a breach affecting 500 or more customers.
Why FTC compliance matters now
Rulemaking is now turning into action. In March 2026 the FTC sent warning letters to 97 auto dealer groups over prices that left out fees, relied on rebates few buyers qualify for or required dealer financing. In October it settled with a group it said kept those practices after its letter. California’s CARS Act, in effect since October 1, 2026, already reaches motorcycle dealers’ ads.
Meanwhile, inventory is tighter. With fewer units to sell, every shopper who trusts your price matters more. The dealers getting ahead of this treat all-in pricing as a merchandising standard, not a legal chore.
Putting it into practice
Getting an all-in price onto every listing is mostly a data job: knowing where each fee lives in your DMS and making sure it reaches every page and feed.
Dealer Spike websites now include Price Box, which shows one total on every listing on your website, with fees itemized underneath. It pulls fee fields from your DMS or store-level defaults and lets you rename labels to match your OEM’s terms, at no extra cost.
For DMS updates like real-time Lightspeed inventory sync, watch the What’s New at Dealer Spike: Q3 2026 replay.
Whatever tool you use, run three checks this week:
- Does the headline price include every fee you charge every buyer?
- Is your reference price accurate and current?
- Does every channel show the same number?
This article is general information, not legal advice. Talk with your attorney or state dealer association about your situation.
