Any advertisements about presales of vehicles without a permit from the Ministry of Industries, Trade and Mining are now prohibited, according to the automotive group in support of consumers and manufacturers, which is affiliated to the ministry. In recent months, several advertisements invited buyers to place orders on cars without a fixed price, which caused confusion among the car buying public, according to Persian Khodro, a local automotive website. The new rules are attempting to protect auto buyers from unscrupulous auto dealers who call for making down payments without giving details about the final car price and installments, which was becoming a prevalent trend in Iran’s automotive sector. According to the letter released by the lobby, as of this week, all dealers of domestic and imported cars must require the express permission of the ministry before publishing advertisements or setting up sales posters. The total value of the car and the mode and period of payment should now be specified in the advertisement. According to the press release, if anyone breaks the new rules, measures will be taken against the offending party. Unfortunately, the unspecified measures will embolden auto dealers to ignore the directive and carry on as usual.
