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We've all seen advertisements from car dealerships offering a deal on a specific make and model of new vehicle.

But a hidden camera investigation by CBC's Marketplace has revealed that some Ontario dealerships are adding costs to the advertised price when car buyers inquire about the vehicles in person.

The province’s car sales regulator, the Ontario Motor Vehicle Industry Council (OMVIC), says the advertised price in a dealership ad must include all fees the consumer is expected to pay, except HST and licensing. In fact, it’s been Ontario law since 2010 that dealership ads must set out the total amount.

Marketplace journalists went undercover posing as shoppers across the Greater Toronto Area to find out if they could get a car at the price advertised on the dealerships’ websites. Marketplace has received complaints from viewers who said they were being charged for add-ons like floor mats, rust protection and warranties.

Marketplace co-host Charlsie Agro, middle, looks at car advertisements with CBC’s Sneha Agrawal, left, and Bobby Hristova for the show's hidden camera visits to dealerships. (Steph Kampf/CBC)

The team tried to get a quote on a new vehicle based on advertisements from 15 dealerships, which included some of Canada’s biggest brands: Chevrolet, Ford, Honda, Hyundai and Toyota.

The investigation found six of the 15 dealerships charged more than the advertised price. Four of 15 dealerships showed a photo of a more expensive version of the vehicle in the ad than the one they were actually selling. And six of 15 included extra features the undercover shoppers didn’t ask for — though most of the extras were built into the advertised price and some dealerships agreed to remove them when we asked.

George