History Main / HonestJohnsDealership

-->''Bad deals! [[TheAllegedCar Cars that break down]]! Thieves! If you think you're gonna find a bargain at Big Bill, you can kiss my ass! It's our belief you're such a stupid motherfucker, you'll fall for this bullshit, guaranteed!''

[[folder:Real Life]]
* There's a reason that the trope is named for car dealerships instead of some generic store: the automotive sales industry is so rife with dishonesty, corruption, and trickery that it's hard to visit a car lot without getting the distinct impression that the sales reps are mentally picturing bending you over the nearest table. It's the very reason that lemon laws exist, and there are very few other sales sectors that recommend bringing someone knowledgeable along to make sure you aren't actually ''being'' bent over the nearest table.
** One other such sector being computer hardware, thanks to [=GeekSquad=], among others.
** There also (back in the day) was the repair of [=TVs=] and [=VCRs=] among other such electronics and (still to today) repair of kitchen or laundry appliances.
* In the city of Geneva, Illinois, there are two stores that actually have "Honest John's" in the title. Honest John's Emporium, and Honest John's trading post. They're not really rip-offs, just filled with a lot of cheap useless crap you'll never need but will have a compulsion to buy.
* Honest Jon's records in London, England - a legitimate and well-regarded record store.
* [[http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/ honestjohn.co.uk]] - a website run by a ''DailyTelegraph'' motoring writer who's answered around ''half a million'' letters and emails about all kinds of motoring issues with thousands of car reviews and a thriving community offering legal, technical and general advice.
* Notably averted in the case of Honest Ed's, a long-lasting department store in Toronto known for its very reasonable prices. They even gave out free turkeys every year at (Canadian) Thanksgiving. Unfortunately, [[BeingGoodSucks lack of sales]] has driven them to close down in 2016.
* In Britain during UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, [[SharpDressedMan sharply-dressed men]] knowns as "spivs" sold black market goods to people who were unable to get them otherwise due to rationing.
* The wedding industry. Many times, couples are charged 2 or 3 times for a 3-tier wedding cake as they would be for a 3-tier birthday cake, or for wedding and engagement rings vs. other types of rings. Wedding planners, venue owners, caterers, bands and [=DJs=], bridal magazines, photographers, jewelers, bridal salons, etc. all push the idea that it's justified because "you only do this once," and "don't you want to be PrincessForADay?" They also play on the idea that if you spend more, it shows your partner that you love them more, or will go to any length to make them happy...and also on the idea that you should try to one-up all your friends' and siblings' weddings. Even if it means starting a marriage tens of thousands of dollars in debt for a party.
** The funeral industry does the same thing. They have been known to prey on the emotions of grieving family members, encouraging/guilt-tripping them to buy expensive caskets (when a simpler one, or cremation, or "[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_burial natural burial]]" would do just fine), or having the body embalmed (when refrigerating it would be sufficient to keep it in decent shape for an open-casket funeral.)
* The [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oocyte_cryopreservation egg-freezing]] industry. Egg-freezing originally started as a way for women who would be undergoing chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy during their fertile years, and who still wanted to have kids (or have more kids) later to preserve their eggs before treatment (that would destroy their eggs otherwise), or for women who were undergoing IVF but weren't so keen on the idea of creating "extra" embryos or freezing embryos indefinitely, or women who have a family history of early menopause. That's all well and good, it was soon marketed towards women in their 20s and 30s (perhaps those who wanted to [[FamilyVersusCareer focus on their careers]]), who ''weren't'' gearing up for IVF or chemo. The marketing was based on the idea that [[MyBiologicalClockIsTicking fertility declines sharply after age 35]], so it's best to extract and freeze the eggs now and thaw them out later when the woman is ready to "settle down" and start a family. What they ''don't'' tell their prospective clients, however, is that an embryo made from these frozen eggs has a ''less than 50%'' chance of resulting in a successful pregnancy...and that healthy pregnancies in older women are ''a lot'' more common than many people think, meaning that a) there's a good chance a client might get pregnant the old-fashioned way later than she ever thought possible (or simply change her mind), and b) in many cases, freezing your eggs in your 20's or 30's is ''completely unnecessary in the first place''. Oh, yeah, and the process of obtaining the eggs involves taking hormones and other drugs that can have side-effects, and the actual procedure is invasive...and that it's an expensive procedure that is ''almost never'' covered by even top-notch medical insurance in the US (and may not be covered by the government elsewhere). (And that's ''not'' including the cost of the IVF procedure if and when their owner ''does'' decide to use them...which is also almost never covered.)
* These people show up online as well, which is why you should be very careful on online auction sites and with third-party sellers on Amazon.
* The SSL industry (the people who make HTTPS work) has used the brand name ''Honest Achmed's Used Cars and Certificates'' as a stand-in for an actor who'd do anything for some cash [[https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=647959 since 2011]]. (Although his uncles are good for credit.)
* [[TwoWordsAddedEmphasis Two words]]: [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crazy_Eddie Crazy. Eddie.]] Nuff said.
[[/folder]]

See also SnakeOilSalesman, ShadyRealEstateAgent, NewJobAsThePlotDemands, CrookedContractor, MedicineShow, TheBarnum, and TravelingSalesman. Only tangentially related to RichardNixonTheUsedCarSalesman, as that doesn't actually require characters to have this job, just a different one than in real life.

* ''WesternAnimation/AdventuresOfSonicTheHedgehog'': Wes Weasley, who first appeared in the episode "Birth of a Salesman". It should be noted Weasley has a few similarities with Phil Silvers, namely his voice, clothing, and glasses. [[NoCelebritiesWereHarmed This may have been intentional]]. He's also a slight subversion in that he's not a complete fraud - after several failed attempts at capturing Sonic, an angry Robotnik accuses him of selling defective machines. Weasley reasonably counters this by pointing out that his products have all performed exactly as he promised, but Robotnik's idiot henchmen Scratch and Grounder are simply too incompetent to use them effectively, which is hardly his fault.

* Creator/{{Disney}}: In the 1943 cartoon ''The Flying Jalopy'', Donald Duck runs into Ben Buzzard, the seedy proprietor of a "[[strike:wrecked]] Used" ''airplane'' dealership. Ben is even nastier than most characters of this type; not only does he sell Donald the eponymous flying jalopy, he also attempts to knock Donald off as part of an insurance scam.

