Help me settle an argument...

[Dreamer_D]

This is a friedly debate between DH and I, so help us settle it

DH and I just bought a new car. During the buying process, we debated getting tint on the rear windows and decided not to do it. The color we wanted was not in stock at our local dealer, so they called around and located one nearby that could be brought over for us. The catch? The rear windows had factory installed tint already. No others with that color and model were available in a reasonable distance. We opted to go ahead and get the car with the tint.

ETA: The tint option costs $400 more.

Today we "dropped by" to see if our car had arrived, and saw one on the lot we thought was ours. The catch? It had no tint on the rear windows. Sales man says, "No no, that can't be your car then, let me go look around! I know it arrived!" A few minutes later he returns, "It's your lucky day! You did not want tint, right? Well that is your car! It's so strange! When we talked to the other dealership they said the car had tint, and it arrived and it does not have tint!"
My question: Was this an honest mistake on the part of the dealers -- they really were told it had tint and were surprised to find it did not? OR was it an upsell, where they knew it did not have tint and were planning to have it tinted before we arrived to pick it up?

PS: We are not mad either way, we just disagree about which scenerio occurred.

 

[that_someone_special]

I don't trust car dealerships.
upsell...

 

[TooPatient]

I don't trust car dealerships.
upsell...

I agree.

Did they by any chance also get to charge you the fee for bringing the car from the other location?
(FI and I wanted a color that the dealership didn't have in stock but could get from the place a few miles away.... for something like $800 -- we settled on our 2nd color pick instead)

 

[TravelingGal]

Dreamer, I haven't thought this too thoroughly through yet, but I am going to say mistake.

I will assume this is a new car. Did they secure the SPECIFIC car for you, meaning they had a VIN in advance of it being delivered? Because the options on the car will be listed for that particular VIN. Meaning, if was NOT tinted, and the tinted it in the hopes of grabbing a little cash from you, the original paperwork that comes with the car would not have the tint listed as an option. I believe it would technically be aftermarket, although I can't say for sure since the dealer is doing it.

I don't think they would go out of their way to lie to upsell you for a tint. Where the real upsell happens is warranties, aftermarketing finishings (for upholstry, paint) etc.

 

[Dreamer_D]

I don't trust car dealerships.
upsell...

I agree.

Did they by any chance also get to charge you the fee for bringing the car from the other location?
(FI and I wanted a color that the dealership didn't have in stock but could get from the place a few miles away.... for something like $800 -- we settled on our 2nd color pick instead)

There was a fee of $200 to bring the car over. We live on as Island so it seemed legit-ish, since there is a ferry cost that is considerable... we did consider taking the one in stock, but it was black which is a color I hate so we were ok paying the $200. I would have a black car if it had cost $800 though

 

[decodelighted]

Did you have to pay MORE for the car W/the tint? I'm not sure I understand the question ... but I'm hopped up on Benedryl sooooooo

 

[Dreamer_D]

Dreamer, I haven't thought this too thoroughly through yet, but I am going to say mistake.

I will assume this is a new car. Did they secure the SPECIFIC car for you, meaning they had a VIN in advance of it being delivered? Because the options on the car will be listed for that particular VIN. Meaning, if was NOT tinted, and the tinted it in the hopes of grabbing a little cash from you, the original paperwork that comes with the car would not have the tint listed as an option. I believe it would technically be aftermarket, although I can't say for sure since the dealer is doing it.

I don't think they would go out of their way to lie to upsell you for a tint. Where the real upsell happens is warranties, aftermarketing finishings (for upholstry, paint) etc.

It is a new car. I have not seen the VIN yet, we have not signed all the paperwork or picked it up. The dealers often tint the windows aftermarket, and in the city where this car was brought in from, it seems *all* the cars have tint (I looked around a little online). Our car was on the lot of the other dealer in their inventory, and so it could have been tinted aftermarket by that dealer prior to coming to us, so had we picked it up and found the tinted windows, I am not sure the VIN would have solved the argument between DH and I either.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Did you have to pay MORE for the car W/the tint? I'm not sure I understand the question ... but I'm hopped up on Benedryl sooooooo

Yes, we pay more for tint! Should have specified that. Not a tonne, $400.

 

[decodelighted]

Shouldn't you get a refund then? Of the $400 you paid EXTRA for it? If you didn't GET it, yanno?

