• You own the car after you have signed car purchase papers, even if the vehicle has not been financed.
• Remember that if your credit wasn’t good the dealer would not have delivered the car to you at the price you agreed to pay.
• A finance document showing payments, deposit, interest rate and other financial items is a binding contract, giving you specific legal rights.
• You own the car subject to making payments only. The dealer cannot change that once you take possession.
• Keep all copies of calendars, photographs, advertisements, paperwork and any other document associated with the sale in a safe place. Keep in mind that the finance manager can ask for your papers at any time for any reason. Refuse to give him your paperwork.
• The dealer may call you to ask to go back to the dealership and sign additional papers. Do not go or if you decide to go do so in a different car than the one you bought.
• Do not go to the dealership alone! Take a spouse or a friend and have them witness whatever is being told to you. This will prevent the dealer from taking your car as hostage.
• If you have a dispute over the contract with your car dealer the dealer may demand that you return the car or take it against your wishes. To prevent this park the car in a garage or remote location until the matter is resolved.
• Try to keep the track of a complete timeline of everything that happened beginning from the time you thought of purchasing the car until the car was taken away. Try to remember names of personnel at the dealership and conversations with the sales and finance staff.
• Keep track of all monies you had invested into the purchase, including registration, insurance, down payment and trade. Never pay cash and always get a receipt!
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