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Can a dealership really ask you to bring a car back after you’ve signed all the paperwork? "

"I went to the dealership to help my son purchase his first car the other day. It turns out that he’s got good credit and was able to qualify for a car loan without me as a cosigner.

The salesman swore up and down he could get him financed at a good rate, and we signed the paperwork and left with the car. After about a month, he got a call from the dealership saying they couldn’t get him financed and that they needed the car back. Is this legal and what should he do?"

avatar
Johnny Puckett · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
“This is legal, although it feels like it shouldn’t be since you’ve already signed for the car and taken possession of it. Your son should return the car to the dealership as soon as possible and chalk this up as a learning experience that you should never take possession of a car before working out the financing first.
Depending on how the dealership handles the situation and if you are satisfied or not, you could go back in and reapply for a loan with you as a cosigner, since that seemed to be the original plan anyway. Or, if the dealer is being rude, then you can take your business elsewhere.
Shop around for deals, go to banks or credit unions and see if financing with them is an option, or consider
leasing vs buying
a car.”
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Jerry partners with more than 50 insurance companies, but our content is independently researched, written, and fact-checked by our team of editors and agents. We aren’t paid for reviews or other content.

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