 

[Ninna]

A tinted car was purchased. This may be their lucky day, offer two options:
Have that car tinted ASAP.
Credit you for non-existant tint charges in full.

 

[rhbgirl24]

A tinted car was purchased. This may be their lucky day, offer two options:
Have that car tinted ASAP.
Credit you for non-existant tint charges in full.

HUGE DITTO!

 

[VapidLapid]

I think it's an honest mistake. The cars at the other dealership are almost universally tinted, it is likely they just assumed it was and said so without even checking. Honest mistakes happen all the time and really, if they didnt have untinted for you but were offering you the tinted one they had instead they should have waived the cost of tint to make the sale.

 

[kama_s]

I don't trust car dealerships.
upsell...

Agreed.

I just paid a dealership $750 for a 1cm scratch on a car that other body shops quoted less than $100. Apparently, the dealership has to REMOVE the entire bumper, paint the ENTIRE bumper and take a total of three days to fix a minor surface scratch. Such bullshit.

 

[Dreamer_D]

We have not yet paid for the car or signed any papers, that will happen when we pick it up. All we have paid is a non-refundable deposit to have the "blue car with tinted windows" brought over from the other dealership. So we will not pay for the tinting unless we drive off the lot with a tinted car, no worries there. Since we SAW the car and know it is not tinted, we will therefore not be paying for tint and will drive a car off the lot without the tint. The dealership is being very nice about it all, we like them a lot.

But here is the thing: If we had not shown up today and seen the car on the lot, we would not have known it arrived without tint. So now the argument DH and I are having is which of three scenerios occurred/would have occurred:

Most cynical answer: They knew it was never tinted and fibbed to get us to pay for tinting, which they would have done when it arrived on their lot.

Moderately cynical: There was a miscommunication and they thought it was tinted, but it arrived untinted. They would never have called us to tell us about the miscommunication and would have tinted it themselves to gain the extra $400. We would be none the wiser.

Most positive about human nature: There was a miscommunication and they thought it was tinted, but it arrived untinted. They would have called us, given time, and told us of the error.

 

[Dreamer_D]

I don't trust car dealerships.
upsell...

Agreed.

I just paid a dealership $750 for a 1cm scratch on a car that other body shops quoted less than $100. Apparently, the dealership has to REMOVE the entire bumper, paint the ENTIRE bumper and take a total of three days to fix a minor surface scratch. Such bullshit.

Was it a lease? Why did you have to go through the dealer for the fix?

 

[TravelingGal]

Dreamer, I haven't thought this too thoroughly through yet, but I am going to say mistake.

I will assume this is a new car. Did they secure the SPECIFIC car for you, meaning they had a VIN in advance of it being delivered? Because the options on the car will be listed for that particular VIN. Meaning, if was NOT tinted, and the tinted it in the hopes of grabbing a little cash from you, the original paperwork that comes with the car would not have the tint listed as an option. I believe it would technically be aftermarket, although I can't say for sure since the dealer is doing it.

I don't think they would go out of their way to lie to upsell you for a tint. Where the real upsell happens is warranties, aftermarketing finishings (for upholstry, paint) etc.

It is a new car. I have not seen the VIN yet, we have not signed all the paperwork or picked it up. The dealers often tint the windows aftermarket, and in the city where this car was brought in from, it seems *all* the cars have tint (I looked around a little online). Our car was on the lot of the other dealer in their inventory, and so it could have been tinted aftermarket by that dealer prior to coming to us, so had we picked it up and found the tinted windows, I am not sure the VIN would have solved the argument between DH and I either.

Dreamer, again, I'd have to double check this, but I would say that it should solve the argument (at least here in California!). The car should have a FACTORY sticker on it, which includes the VIN# (or you should be able to get that info!). It should only have the information for the car details/options at the time of completion at the FACTORY. Dealers are allowed add ons, but that is usually done on another form that they stick to the window of the car. But that is not the FACTORY sticker. A lot of times you'll see this if this is a car in high demand and the dealer adds on a fee basically saying they're going to change you up the a** because of supply and demand. But that would not be on the factory sticker.

