If your state does not offer any recourse and the dealer refuses to take the car back, you must keep the vehicle. You may have difficulty backing out of a car purchase if you’ve signed the paperwork and have taken possession of the vehicle. If you signed a loan agreement and motor vehicle paperwork, you may not have any recourse.
When do you take a car back to the dealer?
If you took the vehicle and completed paperwork, bring the car back to the dealer the same or next day, even if the manager tells you otherwise. The dealer is a go-between for lenders and the state’s motor vehicle department. It doesn’t immediately send out contracts or process your motor vehicle paperwork.
When do you have to return a car after signing a contract?
If you already signed the paperwork, you have little time to return the car. If you signed the motor vehicle paperwork and bank contracts, you must return the vehicle before your paperwork is processed, which usually is within one to two business days.
Can You rescind a contract with an auto dealer?
Though there is no federal law forcing auto dealers to offer a right to rescind on a contract, some states have created laws to protect car-buying consumers. Many states have so-called “lemon laws,” for example, which require that a dealer must buy back a car with significant mechanical defects.
When do you take possession of a car?
You haven’t actually purchased a vehicle until a lender and state motor vehicle department receive your signed paperwork and you’ve taken possession of the vehicle.
How long do you have to return a car after buying it?
If you already signed the paperwork, you have little time to return the car. If you signed the motor vehicle paperwork and bank contracts, you must return the vehicle before your paperwork is processed, which usually is within one to two business days. Return your vehicle within one day of purchase, even if the sales manager tells you otherwise.
What happens if I sign a contract but never take possession of the car?
If you agree to buy a car, sign paperwork, etc. – but then never take possession of the car – you may be able to argue the contract was never actually executed. While the law is different in every state, many states require consumers to take delivery of a vehicle before the contracts are considered valid.