* ''WesternAnimation/TinyToons'': In one short, Buster went to a bike dealer who claims his bikes will be perfect or [[InsaneProprietor he'll eat a bucket of scorpions]]. Naturally, the bike fails to stay together for the initial "Warranty" length and refuses to give Buster his refund or admitted that he sold shoddy bikes. Naturally, he makes good on his promise at the end ([[EditedForSyndication except in the version that aired on Nickelodeon]]).
* ''Franchise/{{Transformers}}'':
** [[MeaningfulName Swindle]], from the ''WesternAnimation/TheTransformers'' cartoon (and comics), is a [[TransformingMecha giant transforming robot]] con artist. He once sold the rest of the Combaticons to the Russians (the equivalent of selling his own brothers) and has complained when being shot because it damaged his own resale value.
** His alternative continuity counterpart in ''WesternAnimation/TransformersAnimated'' proudly continues the tradition with some blatant conning and extortion-at-many-gun(s)point thrown in for maximum profit. He's honest in that the things he sells tend to be exactly as he described them... but he makes absolutely no guarantees about not walking over and selling your opponent ''just what he needs'' to counter your expensive new upgrades and leave the fight at a standstill.
** Action Master Gutcruncher is arguably even worse than Swindle. While Megatron can tolerate Swindle because at least he's obvious about it, you never know what angle Gutcruncher is working.
** In the ''[=TransTech=]'' comic continuity, Swindle manages to partner with ''himself'' via the joys of dimensional travel. '''Twice.''' The three of them run a business known as Swindle, Swindle & Swindle, and deal in black market modifications, equipment, and parts. It's every bit as shady as you would imagine for a store with Swindles as the barker, salesperson, and cashier. Simultaneously.
* PlayedForLaughs in one episode of ''WesternAnimation/GIJoeARealAmericanHero''. Cobra Commander causes all the cash in America to spontaneously combust, and during the montage of his chaos a man is shown attempting to leave a used car dealership in a lemon that falls apart before it even leaves the lot while the dealer counts his money. When he storms back for a refund, the dealer attempts to hide his money under his hat only for it to [[LaserGuidedKarma burn his toupee and make his victim laugh at him]].
%%* ''WesternAnimation/{{Jumanji}}'': Trader Slick.

** There's also the salesman who sold Homer the snowplow. Partially averted, as the scheme he used to sell the snowplow to Homer actually worked for Homer...until he sold another one to Barney.

* ''WesternAnimation/JonnyQuest'': Pasha Peddler "Calcutta Adventure". He might charge a lot for his goods, but he delivers great service for the money. For instance, when Benton Quest and Race Bannon are being pursued by {{Mook}}s in a mountain range, they suddenly find some skis and poles waiting for them to make their escape courtesy of Pasha Peddler, along with the bill. Obviously, they don't argue with such salesmanship.
* ''WesternAnimation/BeanyAndCecil'': Dishonest John, the villain in nearly every cartoon. He even runs a used car dealership some of the time.
%%* ''WesternAnimation/GarfieldAndFriends'': Al [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Swindler]], he of the enormous nose, in several episodes.
%%* ''WesternAnimation/ErkyPerky'': Frenzel.
* ''WesternAnimation/JimmyTwoShoes'': Rudolpho, a British-accented salesman who sells all sorts of objects (usually whatever is convenient for the episode) to Jimmy and lives in a mobile shop. He was originally a OneShotCharacter in the first season, but in Season 2, he reappeared numerous times. The same season also introduced his son, a Cockney pickpocket with a crush on Heloise named Peep.
* ''WesternAnimation/RainbowBrite'': One episode has a shady traveling salesman who conned Twink into trading the mine where the Star Sprites mine Color Crystals for some phony "color crystal seeds". The guy then proceeded to try and turn the mines into a tourist trap.
* ''WesternAnimation/DastardlyAndMuttleyInTheirFlyingMachines'': "A Plain Shortage of Planes" has the Squadron getting a beat-up run-down plane at Bargain Bill's Used Plane Lot. Dastardly offers to pony up $10 for it (Bargain Bill asked for $3000, but he took the sawbuck if Dastardly threw in Muttley's medal).
* ''WesternAnimation/DangerMouse'': "The Man From Gadget" had DM and Penfold subjected to the dubious quality of the wares of Egregious M. Murphy, senior sales rep for Gadgets Incorporated.
* ''WesternAnimation/WaitTillYourFatherGetsHome'' has Harry decide to buy a new car, and he finally buys one from a crooked dealer who has a horrible service department and sells car equipped with defective parts.
* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'': Flim and Flam start off as a ShoutOut to Robert Preston's character from ''Theatre/TheMusicMan''. They're charming, fast-talking, and will sell anything for a quick bit, including "health tonic" that may or may not simply be apple juice and beet leaves. Subverted with the Cider Squeezy 6000, which actually was a legitimate, working machine.
* ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'':
** Gideon's dad Bud Gleeful sells used cars for a living, and does so in this manner. "Engine possum at no extra charge!"
** Grunkle Stan. Before he started running a tourist trap, the majority of his adult life had been a cycle of "settle, scam, flee angry mob, repeat", often with the scam involving some type of defective product. These questionable products have included cleaning rags which were poorly dyed and left dye smears on surfaces, adhesive bandages which gave people rashes, and pitchforks which fell apart easily, among countless others. After creating the Mystery Shack, he went over to selling merchandise which isn't much worse than your standard gift shop fair, but his attractions are fraudulent and his merchandise is sometimes ''absurdly'' overpriced.

* ''WesternAnimation/LiloAndStitchTheSeries'': Experiment 020, dubbed Slick by Lilo, was made by Jumba to market his experiments and can sell just about anything with his charisma. His "one true place" is working his salesman magic for a charity organization.
* ''WesternAnimation/MrMagoo'': "WesternAnimation/MagoosPuddleJumper", Magoo's nephew Waldo expresses some skepticism about buying an ancient electric car. The used car salesman yanks his hat over his head, leaving him incapacitated while Magoo signs the papers.
* Parodied in ''WesternAnimation/RickAndMorty'' with a commercial for Ants-In-My-Eyes Johnson's Electronics.
* ''WesternAnimation/KingOfTheHill'':
** Played with in "The Accidental Terrorist", Tom Hammond's car dealership actually seems very genuine; selling perfectly good cars, employing certified mechanics and salesmen, and Tom himself looking like a regular clean-cut businessman in a proper suit. However, he has fooled Hank into buying five cars from him at sticker price.
--->'''Tom:''' [[NotSoAboveItAll What can I say, Hank? I'm a salesman.]]\\
'''Hank:''' I know! You're a ''salesman''! [[GoodCannotComprehendEvil That's why none of this makes any sense!]]
** Played straight with Lane Pratley who owns several dealerships in Arlen. His business ethics are questionable and frequently engages in illegal activities outside of his work. He also lives up to the Honest John facade with his tacky suits and shit-eating grin.
* ''WesternAnimation/SheepInTheBigCity'' had several {{Parody Commercial}}s for Oxymoron products hosted by a man named Victor, who's either oblivious or apathetic toward the fact that many of Oxymoron's products are either defective or completely useless.
* In ''WesternAnimation/SchoolhouseRock'' episode "Elbow Room," during the "Manifest Destiny" scene, one of the covered wagons has a sign "Honest John's Goods," complete with a DastardlyWhiplash-looking proprietor.
%%* ''WesternAnimation/{{Arthur}}'': Mr. Crosswire owns a car dealership and occasionally falls into this trope.
* ''WesternAnimation/GarfieldAndFriends'' had RecurringCharacter Al [[MeaningfulName Swindler,]] who always managed to con Jon into buying whatever he's selling. He even owned a car dealership in one short.

