You wouldn't drive a car that's not fully insured, and you wouldn't operate a vehicle without a driver's license. So why do people take home new cars before the financing is finished when they don’t truly know how much that shiny new car will cost them in the long-run? The scary thing is, even if you prepare yourself, you can still get fooled because a car dealership can may tell you a car is financed – even if it’s really not.
After dropping thousands on a new car, you'll want to hop in and get on the road immediately, which makes sense. Few can resist the temptation of the new car smell. Car dealerships know that, and they can use it to charge you a lot more money than you thought you were going to pay for that car. This tactic is called yo-yo financing, and although it's not legal, 27% of people reported being victims of these scams. One Miami auto fraud lawyer even claims that 30% of his law practice deals with these cases.
After dropping thousands on a new car, you'll want to hop in and get on the road immediately, which makes sense. Few can resist the temptation of the new car smell. Car dealerships know that, and they can use it to charge you a lot more money than you thought you were going to pay for that car. This tactic is called yo-yo financing, and although it's not legal, 27% of people reported being victims of these scams. One Miami auto fraud lawyer even claims that 30% of his law practice deals with these cases.
What usually happens is a dealership and buyer agree to a sales price. The buyer leaves thinking the deal is final. Days or even weeks later, the dealership contacts the buyer to let them know the car has not been financed with the original loan options. They have, however, found another finance option with a new rate that's much less favorable. If a buyer refuses to cooperate, the dealership may threaten legal action. At that point, most buyers will start to feel the pressure and agree to the dealership's demands, which usually means a loan contract at a higher rate or a higher down payment than the one they initially discussed. Meanwhile, the dealership can might still sell the buyer's trade-in vehicle (or just say they did, since the buyer can’t be sure). They may even try to keep the down payment to get the buyer to agree to their terms.
This scam is also known as spot delivery. After agreeing to purchase the car, your dealership might tell you the financing is all set and that the car is yours. That may not be a problem for people with good credit scores, but someone with a lower credit score could get a call days after driving their new car off the lot letting them know the bank would not buy the contract from the Dealer. If the financing institution will not buy the contract, the sale may not close, and the buyer in this situation may have to return the car or pay the balance in full. The Dealer may even try to claim the buyer owes money for the mileage he put on the car.
Is it really worth it to pay thousands more down the road just to get your new car a few days early? Certainly not. Going into a deal, a buyer should know and understand what they're agreeing to – no matter how fine the print. You may even want to get pre-approved for a loan from a local credit union or your bank so you know what the terms of the loan are before you even set foot on a dealership's lot. And if you're desperate for a car, rent one until the paperwork is signed. A couple hundred dollars on a rental can save much more than you think down the road.
This scam is also known as spot delivery. After agreeing to purchase the car, your dealership might tell you the financing is all set and that the car is yours. That may not be a problem for people with good credit scores, but someone with a lower credit score could get a call days after driving their new car off the lot letting them know the bank would not buy the contract from the Dealer. If the financing institution will not buy the contract, the sale may not close, and the buyer in this situation may have to return the car or pay the balance in full. The Dealer may even try to claim the buyer owes money for the mileage he put on the car.
Is it really worth it to pay thousands more down the road just to get your new car a few days early? Certainly not. Going into a deal, a buyer should know and understand what they're agreeing to – no matter how fine the print. You may even want to get pre-approved for a loan from a local credit union or your bank so you know what the terms of the loan are before you even set foot on a dealership's lot. And if you're desperate for a car, rent one until the paperwork is signed. A couple hundred dollars on a rental can save much more than you think down the road.
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