Also, "upselling" a tint doesn't mean they get $400 in pocket - assuming it's an upsell to a FACTORY included tint, which would have to be disclosed in the sticker. To them, it's all a matter of percentage of profit, which a tint would hardly change. That is why the hard core upsell possibilities are in the finance office (warranties and services done like finishings). Service is also a high profit center, as Kama pointed out. When I bought our outback, the dealer we bought from said he would only beat another dealer's price depending on our geographic location because it would mean we would service our car through them. We never service our car through the dealer if we can help it. Finding a good, trustworthy mechanic is worth its weight in gold.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Dreamer, I haven't thought this too thoroughly through yet, but I am going to say mistake.

I will assume this is a new car. Did they secure the SPECIFIC car for you, meaning they had a VIN in advance of it being delivered? Because the options on the car will be listed for that particular VIN. Meaning, if was NOT tinted, and the tinted it in the hopes of grabbing a little cash from you, the original paperwork that comes with the car would not have the tint listed as an option. I believe it would technically be aftermarket, although I can't say for sure since the dealer is doing it.

I don't think they would go out of their way to lie to upsell you for a tint. Where the real upsell happens is warranties, aftermarketing finishings (for upholstry, paint) etc.

It is a new car. I have not seen the VIN yet, we have not signed all the paperwork or picked it up. The dealers often tint the windows aftermarket, and in the city where this car was brought in from, it seems *all* the cars have tint (I looked around a little online). Our car was on the lot of the other dealer in their inventory, and so it could have been tinted aftermarket by that dealer prior to coming to us, so had we picked it up and found the tinted windows, I am not sure the VIN would have solved the argument between DH and I either.

Dreamer, again, I'd have to double check this, but I would say that it should solve the argument (at least here in California!). The car should have a FACTORY sticker on it, which includes the VIN# (or you should be able to get that info!). It should only have the information for the car details/options at the time of completion at the FACTORY. Dealers are allowed add ons, but that is usually done on another form that they stick to the window of the car. But that is not the FACTORY sticker. A lot of times you'll see this if this is a car in high demand and the dealer adds on a fee basically saying they're going to change you up the a** because of supply and demand. But that would not be on the factory sticker.

Also, "upselling" a tint doesn't mean they get $400 in pocket - assuming it's an upsell to a FACTORY included tint, which would have to be disclosed in the sticker. To them, it's all a matter of percentage of profit, which a tint would hardly change. That is why the hard core upsell possibilities are in the finance office (warranties and services done like finishings). Service is also a high profit center, as Kama pointed out. When I bought our outback, the dealer we bought from said he would only beat another dealer's price depending on our geographic location because it would mean we would service our car through them. We never service our car through the dealer if we can help it. Finding a good, trustworthy mechanic is worth its weight in gold.

But the VIN would not solve the argument totally, because if the FIRST dealer did aftermarket tinting immediately upon getting the car (which many seem to do) but before OUR dealer called to get the car, then it would have been a car with tinted windows available to us. The argument is not whether it was factory tinted or not, but whether it was tinted *when it became available to us* or not. If the VIN said the car was tinted, we would have had an answer. But since the car is *not* tinted, and the VIN must reflect this, then the other possibility (after makret tinting by dealer one prior to our dealer calling in the car) remains a possibility. As does the other option, that our dealer knew it was not tinted and was planning to tint it on arrival.

I agree the tint is little or not profit. $150 or so. But since the margin on cars is so slim, they may have been willing to fib a little to get that extra $150 in their pocket. That is the argument anyways, in favour of the most cynical interpretation of events.

I take it you are on the side of human nature? Do you think, when the car arrived untinted, they would have called us to tell us that? Or would they have tinted it and left us in the dark?

We always say no to the other options that are real upsells.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Also, "upselling" a tint doesn't mean they get $400 in pocket - assuming it's an upsell to a FACTORY included tint, which would have to be disclosed in the sticker. To them, it's all a matter of percentage of profit, which a tint would hardly change. That is why the hard core upsell possibilities are in the finance office (warranties and services done like finishings). Service is also a high profit center, as Kama pointed out. When I bought our outback, the dealer we bought from said he would only beat another dealer's price depending on our geographic location because it would mean we would service our car through them. We never service our car through the dealer if we can help it. Finding a good, trustworthy mechanic is worth its weight in gold.

I agree with all of this, we never get those add ons and try never to use the dealer for maintenance.

I don't want to reveal more lest I betray my own position in the argument and spoil the vote.

 

[kama_s]

I don't trust car dealerships.
upsell...

Agreed.

I just paid a dealership $750 for a 1cm scratch on a car that other body shops quoted less than $100. Apparently, the dealership has to REMOVE the entire bumper, paint the ENTIRE bumper and take a total of three days to fix a minor surface scratch. Such bullshit.

