The U.S. Car Dealership Isn’t a Store — It’s a Tollbooth.

Dealerships profit from confusion — trade-ins, financing, add-ons, and service. EV direct sellers are attacking all four at once.

Three years ago, I drove home in a new Ford Lightning, thrilled. And I should say that I still love this truck and it fits my lifestyle perfectly.

I had wanted that truck and was surprised they actually had one available. I probably should have seen that as a warning since I hadn’t pre-ordered, but excitement and impulse took over.

So, I traded in my more expensive truck — from Chevrolet. I didn’t even shop around to see what I should get in trade.

I overpaid for the Lightning. Of course, I didn’t know that prices were going to drop and then the model quickly discontinued — but stuff happens.

I financed through Ford at 2.9 percent, which felt like a win, and rolled fees into the loan I never itemized. I’ve been in finance for most of my life, so I did know that I wasn’t getting a deal, but my payments actually went down and that eased the pain.

But looking back after just placing a Tesla order online like I was ordering toothpaste from Amazon, I find myself a little bitter at the rigged dealership system.