%%* ''Series/GreenAcres'': Mr. Haney.

%%* ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'': Dan Aykroyd's early character, Irwin Mainway.

%%* ''Series/{{Streetsmartz}}'': Vinnie.
* ''Series/{{Vintergatan}}'': Benke Bengtsson. A rather extreme door-to-door salesman, you could say, who travelled around the cosmos in a yellow, truck-like thing, usually coming onto the protagonists' ''spaceship'' and offering to sell them an "Intergalactic Multi-Tool". Slightly subverted, as, despite his energetic sales pitch causing him to be mistrusted, the Multi-Tool ''is'' actually useful (Or, as Benke says, "It's used for ''everything''!"). Looks like he actually ''was'' honest, for once.

* ''Series/{{Seinfeld}}'': "The Dealership" features Jerry buying a new car from David Puddy, who can get him an insider deal. George tags along because he's positive that all car dealerships are Honest Johns and wants to protect Jerry. At one point in the episode Puddy and Elaine break up and Jerry loses his insider deal, so Puddy rings him up for thousands of dollars worth of useless junk and tries to sell Jerry a yellow car instead of the black he previously requested. [[spoiler: At the end of the episode Puddy and Elaine get back together and Puddy happily admits the dealership doesn't even know what some of the expenses actually do. He gives Jerry a good deal, which Jerry blows by refusing to give him a high-five.]]

%%* ''Series/HeeHaw'': Played for laughs with Junior Samples' used car lot.



%%* ''Series/HawaiiFive0'': Kamekona in the remake.
* ''Series/ShakeItUp'': Deuce Martinez has many aspects of this in his make-up. Amusingly, his girlfriend turns out to be his DistaffCounterpart, if not more so, being able to out-wheel and out-deal him easily.
%%* ''Series/ImpracticalJokers'': Invoked in the fake commercial leading into the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WG7_FSxSxW8 car dealership challenge]].%%Links aren't context.
* ''Series/{{Monk}}'': "Honest" Jake Phillips in "Mr. Monk Buys a House" is a subversion in that he turns out to be an entirely different sort of criminal. Jake smooth-talks Monk (who just bought a new house) into trusting him, and even hands him one of his business cards. When Monk calls Jake to repair an off-centered ceiling light in his dining room, Jake starts finding more and more faults in the building that need to be repaired. He then calls his plumber, "Honest" Ramone, to help knock down the walls and fix allegedly corroded pipes. It looks like Jake and Ramone are fleecing Monk, but their actual goal is bigger: they think a bank robber's haul is stashed in the house, and they're knocking out the walls to find it.
* ''Series/SledgeHammer'': In one episode, the protagonists investigated a BlackWidow of a SerialKiller who targeted car dealers like this. At the end, when the killer was caught, she showed no remorse, asking [[KnightTemplar if it was truly a crime to kill car dealers.]]
* ''Series/ArrestedDevelopment'': Inverted. When Michael goes to buy a car, the dealer is blunt, honest, and keeps trying to show Michael utilitarian, reliable, cheap cars. When Michael shows interest in a Corvette, he goes out of his way to talk about how impractical it is. Michael buys it anyway.
* ''Series/LastWeekTonightWithJohnOliver'': John's segment on sub-prime auto-loans ends with a fake advert for Crazy Johnny's Used Cars, complete with his cousin Crazy Jimmy (Creator/KeeganMichaelKey) and their accountant Crazy Walter (Creator/BobBalaban).
* ''Series/TheMunsters'': One episode has the family fall victim to one of these when Marilyn needs a new car.
* ''Series/Daredevil2015'': Turk Barrett is an illegal arms dealer. He sells guns that don't work. In "Rabbit in a Snowstorm," the gun he sells to one of Wilson Fisk's assassins fails to live up to his promise that they don't jam (the buyer had said [[RevolversAreJustBetter he preferred revolvers for this very reason]]). In the Season 2 premiere, Matt interrupts Turk while he's trying to sell a bunch of sawed-off shotguns to potential clients, overly praising them, only to then admit to Matt they couldn't even kill a rabbit and are best used when bludgeoning someone to death.
* ''Series/BeyondBeliefFactOrFiction'': One segment takes place at a used car dealership. However, only one salesman fit this trope. He sells at least two cars which are in desperate need of repairs, one of which is involved in a fatal accident. When informed of his client's demise, he brushes it off saying [[NeverMyFault "it was their time."]] [[spoiler: He's killed when he's run over by that same vehicle, supposedly possessed by the victim's ghost. This story is marked as "Fiction" by the show.]]
* In ''Series/GreenAcres'', no matter what Oliver's predicament of the day was, it was a sure bet that Mr. Haney would show up at his door hawking whatever miracle product or service he needed to resolve it. For a modest fee, of course. In one episode, just as Mr. Haney pulls up with the necessary item:
-->'''Oliver''': Mr. Haney, how is it you always happen to have what I need on your truck?\\
'''Mr. Haney''': Well... how is it you always happen to need what I have on my truck?
* ''Series/Adam12'': In one episode, Reed and Malloy investigate a 415[[note]]disturbing the peace[[/note]] call that turns out to be a crooked used-car salesman and the man whose poor grasp of English he exploited. SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome when Malloy gives the crook's newly-fired secretary [[MyCard a business card for the LAPD]] and directs her to ask for the bunco detectives.
* ''Series/MidnightCaller'': Boxing promoter Cash Dollar from "Kid Salinas" has a long history of scams, including a used car dealership where he used to turn back the odometers.
* ''Series/OneDayAtATime2017'': Subverted. When Penelope has to sell her old car and get a new one, she fully expects to be dealing with an unscrupulous, dishonest salesman and prepares accordingly... only to be completely thrown off when the saleswoman, Jill, is a veteran just like Penelope and is also friendly and perfectly trustworthy. She even comforts Penelope and invites her to a female veterans' support group when the latter breaks down crying and admits she's been having a lot of personal problems.
* ''[[http://whichwayto.tv/index.html Which Way To...]]'', a reality travel show, has the Eagar brothers return home to Cape Breton Canada for the last episode of the first season. On their way to their parents' home, they stop at a used car lot that meets every single checkmark of this trope, including the owner ''actually calling himself Honest John.'' They negotiate a deal on a car and predictably the car dies the moment they get home, never to start up again.
* ''Series/AdamRuinsEverything'' focuses on several of these throughout various episodes, including car dealerships, the wedding industry, the funeral industry, and the egg-freezing industry, all of which resort to having their customers spend money on things they may not even want.
* Dodgy Eric from ''Series/PhoenixNights'' is a Bolton wheeler-dealer who sells dubious goods to Brian Potter and the Phoenix Club, such as a fruit machine themed on ''Film/DasBoot''(which goes off at the funeral of the Captain, a World War II veteran), and a bouncy castle with inflatable GagPenis and testicles(for a family fun day, no less!). The one product he sells that doesn't have anything wrong with it is a bucking bronco.
* [[RoguishRomani Gypsy Joe]] from the ''Series/PhoenixNights'' spin-off ''Series/MaxAndPaddysRoadToNowhere'' is an [[UsefulNotes/IrishTravellers Irish Traveller]] who Max and Paddy visit to obtain a TV from. He shows them the store that sells such a TV, and assists them in stealing it- then gets his leg broken in the process. In his defense, he didn't know that TV was not equipped with speakers, but Max and Paddy still blame him anyway.
* Mal bought ''Serenity'' from a spaceship version of this on ''{{Series/Firefly}}''. The guy was trying to sell Mal on a different ship, but he spotted the broken down ''Serenity'' nearby and fell in love.
* Subverted in ''Series/ModernFamily''. Phil spends weeks researching and negotiating the best possible price for Hayley's first car but when he goes to pick it up Jay, who believes that all car salesmen are crooks, insists on coming along and tries to play hardball for a better deal. He mistakes the salesman's honest assurances that he can't go lower as a tactic and blows up the deal. They then go to another dealership where the second salesman tells them (again, completely truthfully) that he's never seen that model go for such a low price and he couldn't possibly match it, and when Jay bluffs that they can go back to the first dealership and get the original deal, the salesman replies with a totally sincere "Oh yes, you definitely should". Jay eventually secretly pays him the higher price to avoid looking bad in front of Phil, but the salesman still tells Phil the truth because he also has an overbearing father-in-law.

