Is there a cooling off period to return a new car to a dealer?

Answer 1

The phrase "cooling off period" generally refers to the short time (a few days) after purchasing a big ticket item (e.g., automobile, boat, etc.) where the excitement from such a purchase can wear off. Sometimes referred to "buyer's remorse," the purchaser may realize that they don't need, don't want or can't afford the item they bought.


All states have laws regarding the cooling off period regarding new cars, even if the law states that there is no cooling off period (California). For those states that do have such laws, one may return the new car to the dealer assuming:


* The time between purchase and return is no more than a few days (generally auto dealers use three unless state law requires otherwise)


* The mileage put on the car is minimal (otherwise, the auto dealer cannot resell the car as new)


Now, most reputable dealers WILL allow you to return a new car within a day or two, without regard to state law, so long as the mileage put on the car is very low.

The real truth:

Absolutely none of the above answer is true and is nothing more than a myth. There is no cooling off period, or buyers remorse, on the purchase of a new car in any state in the United States. Those laws only apply to unsolicited sales. An example is a door to door salesman or something bought from a telemarketer that calls you. Once you buy the car it automatically becomes a used car and the dealer can no longer sell it as a new car no matter if you only drove it 1 mile. It therefore looses a good bit of it's value. Unless the dealer is offering some special sale and is willing to take the car back in a set amount of time it is your car. You bought it, and you own it and you most certainly cannot return it for a refund. There are lemon laws in place in most states that protect you if the car is a lemon. If the car qualifies as a lemon in your state you can get a replacement car. But do not believe the myth that you can buy a new car and then just return it because you don't like it or wish you had not bought it. You can't plain and simple.