‘Demand to speak to Mr. Cadillac right this very minute.’
Car dealerships don’t exactly have the best reputation, and a lot of that comes down to experiences that make the customer feel uncomfortable, belittled, or plain scammed.
It’s even worse when what the dealership is doing is a clear bait and switch. Turns out, there could be legal repercussions for these grimy moves.
In a viral TikTok with more than 365,000 views, content creator Jackson (@coll.sharp) shared that he used to be embarrassed when his mom would cause a scene in public. Now, he says, he’s become that person.
“Lowkey, I’ve always been that person,” he admits, recalling the time at 17 he asked to speak to a movie theater manager over a rude cashier. “It’s not a good quality to have. I have control issues, whatever.”
But what set him off this time was a two-hour round trip to a Cadillac dealership to look at a Ford F-150—specifically, a 2015 to 2020 model with the 5.0 Coyote motor and four-wheel drive.
Jackson had reached out to an online salesperson at the dealership, who confirmed the vehicle was available and then confirmed again the next morning that it was still there, available, and that they had a 1 p.m. appointment.
So, Jackson hopped in his car and made the drive. He walked in, excited to finally get his hands on the truck. That’s when the salesperson walked out, and he was younger than Jackson expected. Instead of a handshake and a greeting, the first thing out of the guy’s mouth was, “Is this your first time at a dealer?”
Confused, Jackson asked what he meant, and the salesman said, “Is this your first time at a Cadillac dealer?”
Jackson told him it indeed was, as he wasn’t a Cadillac buyer; he was there for the F-150.
That’s when things turned sour. The salesman said they sold it that morning.
Jackson pointed out that he had confirmed the vehicle was in stock just hours earlier and that he’d driven an hour specifically for that truck.
The salesman tried to show him a Silverado instead, but Jackson didn’t want a Silverado. He wanted his F-150.
“Don’t know what to tell you. Sorry about that,” the salesman replied.
Jackson walked out. Then walked back in. Then walked back out. He ended up calling the manager from the parking lot and dropping some choice words. The manager apologized and said he’d talk to the salesman.
“What did that really achieve for me or him? Absolutely nothing,” Jackson says. “But now they know I’m pissed.”
What happened to Jackson has a name: bait and switch. According to the Law Offices of Kevin Faulk, it’s one of the most frequent types of auto fraud in car sales, and it usually plays out the same way.
A dealer advertises a vehicle at an attractive price, but when you show up, that car is conveniently unavailable. Then comes the pivot to something pricier. The switch usually happens in person, which means a lot of buyers don’t realize what’s going on until they’ve already invested time, money, or emotional energy into the process.
Here are some red flags to watch for:
Bait and switches aren’t just shady; they’re illegal. According to FindLaw, bait-and-switch is a form of auto dealer fraud that is prohibited under both federal and state consumer protection laws.
If you think you’ve been a victim, here’s what you can do:
“Maturing is realizing you do need to call the manager,” a top comment read.
“Leave a review on google 🙂 they hate that more than anything,” a person said.
“I would’ve asked him if this was his first job?” another wrote.
Motor1 reached out to Jackson (@coll.sharp) for comment via Instagram and TikTok direct message. We will update this story if he responds.
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motor1.com?
– The Motor1.com Team