Was it a lease? Why did you have to go through the dealer for the fix?

Yup, sorry, meant (but forgot) to mention it was a lease.

 

[Pandora II]

I'm moderately cynical - I think it may well have been a genuine miscommunication, but I don't trust them to have called you before tinting the windows...

 

[zoebartlett]

I admit that I'm a pretty gullible person at times, so I probably would have believed the dealer.

 

[TravelingGal]

But the VIN would not solve the argument totally, because if the FIRST dealer did aftermarket tinting immediately upon getting the car (which many seem to do) but before OUR dealer called to get the car, then it would have been a car with tinted windows available to us. The argument is not whether it was factory tinted or not, but whether it was tinted *when it became available to us* or not. If the VIN said the car was tinted, we would have had an answer. But since the car is *not* tinted, and the VIN must reflect this, then the other possibility (after makret tinting by dealer one prior to our dealer calling in the car) remains a possibility. As does the other option, that our dealer knew it was not tinted and was planning to tint it on arrival.

I agree the tint is little or not profit. $150 or so. But since the margin on cars is so slim, they may have been willing to fib a little to get that extra $150 in their pocket. That is the argument anyways, in favour of the most cynical interpretation of events.

I take it you are on the side of human nature? Do you think, when the car arrived untinted, they would have called us to tell us that? Or would they have tinted it and left us in the dark?

We always say no to the other options that are real upsells.

Dreamer, my dad was a new/used car salesman...I am WELL aware of the sh*t they pull!

Ah, OK I *think* I see what you are saying. But not fully.


First, usually dealers aren't going to touch a car from factory until it's PURCHASED. So the first dealer would most likely not tint the car just to give it a tint. The papers have to be signed, and the car driven off the lot (because it ain't yours until you drive it off the lot). They usually put in a note that they are going to do the tint at the purchase price, and you bring the car back for it at the service department at a LATER date.

Second, it's not an extra $150 profit. It's profit MARGIN that's key. Unless the margin on a factory tint is huge, it doesn't change things all that much. I have never had a sales person care with me what options I buy, because we negotiate the price based on invoice price anyway. (NEVER use the sticker price as the starting point for car negotiations!)

Third, if they were trying to tint it to get $400 in their pocket by aftermarket, the factory sticker WOULD reflect this (or lack of tint thereof). SO you could say, "excuse me? This car's factory sticker says it's not tinted. Why is it tinted now? Is this an aftermarket tint? And if so, why did you do this knowing we wanted one with no tint? Please deduct the tint cost off our price." Again, you could say this because the first dealer would not have tinted a brand new car just to tint it and would not have touched it because they didn't sell the car yet. I don't know if Canada does it differently, but here new cars tend to be on the floor just like they come from the factory and are not changed until they are sold. Not even floormats, tonneau covers or whatever! If they aren't listed on the factory sticker, it isn't there. So to me, the chances that they would have tinted it before they could be SURE they sold the car to you (meaning ALL finance papers SIGNED) is pretty much next to none.

 

[zoebartlett]

I just edited my second reply now that I've read the whole thread. I think it was an honest mistake, and I buy the third option you mentioned above.

 

[TravelingGal]

Shouldn't you get a refund then? Of the $400 you paid EXTRA for it? If you didn't GET it, yanno?

Ah, good point!

Guys, she didn't pay for the car yet.

When I bought my outback, they wanted $500 down to hold the car with the options we wanted. They actually didn't even take the deposit.

Even though I had the exact VIN number and PDF of the factory sticker in hand AND the price was negotiated based on the details of that sticker, NO paper would be filled out until the car was delivered to the dealer and no real money changing hands until I got there to look at THAT car. MEANING, if they wanted to, they could be squirrely and play dirty by reneging on the price we agreed on.

Basically, the deposit only should allow you first dibs on the car when it arrives. Until you see it, and get final approval going into the finance room, pricing is still up in the air and everyone can back out, back down, play dirty, etc.

 

[Dreamer_D]

But the VIN would not solve the argument totally, because if the FIRST dealer did aftermarket tinting immediately upon getting the car (which many seem to do) but before OUR dealer called to get the car, then it would have been a car with tinted windows available to us. The argument is not whether it was factory tinted or not, but whether it was tinted *when it became available to us* or not. If the VIN said the car was tinted, we would have had an answer. But since the car is *not* tinted, and the VIN must reflect this, then the other possibility (after makret tinting by dealer one prior to our dealer calling in the car) remains a possibility. As does the other option, that our dealer knew it was not tinted and was planning to tint it on arrival.