* ''Series/SesameStreet'': The guy in the trenchcoat and fedora that always cons Ernie out of his nickel.

* ''WesternAnimation/GoofTroop'': Pete. Although you have to wonder how accurate the portrayal really is when you consider how relatively successful Pete's business is over the series. You'd think he would have been shut down at some point but he still makes a steady income; either he's not always as dishonest as he's shown to be, or the residents of Spoonerville are just [[TooDumbToLive too oblivious]] to complain about him too much.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Rugrats}}'' had an episode play off the Grandpa's description of car salesmen being sharks, and it turned into a pseudo-''Jaws'' parody.

* ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'': Jim Kaplan. You name it, he'll try and sell it. Such examples include a car with a ''drawing'' of an engine and volcano insurance.
* ''WesternAnimation/HeyArnold'' had Big Bob Pataki (beeper shop owner), who once said of gadgets he'd just discovered were defective "I'll make thousands!" The guy has no refund department and was even shown in a later season episode telling off a woman demanding a refund for her defective beeper.
* ''WesternAnimation/AdventuresOfSonicTheHedgehog'': Wes Weasley, who first appeared in the episode "Birth of a Salesman". It should be noted Weasley has a few similarities with Phil Silvers, namely his voice, clothing, and glasses. [[NoCelebritiesWereHarmed This may have been intentional]]. He's also a slight subversion in that he's not a complete fraud - after several failed attempts at capturing Sonic, an angry Robotnik accuses him of selling defective machines. Weasley reasonably counters this by pointing out that his products have all performed exactly as he promised, but Robotnik's idiot henchmen Scratch and Grounder are simply too incompetent to use them effectively, which is hardly his fault.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Daria}}'' has a used-car salesman who is not only sleazy but creepy, trying to pick up Brittany, who is in ''high school''.
* ''WesternAnimation/EdEddNEddy'': Eddy is an Honest John [[FailureIsTheOnlyOption in training]]. One episode has the Eds running "Crazy Ed's Dealership", with Eddy admitting he got the idea from his dad.
* ''WesternAnimation/CodeLyoko'': Hiroki Ishiyama is another Honest John in training. He's already quite good at selling overpriced concert tickets to the students of his school. Just give him a few years...
* ''WesternAnimation/TheBerenstainBears'' cartoon from the 1980s featured a con artist called Raffish Ralph as a recurring antagonist. He was eventually incorporated into the books and later, for some reason, renamed [[MeaningfulName Ralph Ripoff]].

* ''Literature/{{Matilda}}'': Mr. Wormwood. He crosses the line into outright criminality -- his entire business model is built on selling cars that appear to run fine, until they get about thirty miles off the lot when the customer's Sudden Onset Unbridled Rage is suddenly aggravated by whatever means he should choose to use to prove he doesn't owe them a refund. He dinkers with worn-out cars to make them seem newer and in better conditions then they are (sawdust in the crank case is a common one), and he's involved with dealing in stolen cars too. At the end, it's not clear whether the law, his associates, or his clients are after him, but he's moving to Spain in an ''awful'' hurry.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Arthur}}'': In one book, Muffy Crosswire's super-rich father sells used cars of questionable value, what with his PunnyName. Ironically, one of the episodes of Arthur reveals that he hates liars.
* ''Literature/TheTwoGeorges'': UsefulNotes/RichardNixon is a salesman for used ''steam'' cars.
* ''Literature/TheCryingOfLot49'': Subverted with Mucho Maas, who -- during his time spent as a used car salesman -- was terrified of becoming one of these and developed a psychosomatic allergic reaction to pencil shavings and a fear of checked suits.

