Car Rebate Boomerang

[dp33437]

What is the name of your state? Florida

We bought a new car from a new car dealer. The dealer indicated that we were eligible for a $500 manufacturer rebate. We agreed to a price for the car considering the rebate. We paid for the balance of the cost of the car with cash at that time and left the dealer with the car thinking we had closed the deal.

A week later the dealer called us and told us that we were not eligible for the rebate because we did not finance the car through the manufacturer and they wanted their $500.

At no time during the negotiations was it told to us that we had to finance the car to get the rebate. The rebate amount is listed on the purchase agreement. We did not sign any forms indicating that we would pay for the rebates if the manufacturer declined them.

Do we have to pay the dealer another $500?

Thank You For your suggestions.

 

[seniorjudge]

What is the name of your state? Florida

We bought a new car from a new car dealer. The dealer indicated that we were eligible for a $500 manufacturer rebate. We agreed to a price for the car considering the rebate. We paid for the balance of the cost of the car with cash at that time and left the dealer with the car thinking we had closed the deal.

A week later the dealer called us and told us that we were not eligible for the rebate because we did not finance the car through the manufacturer and they wanted their $500.

At no time during the negotiations was it told to us that we had to finance the car to get the rebate. The rebate amount is listed on the purchase agreement. We did not sign any forms indicating that we would pay for the rebates if the manufacturer declined them.

Do we have to pay the dealer another $500?

Thank You For your suggestions.

Does your written sales contract say that you had to finance the car through the manufacturer?

I suspect it does. Check it out and post back.

 

[dp33437]

The sales contract does not say anything about having to finance the car. The salesman told me that he did not realize that the rebate required financing when he offered it to us.

We did have to sign a rebate form that is used to have the rebate paid directly to the dealership. The form does have some text on it that could be taken to implies that it is a rebate for financing.

1. It says that the rebate is from the finance company for the car manufacturer.
2. In the instructions to the dealer on the bottom for the form it says that the dealer must include a copy of a signed contract. It uses the initials for the contract but I think that may be their finance contract.

I will append the exact wording later as I don't have the copy of the rebate form in front of me right now.