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You ordered a car months ago, you waited out the delays, and you finally get the call to pick it up. Then the finance office slides over a worksheet with a $2,000 “market adjustment” you never agreed to. It feels like a bait-and-switch, and in some cases it can be.

You agree on a price, show up ready to sign, and suddenly the dealer says that number was before “mandatory add-ons.” It feels like a bait-and-switch because, in many cases, that is exactly what regulators have accused some dealers of doing. The short answer is yes, this is a common enough trick that federal and state agencies have warned buyers about it for years.

If a dealership tells you every car battery must be replaced every three years, that’s too broad to be fully accurate. Battery life depends on climate, driving habits, the type of battery, and how the vehicle is used. Many 12-volt car batteries do start to weaken somewhere around the three- to five-year mark, which is why the advice gets repeated so often. But “replace no matter what” is not the same thing as following the actual condition of your battery.

You agreed on a price, sat down to sign, and suddenly the paperwork is fatter than expected. Extra charges appear for things you did not knowingly approve, and the mood in the room changes fast. The short answer is that, in many cases, yes, you can still walk away before you sign a binding contract.

You sit down to talk numbers, hand over your ID, and then later notice several credit inquiries on your report. It feels sneaky, and for many shoppers it raises the same fear right away. Did the dealership just knock down your credit score multiple times without asking.

Driving a school bus makes you and your passengers a target of the anger of impatient drivers.

Airbags are supposed to be the quiet heroes of your car—tucked away until the exact moment they’re needed. But in this case, one company’s version of that lifesaving tech turned into something far more dangerous. The Takata airbag disaster didn’t just rattle the auto industry—it exposed how quickly things can spiral when safety takes a backseat. What started as a cost-saving decision eventually led to explosions, global recalls, and a scandal that refused to stay hidden.

Most people look at a lawn mower and immediately think about chores they’ve been putting off. But for a certain group of people, that same machine is the starting point for something way more exciting. Lawn mower racing takes something completely ordinary and flips it on its head, turning it into a sport that’s scrappy, creative, and surprisingly intense. Once you see it, it’s hard to go back to thinking of mowing the lawn the same way again.

Discover why extended warranties often refuse to cover known defects—and what you can do about it. This in-depth automotive guide breaks down warranty loopholes, TSBs vs. recalls, consumer rights, and effective strategies to get your repair approved. Learn how to fight back, document your case, and understand your true coverage so you’re never caught off guard at the service counter again.

Backed by Jeff Bezos and fueled by viral buzz, it quickly claimed 100,000 reservations and secured a factory in Indiana. With investor support and a production site, Slate is moving beyond hype—but where does it stand currently? What is the latest news on this buzzy automobile?

Dive into the wildest cars ever built—vehicles so dangerously designed that governments were forced to intervene. From explosive compacts to rollover-prone SUVs, discover the shocking automotive missteps that changed safety laws forever in this fun, fast-paced look at the industry’s most infamous machines.

Some of Bill Gates's car collection blew our minds—but not in the way you might think.