Can I back out of a car purchase?

[Rick Lee]

I still want to buy a car from this dealer, just a different one than I bought. I was at the local dealer on Sat., didn't have a firm idea of what I wanted, but settled on a 2018 320i. The first car I sat in that day was a 2020 430i Gran Coupe. The 320i had just been traded in and was still in recon, and I wasn't prepared to hand over my trade just yet. Still need to clean out all my work stuff. So we agreed to do the handover this Wed. But now I'm hankering for that 430i. I know none of this makes any financial sense, but I'm just wondering if a deal can be undone so I can get a different car. I don't know if the salesman will get the same, more or less commission. But I do know it'd be a ton of admin work for him. I plan to call him later this morning when they open. Not sure how to approach.

[RANDY P]

It can be done, and they are going to blow your head off. Price will all of a sudden, be non-negotiable.

rjp

[Rick Lee]

IIRC, on CPO cars the salesguy gets about 50% of the gross profit. I have no idea what they have into either car. But if it means an extra $1000 in the salesguy's pocket by giving me a slight discount and his doing some more admin work, wouldn't that be worth it?

[speeder]

Did you take possession of the 320i or is it still at the dealership? In CA., that would answer your question. If you had not taken physical possession yet, it would not matter what you had signed. You could unwind it.

[RANDY P]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

IIRC, on CPO cars the salesguy gets about 50% of the gross profit. I have no idea what they have into either car. But if it means an extra $1000 in the salesguy's pocket by giving me a slight discount and his doing some more admin work, wouldn't that be worth it?

Yep, they'll make sure it's worth their time to do so. Certainly.

rjp

[Rick Lee]

Speeder, no I didn't take possession. But I signed everything. I just have to bring them my trade and take the keys, no other paperwork to do.

[Dantilla]

We made a dealer "unwind" a deal for my sister.

She went to the Subaru dealer to look around. She is NOT one to negotiate.
As a nurse, she is used to everything being documented, and everyone being up front and honest about every detail.
She has no secrets. So the salesdude smelled blood in the water like a shark.
Showed her a car, then told her to sign here, here, and here.

She now owned a car she didn't like. Never said she wanted it.

The next day my brother-in-law and I went back to the dealership, and we ended up with the dealership taking the car back, and getting my sister a WRX, which she enjoyed for several years.

The problem for the dealer- The original car could no longer be sold as new, as title transferred to my sister for less than 24 hours.
The good news for the dealer, the WRX was a more expensive car, so I'm sure was far more profitable.

[RANDY P]

Used car prices are absolutely fc*ked up thanks to the COVID car shortage. Dealers have turned into greedy sharks.

I was on my way to buy a 08 Z06 Vette Friday- agreed on purchase price, got preapproved, the whole bit until the sales manager decided to tack on an additional $2.5K to the purchase price. I told 'em ram it up his ass- they worked it out to $33.9 then raised it on me.

PS Rick- stay away from Qbodox GMC (or however the fck they spell it). They lowball to get people in THEN try to step up in price.

https://www.qbuickgmc.com/VehicleDetails/used-2008-Chevrolet-Corvette-Z06-Tucson-AZ/4768938473

[Norm K]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

Speeder, no I didn't take possession. But I signed everything. I just have to bring them my trade and take the keys, no other paperwork to do.

Given that they haven't seen the taillights of the 320 leaving the lot I'll be amazed if they don't make the switch with little-to-no hassle.

_

[Rick Lee]

I wouldn't take that for one second from anyone. I don't have to buy a car. I work in sales and am not too hard on other salespeople as long as I think they're being honest with me. This guy didn't have to pressure me at all. I just wanted help making up my mind on which car to get, which is something I almost never need when I go to buy something. In any other area of my life, I always know more about the product I want than the person selling it to me. I was basically paying this guy for his time.

[RANDY P]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

I wouldn't take that for one second from anyone. I don't have to buy a car. I work in sales and am not too hard on other salespeople as long as I think they're being honest with me. This guy didn't have to pressure me at all. I just wanted help making up my mind on which car to get, which is something I almost never need when I go to buy something. In any other area of my life, I always know more about the product I want than the person selling it to me. I was basically paying this guy for his time.

Exactly, and I am disgusted by their sales techniques. I literally called him a bottom-feeder.

rjp

[Rick Lee]

I ran into something like that at Chapman VW a few years ago and Mrs. Lee and I just got up and said we weren't doing business with a bait/switch kind of place. But we've generally had good experiences with BMW N. Scottsdale. I've had words with one of the service advisers long ago, but the sales folks have been pretty straightforward.

[herr_oberst]

Buy them both, sell the one you don't want through Craigslist for a tidy profit.

[cstreit]

Many states have a law on the books that require some sort of grace period.

[speeder]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

Speeder, no I didn't take possession. But I signed everything. I just have to bring them my trade and take the keys, no other paperwork to do.

In that case, call and give them the news. Check the laws online but I’d be surprised if it’s much different from CA. Some states have a “cooling off period,” which gives you 3 days or some period to return the car you bought if you change your mind. CA does not have that, if you sign everything and drive it off the lot, you own it. It would be completely up to the dealer to take it back on some terms.

Conversely, if you DO NOT take possession, you don’t own it yet. Doesn’t matter what you signed, $$ paid, etc. They have to unwind it and give any $$ back. Check the AZ. laws first and then call them. As much as I’d like to help, I don’t know them but google does.

[Rick Lee]

Thanks. I don't want to get into legalities here. I would still be fine with the 320i and I'm not 100% set on getting the 430i. Just wondering about the dealer's likelihood or willingness to unwind and redo the deal.

[speeder]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

Thanks. I don't want to get into legalities here. I would still be fine with the 320i and I'm not 100% set on getting the 430i. Just wondering about the dealer's likelihood or willingness to unwind and redo the deal.

In that case, just ask them. Keep the convo friendly and non-confrontational and see what they say. They will probably offer you some deal to do it. AZ does not have a *cooling off period,* that’s as far as I got in a search.

https://www.google.com/search?q=arizona+law+cooling+off+period&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-us&client=safari

[MRM]

Check their website. Some dealers advertise a short money back guaranty period. A lot of dealers up here advertise they will take a car back for up to seven days. The Mercedes CPO program has a fairly long guarantee where they will take your car back and allow you to apply the purchase price to an equal or more expensive car. I'd be surprised if the Scottsdale BMW dealer gave you a hard time about wanting to move to a more expensive car. It has to happen to them often enough that they have a company policy for it.

The 430 is a sweet car.

[GH85Carrera]

It is a given, they want to sell you a car. Now the only sticking part is which car? You are the one forking over money in the sale. If it all stops, they keep the car of course, and the salesman missis a sale. If he wants a sale, he will undo the first one and do what you want. If not, there are lots of other dealers out there, and millions of cars for sale.

When I first bought my house I used all my available funds for the purchase and moving costs. I was broke. I wanted a couch, but knew nothing at all about couches. I went to a furniture store and looked, and told them I was just looking. They had a contract written up and all ready for "easy payments" on a nice couch, but might as well been a new 911 Turbo, I could not afford it. They followed me to the car urging me to sing the sales contract. It was the pushiest salesman I have ever encountered. Eff him.

[unclebilly]

Find a problem with the 330. Make it their issue to resolve it.

At the end of the day, you want an amicable solution and bit to get raked over the coals...