I agree the tint is little or not profit. $150 or so. But since the margin on cars is so slim, they may have been willing to fib a little to get that extra $150 in their pocket. That is the argument anyways, in favour of the most cynical interpretation of events.

I take it you are on the side of human nature? Do you think, when the car arrived untinted, they would have called us to tell us that? Or would they have tinted it and left us in the dark?

We always say no to the other options that are real upsells.

Dreamer, my dad was a new/used car salesman...I am WELL aware of the sh*t they pull!

Ah, OK I *think* I see what you are saying. But not fully.


First, usually dealers aren't going to touch a car from factory until it's PURCHASED. So the first dealer would most likely not tint the car just to give it a tint. The papers have to be signed, and the car driven off the lot (because it ain't yours until you drive it off the lot). They usually put in a note that they are going to do the tint at the purchase price, and you bring the car back for it at the service department at a LATER date.

Second, it's not an extra $150 profit. It's profit MARGIN that's key. Unless the margin on a factory tint is huge, it doesn't change things all that much. I have never had a sales person care with me what options I buy, because we negotiate the price based on invoice price anyway. (NEVER use the sticker price as the starting point for car negotiations!)

Third, if they were trying to tint it to get $400 in their pocket by aftermarket, the factory sticker WOULD reflect this (or lack of tint thereof). SO you could say, "excuse me? This car's factory sticker says it's not tinted. Why is it tinted now? Is this an aftermarket tint? And if so, why did you do this knowing we wanted one with no tint? Please deduct the tint cost off our price." Again, you could say this because the first dealer would not have tinted a brand new car just to tint it and would not have touched it because they didn't sell the car yet. I don't know if Canada does it differently, but here new cars tend to be on the floor just like they come from the factory and are not changed until they are sold. Not even floormats, tonneau covers or whatever! If they aren't listed on the factory sticker, it isn't there. So to me, the chances that they would have tinted it before they could be SURE they sold the car to you (meaning ALL finance papers SIGNED) is pretty much next to none.

OK this is all very interesting and I did not know about the bought/aftermarket stuff.

On the dealer's lot there were some cars that had factory tint (no sticker advertising the local tinting company), but there were other cars that had aftermarket tint on them (indicated by the company sticker on the window), and those latter cars were on the lot for sale. Or maybe that was factory tint and the sticker was just added as an advertisement? Anyways, seeing those cars on the lot is what made me think that some dealers did their own tinting before the cars were sold. I am not going to ask them about it because they seem to get squirrely when I ask too many questions, and it does not really matter for us in this case. But it is good to know this stuff if we ever buy another car, we will know how to check what they are telling us

 

[Dreamer_D]

Shouldn't you get a refund then? Of the $400 you paid EXTRA for it? If you didn't GET it, yanno?

Ah, good point!

Guys, she didn't pay for the car yet.

When I bought my outback, they wanted $500 down to hold the car with the options we wanted. They actually didn't even take the deposit.

Even though I had the exact VIN number and PDF of the factory sticker in hand AND the price was negotiated based on the details of that sticker, NO paper would be filled out until the car was delivered to the dealer and no real money changing hands until I got there to look at THAT car. MEANING, if they wanted to, they could be squirrely and play dirty by reneging on the price we agreed on.

Basically, the deposit only should allow you first dibs on the car when it arrives. Until you see it, and get final approval going into the finance room, pricing is still up in the air and everyone can back out, back down, play dirty, etc.

More interesting information. I refused to sign anything until I saw the car and everything was finalized (they wanted me to sign a paper that looked a little too much like a commitment to buy before certain details had been finalized ,like the car located in the color we wanted and the details of the lease buy out finalized for our current car, such as the *exact* amount still owing for the buyout). So I refused to sign it until it was all done and the car was in front of us. BUT they wanted a $500 deposit to bring the car in, and I was told it was non-refundable. Are they not allowed to charge a non-refundable deporit? Or should we have refused a non-refundable deposit?

 

[TravelingGal]

OK this is all very interesting and I did not know about the bought/aftermarket stuff.

