A dealer could accept a car back in certain situations, but don't bank on it.
Due to record-high costs for new and used cars as well as a lack of inventory nationally, some buyers could be tempted to make a quick decision without giving it much thought.
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| Can You Return the Newly Purchased Car? |
But what if you subsequently have buyer's remorse due to an excessive vehicle payment, a costly extended warranty, or the realization that your new automobile isn't what you wanted? Can you back out of the purchase and get your automobile back?
If you change your mind about a purchase, the majority of retail businesses allow you to exchange or return items for a refund.
However, because of the rigorous return and refund regulations and policies that apply to new automobiles, this is usually never the case. However, customers who have buyer's remorse frequently ask us: Can I cancel the transaction?
The responses are "no" and "maybe" when it comes to brand-new automobiles. (If you purchase a used automobile, you could have more success returning the vehicle, but it all depends on the state in which you reside and the specific dealership's return procedures.)
There is no cooling-off period for new automobiles, which is often written on the wall of dealership sales offices as a concise summary of your legal rights.
Federal cooling-off regulations
You may be aware that certain purchases are subject to a federal right of withdrawal. There is such a law, but its main purpose is to shield customers from aggressive door-to-door sales techniques.
Autos are specifically excluded from its application. In other words, once you acknowledged the sales agreement, the vehicle is yours. Additionally, the seller is supported by the law.
So, do you have any options? The word "maybe" enters the picture now. In essence, the decision to unwind the trade is left to the dealer. While it's obvious that company owners want their clients to be happy, returning a car purchase to a car dealer may be quite expensive.
However, there are situations when doing it are morally appropriate. This is the point of view presented in "Unwinding a Deal," an essay by Marv Eleazer, finance director of Langdale Ford in Valdosta, Georgia, that appeared in the dealership periodical F&I and Showroom.
Can you relax after buying a new car? That question has the responses "no" and "maybe."
Eleazer writes to other vehicle salespeople, saying, "There are times when we must swallow our pride and put up with the trouble of unwinding a purchase."
He continues by addressing several particular scenarios, including those in which the automobile doesn't operate as promised, the customer has lied about his credit score, and the salesperson made excessive promises but failed to deliver on the transaction.
Unwinding a contract is a murky area, therefore you must be cautious while making this request to the seller. Even if every circumstance is unique, let's examine three typical situations.
I'm regretting my purchase
Most vehicle dealerships lack documented procedures that would enable you to cancel the purchase agreement you've already signed.
This indicates that arguing your argument is your only option. You might claim that you've grown to dislike the vehicle or that it will strain your finances and leave you in a precarious situation.
As a courtesy, you can phone the salesman if you are experiencing buyer's remorse, but you should be prepared to speak with a higher-ranking member of the dealership management, such as the sales manager, general manager, or owner.
The decision to cancel the sale is entirely up to the dealer. Make your call throughout the week rather than over the weekend.
I was duped
You could have a case if the auto seller you dealt with broke commitments or if you suspect fraud. But don't level irrational, unjustified charges. Use any available documentation as an alternative.
Refer to the Edmunds advised price as evidence of the vehicle's market worth and an appropriate price if you believe you were overcharged.
At least in part, consumers who complain about prices are to fault. For such a significant purchase, preparation and study are key, so if you're in the middle of a transaction in the showroom and feel unprepared to move further, don't.
It is preferable to decide against buying the automobile upfront than to claim that you overpaid later. Your best option is to do online price comparisons and negotiate a comparatively simple agreement with the dealership's internet sales manager.
I received a lemon
Occasionally, a customer determines the automobile is faulty right away and wants to return it for a different one or end the agreement.
But to legally prove that a car is a "lemon" and have a vehicle investigated under the lemon legislation, it requires time out of service and repeated trips to the repair shop – for the same fault.
The lemon legislation should still be in effect if you bought a secondhand automobile with a valid manufacturer's guarantee. To assist you to decide if this is the right line of action, make sure you are up to speed on the lemon laws in your state.
When a new automobile has an obvious fault, the dealer will frequently fix it as part of the warranty. If there is no warranty, as there often is with secondhand automobiles, you can still advocate having the vehicle fixed. The dealer is motivated to do these repairs to gain a reputation and draw in repeat business.
The viewpoint of the dealer
To find a workable solution to this issue, it helps to comprehend the dealer's perspective. No issue can't be handled when individuals adopt a mature perspective, Eleazer told Edmunds.
Dealerships work hard to establish an atmosphere that fosters long-term connections with their client base because they want to repeat business.
The easiest approach to clear up these misunderstandings, he continued, was to simply go back to the dealership and politely request to meet with the manager. Drama and yelling do not make an impression. Getting assistance does.
Eleazer noted that the dealer could be ready to put the customer in a car with a lesser purchase price in circumstances of buyer's remorse, such as if a person purchased too much automobile for their budget. Dealers, however, "are not required to do so either legally or ethically."
If you are still dissatisfied
There are still a few options available if your complaints are serious, or you have tried complaining to the dealership without success.
Of course, you may engage a lawyer and file a lawsuit against the dealership. However, it is expensive and time-consuming. So let's examine some more choices.
Through regional and national organizations, you can file a complaint about the dealership. To discover if you may lodge a complaint, visit the website for the Department of Motor Vehicles in your state.
Another place to check for information on how to complain about a vehicle dealership is your state's attorney general's office.
The state attorneys general and the websites for their offices are listed by the National Association of Attorneys General. You may learn about the legislation and the complaint procedure from there.
The Better Business Bureau is an additional resource. Pre-purchase is the ideal time to inspect the dealership for customer complaints.
The same is true of the dealer ratings and reviews on Edmunds as well as other internet reviews like those on Google or Yelp.
However, you might be able to exert some pressure on the dealership to settle a disagreement after the fact by contacting the BBB. In the absence of such action, threatening to criticize a dealer online or in a manufacturer's post-purchase survey may be effective.
Avoid the issue
Although you might be able to persuade a dealership to accept a car back, it's far preferable to prevent such issues from arising in the first place. Before accepting the delivery, request to have the sales contract forwarded to you if you are unfamiliar with it.
You have the opportunity to evaluate the pricing page of the contract and all the costs, even if the finance manager takes a picture of it and emails or texts it to you as an image.
After there, you can check if everything adds up by entering the figures into the Edmunds calculators.
It's important to never put yourself in the position of asking when the answers to your request to unravel a contract are likely to be "no" or "maybe." Being a knowledgeable vehicle buyer who is aware of a car's cost, carefully reads the sales contract, and thoroughly inspects the automobile before accepting possession will help you avoid the unwind bind.