It's just dealers, being "dealers". As someone who has semi-retired from sales, that stuff pisses me off!
It's an "advertising error"!
I just spent months buying a real "car" (not a crossover or SUV). Most of the manufacturers don't make "cars" anymore, so I was limited to old stock, and slightly used for what I wanted. Dealers in this region don't have any "cars", because nobody here buys a "car", so they don't order many, and don't have any left. Most automakers don't make "cars" anymore. So, you hit the net, and prepare for a road trip. I made a bunch of inquiries, and came down to bags packed - ready to pick it up, on four different 700+ mile trips, but with one rule. I had to have a deal in hand before I turned a wheel. After dealer delaying, four deals blew up as I was waiting for the contract pdf at the last minute, with my stuff ready to be thrown in the trunk, Why? Turns out the cars they were advertising weren't what they were advertising. The cars advertised with 50 miles actually had 3.000+ miles, or, the price included some imagined combination of incentives that I didn't qualify for, or, my favorite car, somehow went from about 24,000 to 33,000 between the ad and the contract. I never did get any explanation on that one. They too keep sending me auto-generated emails asking what it will take to sell me a vehicle, though. And that's just the top 3 lies!
If the manufacturer gives a dealer a similar model # for a new version, they're going to advertise and sell the thing whichever way. That may be because they're trying to get over on you, or as seems to be more and more common, they either don't know the difference, or their marketing and/or sales is semi conscious and doesn't care. Sometimes the manufacturers themselves will participate in this in their dealings.
For a small example, I ordered a chimney brush lately from a reseller for a major NW manufacturer (ok - I'm sure they make them in China, but it's their brand). They recently changed the product from a 3" pancake brush to a 7" long version. Same part #. Insanity! Reseller pictures and all the pictures on the web - old style: Order it - get new style, which won't work for me. Ask "manufacturer" why they would sell a totally different brush under the same part # and get no real answer. Advise semi-conscious reseller of problem, and months later, their picture is still the same.
It's just the way of the world, and true, the internet has made buying some things better, but some either don't care, or actively use it to obfuscate. Buyer beware - in a world where things are so complex, it would take a committee from the manufacturer to even understand many products. And, then, throw some mislabeled stuff into the mix just for fun!
As a distributor/salesman who always thought my main purpose was to wade through the details for my customers, if they're guilty, I hope they fry 'em! And I consider myself a libertarian, (small "L")..
Rant off! But thanks for listening!
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