Voiding new car deal

Dear Terry,
Regarding the "I bought the wrong car" question that was posed and answered in your column recently; I backed out of a car purchase just last week for no other reason than I found a nicer one elsewhere and the dealerships did not want to trade between them (I made the mistake of showing interest in the other truck). Are you sure it's impossible to return a car after purchasing it just the previous night?

Your answer of "what's done is done'' is not acceptable coming from what is supposed to be a consumer-friendly and informative source. Why not suggest talking to the dealer and the managers? Why not suggest making the fact that you're unsatisfied known to them? I highly doubt that the owners and managers of a dealership would approve of such salesmanship, especially since there are ways to get that vehicle if they don't have it already. And they will have a satisfied customer afterward!
-- Cornell

Dear Cornell,
While I'm happy to hear that you were able to get the car you wanted, there were a few specifics related to the previous letter writer who asked for advice that impacted my response.

First, in her case there was a valid contract that accurately described what the customer had bought. Second, she took possession of the car. Third, this woman had made many efforts to clarify with the dealership that she was getting the correct car and was apparently misled by several people at the store, not just one devious salesperson.

While some states have cooling-off periods for big-ticket sales, most don't apply once the person takes possession. Had the woman signed the contract and said she would pick up the car the next day, my advice would have been different. Lastly, while it's true that dealers can "trade'' cars with other dealers to satisfy a customer's wishes, it's also true that the name of the game is moving the inventory that's on their lot as quickly as possible. I stand by the advice in this case: Never drive off with a car that isn't exactly what you want. Do-overs are not a part of dealer negotiations.