[alexus]

i have signed an agreement with a dealer (custom order) until when can I cancel it? someone got back to me late and i got _much_ better deal.

any advice?

[auf Deutsch]

Did you place a deposit? If so, and production has started on the car, you've lost that deposit. At least this is the case at my dealership. If they haven't begun building the car yet, call your SA asap.

[alexus]

I don't see charge or hold from a dealer on my credit card, does it means that I can get out fairly easy?

[auf Deutsch]

Until you take delivery and sign those papers, you're not obligated to squat. Tons of people back out with no repercussions.

[m6pwr]

I'd check with your State Consumer Protection bureau. In CA, and I think most other States, the deal is revocable until you drive the car off the lot - - and they can't keep the deposit (tho I think many dealer people don't fully understand this). I recently special ordered a BMW and the dealer didn't even ask for a deposit. In CA many of the consumer protection rules re car buying are enforced by the CA DMV.

[auf Deutsch]

That being said, you have a "custom order". Exactly what is that?

[alexus]

Originally Posted by auf Deutsche

That being said, you have a "custom order". Exactly what is that?

It's custom build vs inventory

[Professor///M]

If you have a deposit, it's theirs. You can walk out of the deal at any time. My first BMW that I custom ordered only required a $250 deposit. On my current vehicle on the boat right now, and the dealer wanted $5,000!! I explained to them I had never paid more than $1000 for any car, whether built or on a lot, as a deposit. They finally agreed to the $1000.

[m6pwr]

OP: don't listen to any of us. Call 800-697-1220 of http://www.dos.ny.gov/consumerprotection/. Describe the particulars of your situation. Hopefully you'll get ahold of someone who knows what they're talking about. And then for the benefit of folks on this forum, let us know what they say.

By the way, an order is an order is an order. I assume you're talking about ordering a bmw with certain options, color, etc. In the car biz that's a plain, simple order.

[exclusivo]

mind pm'ing me the specifics of your deal or recommend a sales adviser, I'm in ny, looking to order soon.

[puma1552]

See if they will match it, if they don't, walk. Even if you have a $500 deposit and they claim they can keep it (and if they actually can), well if you're saving $3k somewhere else tell them be happy with the $500 and only the $500 because you'll still go buy at the other dealership.

[alexus]

Originally Posted by puma1552

See if they will match it, if they don't, walk. Even if you have a $500 deposit and they claim they can keep it (and if they actually can), well if you're saving $3k somewhere else tell them be happy with the $500 and only the $500 because you'll still go buy at the other dealership.

I agree) and since they didn't really charge my cc, I feel like I should be able to walk away from them w/out losing any money))

[drexplode]

every deal that I have cancelled has occurred before car went into production. You may receive a guilt trip from SA and SM; however, in the end they refund the full amount. If car is in production and it's not a typical model for the region (RWD vs. X-drive for MI) then they may keep your deposit. Most recent transaction said these exact words: "once car reaches status 112 (production), deposit is non-refundable"

[m6pwr]

Originally Posted by drexplode

every deal that I have cancelled has occurred before car went into production. You may receive a guilt trip from SA and SM; however, in the end they refund the full amount. If car is in production and it's not a typical model for the region (RWD vs. X-drive for MI) then they may keep your deposit. Most recent transaction said these exact words: "once car reaches status 112 (production), deposit is non-refundable"

The dealer can say at any time, "deposit is non-refundable and I'm God Almighty". Just sayin' doesn't make it so. Doesn't make any difference whether the car has rolled off the production line or not. Dealers many times also (ignorantly) say, "doing such and such voids your warranty". No dealer can void your warranty. Only the manufacturer or other entity who has provided the warranty can void a warranty or refuse a warranty claim and then only under certain circumstances.

Anyway, in most States, a non-refiundable deposit is considered an unearned fee and is by definition illegal to keep, until and unless you sign a finance or lease contract AND drive the car off the lot, regardless of whether it was "custom ordered" or not. Dealers may or may not know this, and most ask for a deposit simply to keep you from further shopping for a better deal.

[eekthecat]

I'm in a similar situation now. My car is actually on a boat, and due here in a couple of weeks. Only problem is that another dealer has gotten back to me with a *substantially* (I wouldn't consider this over a few hundred) better deal. I can't help but feel like kind of a bad-person going back to my original CA to either cancel the deal (no deposit made here) or put the screws to him to make our deal a LOT better (the other offer is so out of left field that I don't expect that my original can get close).

CA law is that deposits are refundable (at least when the car finally sells)...

[m6pwr]

Originally Posted by eekthecat

I'm in a similar situation now. My car is actually on a boat, and due here in a couple of weeks. Only problem is that another dealer has gotten back to me with a *substantially* (I wouldn't consider this over a few hundred) better deal. I can't help but feel like kind of a bad-person going back to my original CA to either cancel the deal (no deposit made here) or put the screws to him to make our deal a LOT better (the other offer is so out of left field that I don't expect that my original can get close).

CA law is that deposits are refundable (at least when the car finally sells)...

Who told you that? Never heard of that.

If the other dealer with the better offer put it in writing/email, show it your first dealer and give him the opportunity to match it. If he refuses to match it, then get your deposit back if you made one.

[eekthecat]

So what's the correct path to take here, if I have a car on order, but another dealer can offer a much better deal, essentially offering a much more fully equipped car at pretty much the same price:

1) Stick with the original deal (a deal's a deal!)
2) Go with the better deal (it's just business!)
3) Go back to the original CA and ask him to match on either the ordered car or the more fully loaded existing one (I want to give you a chance...)

(I haven't put a deposit down on the ordered car.)

[USC2000]

If they don't refund your deposit you can always get it back from your credit card company. Tell them the issue and they should have no problem getting you your money back.