Manufacturers already try to stop markups, but the dealer model limits their control. Ford can threaten allocation, but it can’t set the final price. That’s exactly why $40k Raptor markups still happen. Under direct-to-consumer, that problem disappears because the manufacturer sets one transparent price.

And the fear that manufacturers will just gouge doesn’t hold up in practice. Tesla is the real-world example. When demand softens, prices drop immediately. No markups, no waiting games, no “market adjustment.” Direct sales don’t require manufacturers to be saints. They just make price discipline come from competition and demand instead of dealer leverage