There are some pretty important business models that should be protected and regulated. The deregulation of the media industry has led to Sinclair operating 280 television stations in the US. This should have been protected, and I think it would be hard to argue that those laws were not protecting the citizens of the country.
Protecting car dealerships? Yeah, those guys are con artists, and are probably a part of why US automakers are so uncompetitive in the marketplace.