* ''Literature/CatchTwentyTwo'': Milo Minderbinder begins as a light-hearted version of this trope, paying far more attention to his various moneymaking schemes than the actual war he's supposed to be fighting. However, his financial syndicate grows so large and arcane that he eventually bombs his own airbase, firmly believing that it's in everyone's best interest because it brings profit to his investors.
%%* ''Literature/HarryPotter'': Mundungus Fletcher.

* ''Literature/TheBelgariad'': Some of Silk's personas, on varying scopes. Averted once when he is unable to set a good price on an unfamiliar perfume (in his mind this meant good as in making an exorbitant profit without setting it so high he'd be laughed out of the Fair), In the end, he gives it to Polgara, who 'thanks him for a princely gift', which only disgruntles him further.

* Creator/DrSeuss: Sylvester [=McMonkey McBean=] in ''The Sneetches'', who manages to con the eponymous creatures into repeatedly paying to use his star-applying and star-removing machines, [[FantasticRacism so they can remain "different from the inferior type"/indistinguishable from their former oppressors]]. He only leaves when the Sneetches are all completely broke, laughing at their stupidity. This being a children's book, however, [[AnAesop they do learn a valuable lesson]], and stop discriminating based on belly stars or the lack thereof.
* ''Literature/TheExploitsOfEbenezum'': Brax the Salesdemon, complete with extremely obnoxious, loud checkered suit.
%%* ''Literature/CalLeandros': This is Robin Goodfellow's day job.
* ''Literature/EnchantedForestChronicles'': Jack from ''Searching for Dragons''. Telemain actually warns him not to pad the bill on a magic carpet repair after learning that he's doing the job for a princess and the King of Dragons.
* In ''Literature/GalaxyOfFear: City of the Dead'', our protagonists are stranded on Necropolis and want to buy a ship. They end up in a used ship lot with a pushy, fast-talking dealer who is very put off when Tash starts [[CreepyChild guessing everything he's going to say]] and finishing his sentences. Usually, she doesn't know she's doing it, but this time it's deliberate, and she reflects that he must be shallow.
* ''Literature/FallingSideways'' has a business actually named "Honest John's House of Clones". Which puzzles David Perkins, since, as far as he knows, cloning is something that only been attempted in a few of the most advanced labs in the world. With sheep. There shouldn't be a place on the streets of London offering to clone the woman he's hopelessly in love with for the low, low price of fifty pounds. Seventy-five tops. Plus fifteen for VAT.
* ''Literature/ThePrincessTheCroneAndTheDungCartKnight'', by Gerald Morris, has Adrian the Pardoner, a traveling salesman of papal indulgences and fake holy relics. The character seems to be based on the Pardoner of the Literature/TheCanterburyTales, an example that makes this trope OlderThanPrint.
* In ''Literature/{{Busytown}}'', by Creator/RichardScarry, the FunnyAnimal variant is in play, as the proprietor of the city car dealership is a fox-- usually trying to [[PredatorsAreMean make a sale to a rabbit.]]
* ''Literature/NurseryCrime'': The second book, ''The Fourth Bear'', has [[Literature/ThePictureOfDorianGray Dorian Gray]] as a used car dealer. Much like his original story, each of Dorian's cars stays in pristine condition while a portrait of the car looks worse and worse [[spoiler:and, in each car, the odometer runs backwards. When the odometer reaches 0, the cars self-destruct with the hapless driver/occupants inside.]]
%% * ''Literature/UnderTheDome'' has "Big Jim" Rennie, a corrupt town official who owns a used car lot.

* ''Series/TheElectricCompany1971'': A memorable skit from the first season, pairing Creator/MorganFreeman and Creator/BillCosby. Cosby brags to a potential client that he ''is'' Honest John (pointing out the words with his stick). Just then, an angry customer (Freeman) bursts into the office and demands an explanation about why "Honest John" sold his son a lemon. Freeman then suggests that "Honest John" is an inaccurate name, to which Cosby admits "I lie a lot!"
* Most characters played by Frank "Yeeeeeeeeeees?" Nelson, especially on ''Radio/TheJackBennyProgram''.
* ''Series/TheBeverlyHillbillies'':

* ''Franchise/StarTrek'': The Ferengi are an entire [[PlanetOfHats planet of scheming salesmen.]]
** The [=DS9=] episode "[[Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS04E08LittleGreenMen Little Green Men]]" lampshades this. After Quark, Rom, and Nog get thrown back in time to [[RoswellThatEndsWell Roswell, 1947]], one of the humans sizes Quark up pretty accurately by comparing him to his brother-in-law. His brother-in-law's profession? Used car salesman.
** Harry Mudd of ''[[Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries The Original Series]]'' is also an excellent example of this trope, although he ''thinks'' he's a MagnificentBastard...
** The same goes for Cyrano Jones, who's much like Mudd in personality -- he's just not quite as ambitious.
** ''[[Series/StarTrekVoyager Voyager]]'' ran into the interstellar version of this in [[Recap/StarTrekVoyagerS6E5Alice "Alice"]]. He forgot to mention the used spacecraft he sold Tom Paris was sentient and channeling Film/{{Christine}}. In fairness he didn't have much choice in the matter, but his introduction is played very much like this trope.
* ''Series/AlienNation'': One opener shows a Newcomer who runs a place like this giving the standard routine to a customer... Until he discovers a murder victim in the trunk of the car. (Then the scene shifts to the main plot.)
* ''Series/TheTwilightZone1959'':
** In "[[Recap/TheTwilightZoneS2E50TheWholeTruth The Whole Truth]]", the used car salesman Harvey Hunnicut is a wheeler and dealer who is willing to tell any and every lie necessary to sell one of the dilapidated cars in his lot. However, an elderly man sells him a haunted Model A Ford for $25 which renders him [[CannotTellALie incapable of telling a lie]].
** Lampshaded as a plot point in the episode "One for the Angels", where the CMOT Dibbler type uses his schtick [[spoiler: to distract and delay Death, saving a young girl's life]].
* ''Series/{{Minder}}'': Arthur Daley was definitely one of these. Played by George Cole who was [[ActorAllusion known for]] his role as Flash Harry of the ''Film/StTrinians'' series (see above), Arthur constantly had his finger in a number of dirty pies which in at least one case did include selling shoddy cars but was generally (at best) in the gray market, if not outright criminal. (The pilot episode mentioned that Arthur was mostly legitimate nowadays and possibly didn't need a "minder" (i.e. Mook) anymore.)
%%* ''Series/ICarly'': Rip-off Rodney.
* ''Series/StepByStep'': One episode revolves around J.T. getting a job at a car dealership with the word "Honest". He lampshades the trope later when he tells his stepmom that he keeps the owner honest.
* ''Series/OnlyFoolsAndHorses''.
** "Del Boy" Trotter is a [[LoveableRogue relatively sympathetic]] example.
** In his first appearance, Boycie is offered Trigger's car as part of a poker bet. His response: "You must be joking, I sold it to him!"

