Laird Noller Auto Group gets FTC warning over deceptive pricing

The Federal Trade Commission put Lawrence’s Laird Noller Auto Group on a list no dealer wants to join, sending the company a warning letter over concerns that advertised prices may not match what customers actually pay. The notice was part of a nationwide sweep that reached 97 auto dealership groups and landed in a market where even a few extra hundred dollars in add-ons, fees or financing conditions can change the cost of a used car payment or push a new-car deal out of reach.

The FTC said its warning focused on a basic rule: the price advertised should include all mandatory fees customers must pay, and it should match the real price charged at the dealership. The agency’s template letter says shoppers should pay the advertised price except for required government charges such as taxes. It also flagged common tactics that can mislead buyers, including prices that omit required fees, rebates that are not available to everyone, financing conditions, required add-on products, down payments not reflected in the ad and vehicles advertised as available when they are not.

For Douglas County buyers, the warning is a reminder to read every line before signing at a Lawrence showroom. A price that looks competitive online can climb quickly once documentation fees, dealer-installed extras or financing requirements are added. That is why the FTC says deceptive pricing hurts consumers and also puts law-abiding dealerships at a disadvantage when they are competing against ads that look cheaper than they really are. The agency said warning letters are intended to push companies to correct problems quickly, and that most recipients do take steps to comply.

Dillon Hunt, the company’s chief executive, said Laird Noller is taking the matter seriously and reviewing it internally while working through the process. He also said the group remains committed to operating with integrity, though he did not say what the review might uncover or how the company plans to respond to the FTC’s concerns.

The warning lands at a moment of change for one of Lawrence’s oldest auto names. Laird Noller’s family business dates to 1960, when Laird G. Noller built a dealership footprint that extended beyond Lawrence to Topeka, Kansas City, Hutchinson and Sand Springs, Oklahoma. Ownership later shifted back to Steve Noller, and the local market has kept moving too: McCarthy Auto Group took over the Lawrence Subaru and Nissan dealerships in 2019 and said it would bring its own people and processes to the Lawrence Auto Plaza near 31st and Iowa streets. The FTC has also pointed to enforcement actions against Asbury Automotive Group, Lindsay Automotive Group and Leader Automotive Group as part of its broader crackdown on deceptive pricing and add-ons.