Buy an SUV, Get a Small Car Free: A Scammy and Clever Marketing Tactic

More and more car dealers are offering a free, or virtually free, small car if you buy a big truck or SUV. But look closely at these ads because the deals aren't nearly as good as they sound.

Don't expect to be able to buy any Chevy Tahoe or Ford truck on the lot. And don't think you'll get your pick of any small car on the lot for, basically, nothing, either. You'll just have to take the specific vehicles that the dealer is offering.

Ask yourself, "If this dealership really wants go give away a car when you buy an SUV, why aren't these vehicles gone in an instant?"

It's because, once you get to the dealership and a salesman begins to explain the offer to you - and show you what else you could get for the same money or less - you'll understand that the "free" car isn't free at all