* ''Series/BreakingBad''/''Series/BetterCallSaul'': Saul Goodman is essentially an AmoralAttorney with AmbulanceChaser trimmings (including the garish advertising)... but, with all the underworld connections, ad-sense, fashion aesthetic, business savvy, situational awareness, people-reading skills, morals, and crooked-but-harmless persona more generally associated with an outright Honest John and borderline con-man. His name is even suspiciously close to "it's all good, man", which should tip you off.
* ''Series/TheYoungOnes'': Reggie Balowski, the "International arms dealer, scrap metal merchant and French cabaret chanteuse" of the Balowski family, to whom Mike tries to sell the unexploded bomb dropped on their house.
-->'''Reggie:''' So, is that the atom bomb is it, eh? ''(sharp intake of breath)'' Oooh, naaaa, not in that colour, you know what I mean? See, that bomb, to me it's worth, well, a pony, couple of tortoises at most.[...] Tell you what, right, tell you what, come outside, I'll give you part-ex on a Reliant, right.\\
'''Mike:''' Reliant? That's a three-wheeler, innit?\\
'''Reggie:''' Usually, yeah...
%%** Mike Thecoolperson (yes, he changed his name).
%%* ''Series/ThePhilSilversShow'': Sergeant Bilko.
%%* ''Series/GreenAcres'': Mr. Haney.

* ''Series/{{Diili}}'', the Finnish version of the reality TV show ''TheApprentice'', had Juhana Helmenkalastaja (his surname means "Pearl diver", which he had legally changed his name into), who actually talked a jeweller into selling him a gold bar for spare change. The incident, however, was frowned upon by the big boss.

* ''Series/BabylonFive'': The [[InsectoidAliens mantis-like alien]] N'Grath. Whenever a character needs to sneak around the station, he's there, willing to sell them plans, access keys, and anything else, for a "very expensive" price. Of course, N'Grath isn't ''exactly'' an Honest John, as he (she? it?) is also known to use and hire out hitmen if you don't pay her (him? it?); it (he? she?) implied to be some kind of crime lord, but since the B5 command staff can't pin him (her? it?) for anything and finds her (him? it?) somewhat useful at times, they more or less leave it ([[OverlyLongGag him? her?]]) alone.

%%* ''Series/AustraliaYoureStandingInIt'': The Dodgy Brothers.

* ''Series/HannahMontana'' has Rico's Surf Shop, a beachfront establishment that sells mediocre, overpriced food and merchandise, and has been investigated by the health department more than once.

* ''Series/{{Degrassi}}'': Joey Jeremiah was the HighSchoolHustler in the '80s versions. He grew up to become a used-car dealer in the {{Revival}}.

* ''Series/DadsArmy'': Private Joe Walker is your man if you want more of something than your ration book allows.
* ''Series/{{Farscape}}'': Furlow's garage. There's nothing that woman can't fix, and nothing she won't sell to the one evil empire you really don't want getting hold of it.
* ''Series/{{Newhart}}'': Played with in an episode where George leaves the Stratford Inn and finds a job as a car salesman. Due to his reputation of informing the customers when a car actually was a lemon or not, he was given the nickname "Honest George" and would often be sought after by potential buyers. Another salesman tried to take advantage of this by [[BlatantLies saying he was Honest George. Even to Dick when he came looking for him.]]

* In ''Anime/{{Vandread}}'', Rabat (or as WordOfGod said, a contraction of [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Rat Bastard]]) is a Honest John. Only later we learn his true purposes, but until then, he sells everything from weaponry to cosmetics to ship drive boosters.
* ''Manga/Area88'': The base quartermaster [=McCoy=] is a prime example of this, stocking everything from toilet paper to nuclear weapons. He is not above tricks like placing a photographer's bag in the sun to force him to buy new film or selling faulty Sidewinder missiles at $20 each.

%%* ''Manga/BlackLagoon'': Pretty much everybody who's not a FriendInTheBlackMarket, given it's a WretchedHive.%%Lacks context.
* ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'': The Magikarp Salesman from the show's early seasons routinely tricks Team Rocket into buying useless things. A notable example is in James' first meeting with him, where he tricks James into buying a Magikarp by making him think that it's essentially a Hand of Midas. James seems to wise up and is suspicious in later encounters with him, although Jessie's a different story.

%%* ''LightNovel/ACertainMagicalIndex'': Referenced in the first episode.
%%-->'''Touma:''' What's with the face? You look like you're listening to a used car salesman!

%%* ''ComicStrip/BeetleBailey'': Private Cosmo; basically Ernie Bilko with a reduction in rank.
%%* ''ComicStrip/{{BC}}'': Peter occasionally takes this role.

* ''ComicStrip/{{Dilbert}}'': Dogbert tries his hand at this and unsurprisingly discovers he is quite good at it.
-->'''Dogbert''': This one used to belong to Carlos the diamond smuggler. It drives well, but corners a little off, almost as though it has something heavy hidden in the door panels.
* ''ComicStrip/BeauPeep'': Honest Abdul, purveyor of tat to {{Cloudcuckoolander}}s Dennis and the Nomad. A typical Abdul strip will have him reflecting that no-one will buy his latest product, then a GilliganCut to Dennis proudly showing it to a [[OnlySaneMan disbelieving Peep]].
* ''ComicStrip/BrotherJuniper'': One comic shows the title character asking a smug-looking salesman at Honest John Used Cars "Cross your heart?"
* In ''ComicStrip/{{Peanuts}}'', the advice Lucy gives at her psychiatric booth is usually worthless at best, but she always manages to get a nickel out of it from Charlie Brown.

%%* ''Film/UsedCars''.

* ''Film/{{Transformers}}'': Bobby Bolivia. "Honest" enough to present an old, battered Camaro (which wasn't there yesterday) as a very awesome ride. Ironically, that Camaro turns out to be Bumblebee, a very awesome HumongousMecha...
* ''Franchise/StarWars'':
** In ''Film/ANewHope'', the Jawas steal and scavange droids that they find around Tatooine. One of the droids sold, R5-D4, had a defective motivator and proceeds to blow its parts right after being sold to the Larses, who are not impressed. C-3PO talks them into getting R2-D2 as a replacement.
** Speaking of which, take a look at C-3PO's dialogue. It's masked by Anthony Daniels' very sincere delivery, but on paper, it's clear that he was meant to have the mannerisms of this trope. After Daniels' voice became a PermanentPlaceholder this was largely dropped.
** Before leaving Tatooine Luke sells his landspeeder to an alien running a second-hand speeder lot and it's stated that he didn't get much for it because there is a newer model on the market. Given how beat up his vehicle is it seems odd that he would expect to be paid more but it's possible that in that environment any speeder, however used, would normally fetch a higher price. The implication is that the dealer recognised a motivated seller when she met one.
** ''Film/ThePhantomMenace'': Watto is similar to the Jawas, except that he stays in one town with a permanent storefront. (A few ExpandedUniverse sources go so far as to say he learned most of the tricks of the Trope from them.)
%%** The Hutts are turned into this in the Understandable due to the Law of Unequal Returns, but that part is never mentioned.%%...what?
%%* ''Film/StTrinians'': Flash Harry.
%%* ''Film/{{Stardust}}'': Ferdy the Fence in the movie version.
%%-->'''Lamia:''' You'd better be telling the truth, you two-faced dog.\\
%%'''Ferdy:''' I can get you one of them, actually. Very good guard dogs. They can watch the back and the front door at the same time.
* ''Film/PlanetOfTheApes2001'': Limbo grabs some random stuff from a space pod and starts hawking it within 20 minutes of touchdown.

* In ''Film/MadMax1'', Max encounters a shady gas station repairman who tries to sell him repairs on everything but Max's car frame. It's implied that his parts are all stolen as well. Max is too canny for the man and escapes with his pocketbook intact. The mechanic ultimately foments Max's downfall, though unwittingly.

* ''Film/BreakingAway'': The main character's father was a used car dealer like this. He told one customer that the reason the car he was test-driving had stalled was that it had premium gasoline in its tank instead of regular, and had a heart attack at the possibility of giving a refund for a crappy car.
* Film/TheThreeStooges got in on this more than once. Including one time set in AncientEgypt, of all places, where they sold used chariots that [[TheAllegedCar were about as good as you'd expect.]] It had a truly comical line from Moe:
-->''"Greetings, friend! I'm Honest Moe, that's Honest Shemp, and that's... that's Larry."''

* ''Film/LethalWeapon3'': Humorously averted by Leo Getz. When trying to sell Murtaugh's home in, he insists on following the law and disclosing such interesting and alarming tidbits as the upstairs bathroom being "recently remodeled due to unexpected bomb damage" (which happened in the [[Film/LethalWeapon2 previous film]]).
* ''Film/{{Flywheel}}'': Jay Austin Motors starts off like this before Austin's HeelFaithTurn. [[spoiler:His business [[KarmicJackpot becomes much more successful after he vows to start treating his customers completely fairly and honestly]].]]
* ''Film/TheLoveBug'': In ''Herbie Rides Again'', [[CoolOldLady Grandma Steinmetz]] can get [[SentientVehicle Herbie]] to calm down by implying that she'll send him there if he doesn't behave.
* ''Film/WillyWonkaAndTheChocolateFactory'': Played with. Violet's father Sam Beauregarde owns a car lot and pitches it at every opportunity he gets. During the contract signing scene, he has no trouble admitting his sleaziness to Wonka.
-->'''Mr. Beauregarde:''' Don't talk to me about contracts, Wonka; I use 'em myself. They're strictly for suckers.

* In ''Film/{{Beetlejuice}}'', the [[AntagonistTitle title character]] is the spirit world's answer to this trope, complete with InsaneProprietor-style {{Kitschy Local Commercial}}s.
* ''Film/{{It Takes Two|1995}}'': The main antagonist is the CEO of Denver luxury car company "Trovare", who sells pretty literal knock-off Lamborghinis (as in, "[[TheAllegedCar they fall apart after driving them for four miles after selling them]] and were built with sub-''sub''-standard parts" kind of literal) and uses every delaying tactic to mooch time and money from people trying to get them fixed (and swindled to avoid buying the warranty, on top of every other expensive extra). [[spoiler:The dealership ends up being blown sky-high on the film's climax by a disgruntled employee: the company's mechanic, who was fed up with having to deal with said crap cars and seeing people get scammed constantly, as well as being generally treated like garbage.]]
* ''Film/TheMuppetMovie'': Mad Man Mooney, who offers the traveling Muppets a $12 trade-in for ''both'' of their vehicles (Fozzie's Studebaker and Gonzo's plumber's truck) and claims a $2,000 car that falls apart in front of their eyes has "detachable fenders for narrow garages." He also has a "you pay the price you see on the sticker" policy. Although it usually means you're getting a lemon and no haggling, it proves to be his downfall when Sweetums swats a fly in juuust the right place and turns an $1,195 car into '''$11.95'''.
-->'''Gonzo:''' Less our $12 trade-in, ''you'' owe ''us'' a nickel!

* ''Series/AdamTwelve'': In one episode, Reed and Malloy investigate a 415[[note]]disturbing the peace[[/note]] call that turns out to be a crooked used-car salesman and the man whose poor grasp of English he exploited. SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome when Malloy gives the crook's newly-fired secretary [[MyCard a business card for the LAPD]] and directs her to ask for the bunco detectives.

* LetsPlay/HatFilms have this as an extension of Hat Corp in the ''Machinima/YogscastMinecraftSeries'', selling land to various members of the LetsPlay/{{Yogscast}}. [[spoiler:The trio gives LetsPlay/SimonLane a ton of gear and a new deed to Craggy Island after the Jaffa Factory explodes, but they hint afterwards that they scammed him with some dodgy terms and conditions, and plan to scam Simon and LetsPlay/LewisBrindley too. Unfortunately for them, [[IsThisThingStillOn Simon can still hear them]].]]

** ''WesternAnimation/{{Pinocchio}}'': While not the first fictional con artist to be named "Honest John," J. Worthington "Honest John" Foulfellow is the effective TropeNamer due to his decades of prominence as a major Disney character. He is a fox who cheats Pinocchio on several occasions. While not exactly a salesman, Honest John and his daffy assistant, Gideon the cat, are obviously out to make a crooked buck however they can.

