Close

South Carolina Bill- H. 3777

  • From all of us at Scout Motors, welcome to the Scout Community! We created this community to provide Scout vehicle owners, enthusiasts, and curiosity seekers with a place to engage in discussion, suggestions, stories, and connections. Supportive communities are sometimes hard to find, but we're determined to turn this into one.

    Additionally, Scout Motors wants to hear your feedback and speak directly to the rabid community of owners as unique as America. We'll use the Scout Community to deliver news and information on events and launch updates directly to the group. Although the start of production is anticipated in 2026, many new developments and milestones will occur in the interim. We plan to share them with you on this site and look for your feedback and suggestions.

    How will the Scout Community be run? Think of it this way: this place is your favorite local hangout. We want you to enjoy the atmosphere, talk to people who share similar interests, request and receive advice, and generally have an enjoyable time. The Scout Community should be a highlight of your day. We want you to tell stories, share photos, spread your knowledge, and tell us how Scout can deliver great products and experiences. Along the way, Scout Motors will share our journey to production with you.

    Scout is all about respect. We respect our heritage. We respect the land and outdoors. We respect each other. Every person should feel safe, included, and welcomed in the Scout Community. Being kind and courteous to the other forum members is non-negotiable. Friendly debates are welcomed and often produce great outcomes, but we don't want things to get too rowdy. Please take a moment to consider what you post, especially if you think it may insult others. We'll do our best to encourage friendly discourse and to keep the discussions flowing.

    So, welcome to the Scout Community! We encourage you to check back regularly as we plan to engage our members, share teasers, and participate in discussions. The world needs Scouts™. Let's get going.


    We are Scout Motors.
eddiet1212

eddiet1212

Scout Community Veteran
Oct 25, 2024
203
308
36532
www.scoutmotors.com
A bill, H. 3777, was introduced in the South Carolina House on January 16, 2025.

Summary: South Carolina Consumer Freedom Act

"...TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 56‑15‑45, RELATING TO THE OPERATION OF A DEALERSHIP BY A MANUFACTURER OR FRANCHISOR, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT AN AUTOMOTIVE MANUFACTURER THAT OWNS OR OPERATES A MANUFACTURING FACTORY OR ASSEMBLY PLANT THAT HAS NEVER HAD DEALER FRANCHISE AGREEMENTS MUST BE ALLOWED TO SELL DIRECTLY TO CONSUMERS TO PROMOTE CONSUMER CHOICE AND MARKET FREEDOM..."

www.scstatehouse.gov/billsearch.php?billnumbers=3777&session=126&summary=B

www.scstatehouse.gov/sess126_2025-2026/bills/3777.htm
 
  • Like
  • Wow
  • Love
Reactions: bwdavis7, Harris005, Slim and 16 others
Albal said:
Nice! Though I'd also support existing auto makers being able to terminate their dealer franchise agreements. Maybe if dealers knew they were at risk of losing their franchise they would behave better!
Click to expand...

That puts too much power in the hands of corporations, basically letting them blackmail dealers to do their bidding.

The whole reason there are dealership laws in most places is as an extension of franchise laws, to prevent franchiser, from abusing franchisee.

It's a large investment to open a dealership, and letting the corporation just rug pull them at any time, is not fair dealing.
 
I'd like a middle ground that permits manufacturers to sell directly to consumers but only at full MSRP. This would put a cap on some of the dealer shenanigans (like "market adjustments", nitrogen tires, rust proofing, security systems, prep fees, etc.) but still leave them a margin to make a profit. I see this in a lot of other products that might be available direct from the manufacturer but are cheaper in stores.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Harris005 and Latrant
CarTechGeek said:
That puts too much power in the hands of corporations, basically letting them blackmail dealers to do their bidding.

The whole reason there are dealership laws in most places is as an extension of franchise laws, to prevent franchiser, from abusing franchisee.

It's a large investment to open a dealership, and letting the corporation just rug pull them at any time, is not fair dealing.
Click to expand...
Maybe true but there needs to be teeth to also protect the buyers. There is enough negativity about any/all dealers to know there is a bigger issues and laws -in my opinion need to protect buyers first. I work in an industry that rely son realtors (sales) and it’s the same issue. I’ve listened to realtors try and push people into a sale even when they were gonna have to live on PBJ with no remorse.
To me the issue stems from Commission sales but that’s another rant. There needs to be rules in place from state level beyond the BBB to punish shady sales. There’s a honda dealer in MD that’s under major issues/investigations for years of consumer fraud. It’s wrong and it needs to be addressed
 
  • Like
Reactions: Albal and eddiet1212
tree said:
Got the same and did it immediately. As I live in SC I shared with everyone I know as well.
Click to expand...
Thank you! We were also pleased to see the bill introduced. Shows that SC legislators also take consumer freedom seriously and are making good on the published priorities of eliminating burdensome regulations that stifle economic growth.

I know that it's an imposition to fill out the form and send a letter, so your help is very much appreciated. Without citizen outreach, legislators have no way of knowing that this issue is important and will tend to revert to that status quo. Even a handful of letters help in a massive way!

I hope that my email was informative. Without making it too long, tried to provide a brief overview of why we support the bill and why it's positive for both Scout Motors and South Carolinians.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bwdavis7, Slim and J Alynn
I just sent my representatives here in NC an email with a link to the SC legislation in hopes of working around the dealership lobbying groups as I like this idea. If passed, it gives direct-to-consumer sales a foothold in the state, and hopefully that'll expand in the future.

While I'm not a big fan of paying a manufacturer MSRP for any vehicle, maybe we'll get lucky and Scout will add a "Make an Offer" button on the purchasing page! :ROFLMAO:
 
  • Like
Reactions: Albal and nolen
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom