Migliaccio & Rathod LLP is investigating reports that certain boat dealerships advertise one purchase price but later add thousands of dollars in mandatory fees during the financing or closing process.
What Consumers Report
Consumers report:
- Seeing one advertised purchase price before negotiations.
- Being charged mandatory “dealer prep,” “rigging,” “documentation,” or administrative fees.
- Unexpected fees ranging from approximately $2,000 to $5,000.
- Learning about mandatory charges only near closing.
- Financing these additional fees as part of their boat loans.
- Believing the fees were not adequately disclosed before purchase.
Why Consumers Should Be Concerned
Consumers often negotiate based on an advertised purchase price. Undisclosed mandatory fees may substantially increase the true cost of ownership and could constitute deceptive pricing practices.
Potential claims may include:
- Deceptive trade practices
- Consumer protection violations
- Truth in Lending Act violations (where applicable)
- Breach of contract
- Unjust enrichment
Signs You May Be Affected
You may be affected if:
- You purchased a boat from MarineMax, OneWater Marine, Tracker Marine, or another dealership.
- You were charged mandatory dealer prep, rigging, documentation, or administrative fees.
- The fees were not clearly disclosed before purchase.
- You financed those fees as part of your loan.
- Your final purchase price was thousands of dollars higher than advertised.
If you have encountered these issues, we would like to hear from you. Please complete the contact form on this page, send us an email at [email protected], or give us a call at (202) 470-3520.