Paid deposit but havent signed anything. Can I get

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romney, Nov 28, 3:46pm
deposit back!I know, 1st thing you will say is why didnt you sign something before paying the deposit! The thing is I want the deposit backnow as I have found a car exactly the same with more xtras for $6k less :-O If I havent signed anything should I have to pay for any of the labour to add the nudge bar I wanted put on! or just get the ful deposit refunded! It is thru a dealer. Thanks
saxman99, Nov 28, 3:54pm
My feeling is that morally you should complete the sale as you were obviously happy with the deal in the first instance.However, you probably can legally back out and ask for a refund, although the dealer may be well justified in keeping part of it back for "inconvenience", especially given that he has had work done on it at your request.If the dealer is feeling munificent he may just "let it go" and not kick up a fuss.

I think you should just buy it, be happy with your new car and move on.As far as finding a cheaper one goes, that will always happen sooner or later no matter what you buy.
richynuts, Nov 28, 4:05pm
Never ever look for another car once you have paid a deposit as something else will always come up cheaper, a dealer may give you your deposit back but you may have to wait until the dealer sells the car for the same amount you agreed on.
neo_psy, Nov 28, 4:10pm
Wow - and people wonder why dealers are cynical.
msigg, Nov 28, 4:46pm
I disagree. Morally you should forgo the deposit.That is for the seller who is holding the car for you so no one else can buy it. Thats the way i see it. And thats why you try not to pay too much deposit.
tgray, Nov 28, 4:50pm
LEGALLY you do not get your deposit back.
The dealer has the law on his side although you may be lucky if you try.
jason18, Nov 28, 4:53pm
What $$ did you pay. Is it best to let the Deposit go and save 6k on the new car and still come out with more $$ saved. If that makes sense
kazbanz, Nov 28, 6:12pm
Dunno where you get that idea from mate. If the buyer hasn't sighned an agreement of any sort then there is nothing committing them to buying the car.
Flip side though . If there is nothing sighned by anyonedoes the deposit actually exist!
Ie what proof does the OP have that they paid anything to anyone if they havent sighned anything!
Sorry Toby me ol mate but I've been caught out with that one in the past.
No formal sighned agreement means legally the dealer is screwed.
horsepower7, Nov 28, 6:14pm
the reason you dont get deposits back is because, people muck around to much and waist time, if you get them to hold a car for you then not buy it, it is hardly fair, especially if some one else wanted to buy the car at the same time. people loose out on deals and its annoying.
gunhand, Nov 28, 6:48pm
Is there not a back out clause when buying through a dealer!But as said the moneys yours. Unless it was specificly said unrefundable deposit. But that only seems to happen with limited edition cars with huge waiting lists. And what sort of car was it that you found it 6k cheaper! Useually 2 to 3k but 6! .
elvis58, Nov 28, 7:05pm
I have a feeling that over the years i have seen aback out clause and it comes down to the buyer not taking possession of the vehicle. No deal actually taken place!This would be back in the old LMVD day's though and may not apply now.
thewomble1, Nov 28, 10:31pm
Getting the dealer to fit a nudge bar would be counted as a deal. If the dealer has fitted the nudge bar.of course you will have to pay for it.
kazbanz, Nov 29, 10:22am
Thinking back I can remember this exact situation happening to a coworker of mine. except it was a towbar not bullbars.
The "customer" had bought elsewhere and wanted his deposit back.
The towbar was about what the deposit paid came to so the salesman took the bar off and handed to to the "customer".
Incidently I NEVER taker a deposit unless the deal is down 100% in black and white sighned by the customer.
Its people like the OP that make my job darned difficult and makes car dealers cynics
jsbike, Nov 29, 10:26am
so whats the point of the deposit then! The OP prob would have been pissed if the dealer sold the car to someone else (if they did not find another cheaper) after paying a dep, even if the dealer gave the dep back
richardmayes, Nov 29, 10:42am
Best answer here.
tigra, Nov 29, 11:29am
I thought a deposit was to hold the item for you and paid so that you didnt sell it to someone else. In which case its generally understood to be non-refundable. One wonders if the OP got a receipt and if it had any conditions on it.
elect70, Nov 29, 11:45am
By paying a deposit you entered into a contract to buy it .Dealer within his rights to force you topay remainder &own it, or if you donthe can retain the deposit.Try it with REbuying a house, they will force you tocomplete the purchase
kiwicon, Nov 29, 12:11pm
so you paid a deposit, got the dealer to PUT A NUDGE BAR on the car as part of the agreement, then pull out. Nudge bar + install could end up more than the deposit.
hotrodtodd1, Nov 29, 1:59pm
Romney, maybe you can legally escape the deal, but lets be honest, you would be a real turd if you did.

The dealer held the vehicle for you, and modified the vehicle for you. Go and buy the vehicle for the price you agreed to pay
romney, Nov 29, 6:21pm
Hi. Thanks for all the answers. The way I have worded the original posting has come out all wrong. I have since had legal advice and basically it is as below.
It was very unprofessional of the car dealer to "asume" the car was a done deal without a SIGNEDsale agreement. I had paid the deposit to "hold" the car as I was away for the rest of the week and hadnt made a decision. THEN found another car so didnt want to go thru with the car on hold. Long story short.nothing signed means NO deal. It was the dealer that went ahead and added extras to the car that I wanted IF I agreed to buy it. Thanks for your help.
neo_psy, Nov 29, 6:28pm
I don't think many people thought you didn't have a legal right to your money back. As far as I can see, it's more a moral obligation.
BTW, I'd be surprised if the dealer went and added the extras cos he thought you might want to buy the car.
tigra, Nov 29, 6:29pm
Just curious romney but didnt you get a receipt for the deposit! What did the wording on the receipt say about failure to pay the balance!
kazbanz, Nov 29, 6:32pm
Ya know that last post stinks of bovine faeces. Ohh yes mr car dealer heres my money as a deposit whilst I go and think if I want the vehicle or not. NO car dealer is ever going to take a deposit on that basis. And no dealer is gointg to go out and fit accessories unless there was an agreement from you to do so.
You romney are showing your charactor very clearly.
Unless you have proof you paid that depositdon't be at all suprised if you get a 2 word response -second word offfirst word I'm sure you can guess
thunderbolt, Nov 29, 6:38pm
So clearly the dealer was under the impression that you would be following thru on your purchase: no way in this climate that he would spend money adding extras you requested unless he thought the deal was done.
Sounds like the Dealer made a judgement that a signed agreement was not required because he trusted you.
carstauranga001, Nov 29, 7:23pm
So OP expects dealers to "hold" a car and not sell it whilst looking around for a better deal. "But hey I gave him a deposit!" Well what's the point of that if you think you can just have the deposit back! What a twerp expecting such a one way deal. I bet you'd be pissed if the dealer sold the car to someone else too. Have a wee think. Dealers have a business to run, nothing personal, just trying to make a living.