%%** ''WesternAnimation/{{Pinocchio}}'': The TropeNamer, J. Worthington "Honest John" Foulfellow, is a fox who cheats Pinocchio on several occasions. While not exactly a salesman, Honest John and his daffy assistant, Gideon the cat, are obviously out to make a crooked buck however they can.%%ZCE

%%** ''WesternAnimation/{{Pinocchio}}'': The TropeNamer is a fox who cheats Pinocchio on several occasions.%%ZCE

* ''Film/TrueLies'': Simon, the loser who tries to seduce Helen, is a used-car salesman. This is mostly just to show him as a sleazeball since from what little we see of it it appears that his business is actually legit.

* Subverted in ''Series/ModernFamily''. Phil spends weeks researching and negotiating the best possible price for Hayley's first car but when he goes to pick it up Jay, who believes that all car salesmen are crooks, tags along and insists that he can play hardball for a better deal. He mistakes the salesman's honest assurances that he can't go lower as a tactic and blows up the deal. They then go to another dealership where the second salesman tells them (again, completely truthfully) that he's never seen that model go for such a low price and he couldn't possibly match it, and when Jay bluffs that they can go back to the first dealership and get the original deal, the salesman replies with a totally sincere "Oh yes, you definitely should". Jay eventually secretly pays him the higher price to avoid looking bad in front of Phil, but the salesman still tells Phil the truth because he also has an overbearing father-in-law.

* Subverted in ''Series/ModernFamily''. Phil spends weeks researching and negotiating the best possible price for Hayley's first car but when he goes to pick it up Jay, who believes that all car salesmen are crooks, tags along and insists that he can play hardball for a better deal. He mistakes the salesman's honest assurances that he can't go lower as a tactic and blows up the deal. They then go to another dealership where the second salesman tells them (again, completely truthfully) that he's never seen that model go for such a low price and he couldn't possibly match it, and when Jay bluffs that they can go back to the first dealership and get the original deal, the salesman replies with a totally sincere "Oh yes, you definitely should". Jay eventually secretly pays him the higher price to avoid looking bad in front of Phil, but the salesman still secretly tells Phil the truth because he also has an overbearing father-in-law.

Despite trying to appear as having NamesToTrustImmediately, chances are fairly good that the "Honest" part makes it an IronicName. [[FridgeLogic You know]], if he has to ''[[ShowDontTell tell]]'' everyone [[SuspiciouslySpecificDenial he's honest]]...

** Honest Ed . As Garfield observes, his office is in a pickup truck with the engine running. Also, [[http://www.gocomics.com/garfield/1990/12/20 Honest Frosty's Used Trees]].

* ''Series/TheElectricCompany1971'': A memorable skit from the first season, pairing Creator/MorganFreeman and Creator/BillCosby. Cosby turns his portrayal of the SnakeOilSalesman UpToEleven as he brags to a potential client that he ''is'' Honest John (pointing out the words with his stick). Just then, an angry customer (Freeman) bursts into the office and demands an explanation about why "Honest John" sold his son a lemon. Freeman then suggests that "Honest John" is an inaccurate name, to which Cosby admits "I lie a lot!"

* ''Series/ShakeItUp'': Deuce Martinez has many aspects of this in his make-up. Amusingly, his girlfriend turns out to be his DistaffCounterpart, if not [[UpToEleven more so]], being able to out-wheel and out-deal him easily.

** ''[[Series/StarTrekVoyager Voyager]]'' ran into the interstellar version of this -- he forgot to mention the used spacecraft he sold Tom Paris was sentient and channeling Film/{{Christine}}.

* ''Radio/HancocksHalfHour'': This is the entire schtick for Sid James throughout the series. James (who is implied to be a "spiv") shows up whenever Tony needs something for his latest ZanyScheme. He just coincidentally happens to have h the exact product or service needed... or a very unreasonable facsimilie thereof. Some of his cons of Hancock include:

** On a couple of occasions, James sold Hancock shoddy property (a house in one instance, a "farm") that was more firetrap than actual living space.

%%* ''Radio/HancocksHalfHour'': Sid James.

Like its cousin trope, the FriendInTheBlackMarket, Honest John can fit anywhere on the neutral or chaotic side of the CharacterAlignment spectrum: a good comparison would be the LoveableRogue JerkWithAHeartOfGold [[Series/OnlyFoolsAndHorses 'Del Boy' Trotter]] or [[Literature/{{Discworld}} Mr. CMOT Dibbler]] types VS {{Jerkass}}es like [[Literature/{{Matilda}} Mr. Wormwood]] or [[TheSociopath Sociopaths]] like [[Film/TheThirdMan Harry Lime]]. After all, selling malfunctioning blow-up dolls is a far more forgivable occupation than selling TheAllegedCar that [[MyCarHatesMe hates you with a passion]] or [[SnakeOilSalesman fake pharmaceuticals to orphanages.]] If the "Honest John" character is genuine, ''pure'' evil, then you've got a DealWithTheDevil on your hands.

* ''WesternAnimation/YogisGang'': Peter D. Cheater's school has a course on how to run those.

** In ''The High and the Flighty'', representing the Ace Novelty Company of Walla Walla, Washington, he tries to profit from WesternAnimation/FoghornLeghorn's rivalry with the barnyard dog by independently selling both rooster ''and'' dog elaborate practical jokes to each play on the other, only to go too far when he sells them both a "Pipe Full of Fun Kit #7" at the same time, after which, realizing they've been had, Foghorn and the dog set their feud aside to get even with Daffy, [[HoistByHisOwnPetard using his own novelty device against him]].

** WesternAnimation/DaffyDuck frequently plays the role of a pushy door-to-door salesman strong-arming a reluctant character into buying unwanted goods, as in ''The Stupor Salesman'', ''Fool Coverage'' and ''WesternAnimation/DesignForLeaving''. In ''WesternAnimation/DimeToRetire'', he runs a hotel offering rooms for the meager cost of ten cents a night, and makes his money by releasing various animals into the room and charging guest Porky Pig outrageous "exterminator" fees to get rid of them. In ''Daffy Dilly'', he's shown to be a loud-mouthed street peddler trying to sell joke novelties to an uninterested crowd. And in ''The High and the Flighty'', representing the Ace Novelty Company of Walla Walla, Washington, he tries to profit from WesternAnimation/FoghornLeghorn's rivalry with the barnyard dog by independently selling both rooster ''and'' dog elaborate practical jokes to each play on the other, only to go too far when he sells them both a "Pipe Full of Fun Kit #7" at the same time, after which, realizing they've been had, Foghorn and the dog set their feud aside to get even with Daffy, [[HoistByHisOwnPetard using his own novelty device against him]].

* ''Literature/UnderTheDome'' has "Big Jim" Rennie, a corrupt town official who owns a used car lot.