Use just a little bit more cynicism and the actual reasoning becomes clear.

Car dealership owners are one of the most reliable Republican constituencies. They make outrageous amounts of money through government-mandated rent-seeking and donate to Republican candidates 6-to-1. What we see here is nothing more than a quid-pro-quo, a handout to the dealership owners in exchange for their loyal monetary support over the years.

So yes, it's not about protecting the consumer. Dealerships are of course actually terrible, as everyone knows. This is about protecting the dealership owners.

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2023/05/rich-republicans...