On the dealer's lot there were some cars that had factory tint (no sticker advertising the local tinting company), but there were other cars that had aftermarket tint on them (indicated by the company sticker on the window), and those latter cars were on the lot for sale. Or maybe that was factory tint and the sticker was just added as an advertisement? Anyways, seeing those cars on the lot is what made me think that some dealers did their own tinting before the cars were sold. I am not going to ask them about it because they seem to get squirrely when I ask too many questions, and it does not really matter for us in this case. But it is good to know this stuff if we ever buy another car, we will know how to check what they are telling us

Dreamer, there are some dealers who will do anything to make a buck, I'm sure. The only frame of reference I have is the big, "reputable" dealers here in Southern California (meaning not "Joe's Used cars"). I imagine things are different elsewhere. The reason I think here that aftermarket stuff doesn't happen as much, as because as I said, service centers are big profit centers. And they are BUSY. To tint windows just to make $150 doesn't make sense when they can con someone for $750 or more for a 1 cm scratch, yanno?

You SHOULD ask them about it...if only for the education. No harm in asking, hey, do you guys tint cars yourself before a car is sold, or does that happen afterward?

 

[TravelingGal]

Shouldn't you get a refund then? Of the $400 you paid EXTRA for it? If you didn't GET it, yanno?

Ah, good point!

Guys, she didn't pay for the car yet.

When I bought my outback, they wanted $500 down to hold the car with the options we wanted. They actually didn't even take the deposit.

Even though I had the exact VIN number and PDF of the factory sticker in hand AND the price was negotiated based on the details of that sticker, NO paper would be filled out until the car was delivered to the dealer and no real money changing hands until I got there to look at THAT car. MEANING, if they wanted to, they could be squirrely and play dirty by reneging on the price we agreed on.

Basically, the deposit only should allow you first dibs on the car when it arrives. Until you see it, and get final approval going into the finance room, pricing is still up in the air and everyone can back out, back down, play dirty, etc.

More interesting information. I refused to sign anything until I saw the car and everything was finalized (they wanted me to sign a paper that looked a little too much like a commitment to buy before certain details had been finalized ,like the car located in the color we wanted and the details of the lease buy out finalized for our current car, such as the *exact* amount still owing for the buyout). So I refused to sign it until it was all done and the car was in front of us. BUT they wanted a $500 deposit to bring the car in, and I was told it was non-refundable. Are they not allowed to charge a non-refundable deporit? Or should we have refused a non-refundable deposit?

I am not sure on this, but it doesn't sound unreasonable to me. Why? Because if YOU want X car, and they have to get it from another dealer, they have to BUY it from another dealer. If you change your mind, they have now more inventory on their lot, which costs them every day it does not sell.

In my case, my $500 deposit was to have "first dibs" on a car that is ALREADY coming from the factory, with a delivery date. I was not making them do anything extra by getting this car- it was already on the books as imminent stock. Dealer don't love getting inventory from another dealer, and often times will try to sway you otherwise. My first car, a mustang, was received from another dealer. But that was after I had committed (filling out primary paperwork to qualify for a loan) to buying the car. I think I put down a deposit for them to go get it, but I can't recall if it was non refundable.

 

[TravelingGal]

OH, and this is a technicality, and I'd have to check it, but even if the papers are signed, contract done, monies exchanged, you have to "take possesion" (meaning drive it off the lot) to actually own it. If you don't do the inspection/drive off, believe it or not, there is a loophole to get out of the deal in some states.

 

[Dreamer_D]

I am not sure on this, but it doesn't sound unreasonable to me. Why? Because if YOU want X car, and they have to get it from another dealer, they have to BUY it from another dealer. If you change your mind, they have now more inventory on their lot, which costs them every day it does not sell.

In my case, my $500 deposit was to have "first dibs" on a car that is ALREADY coming from the factory, with a delivery date. I was not making them do anything extra by getting this car- it was already on the books as imminent stock. Dealer don't love getting inventory from another dealer, and often times will try to sway you otherwise. My first car, a mustang, was received from another dealer. But that was after I had committed (filling out primary paperwork to qualify for a loan) to buying the car. I think I put down a deposit for them to go get it, but I can't recall if it was non refundable.

Yes, our situation was more akin to yours buying the Mustang -- already filled our preliminary paper work, agreed on price, approved for loan, car being bought from another dealer. A non-refundable deposit did seem acceptable in that scenerio.