Car Purchases in Virginia--Consumer Safeguards? (sales, credit, buyers)

[Carlingtonian]

Does anyone know what consumer protections are available to buyers of new cars in Virginia? The state's Motor Vehicle Dealer Board is run by other car dealers, so I don't have much faith in that. What about the Virginia AG? (I know there's always 7 on Your Side, but that's a last resort.)

I ask because after 10+ years of driving two aging cars (combined mileage 383,000), we're planning to buy a new one very soon. We want one with basically no options, which evidently will have to be ordered from the factory and will thus take 6-8 weeks. However, my credit union tells me that they rate they approved me for (1.74%) will go up to 1.99% after 45 days, even if I have a sales contract signed. So I'm thinking of just handing over the check from the credit union when I order the car--and then hoping there are no screwups.

(I've posted a question in the Automotive forum about this idea generally.)

If I were to do this and there's some mixup that the dealership won't fix--say the wrong interior color, an unreasonable delay, extra fees we didn't agree to, or the car shows up with options we didn't ask for and don't want to pay for, what protections would we have from the state if the dealership refuses to make things right?

Thanks for any knowledge on this!

[spencgr]

Originally Posted by Carlingtonian

If I were to do this and there's some mixup that the dealership won't fix--say the wrong interior color, an unreasonable delay, extra fees we didn't agree to, or the car shows up with options we didn't ask for and don't want to pay for, what protections would we have from the state if the dealership refuses to make things right?

Assuming you will have a detailed contract indicating cost and exactly what you intend to receive and when? So, if that doesn't happen, and the dealership doesn't make it right, isn't that what civil courts are for?

[Carlingtonian]

Originally Posted by spencgr

Assuming you will have a detailed contract indicating cost and exactly what you intend to receive and when? So, if that doesn't happen, and the dealership doesn't make it right, isn't that what civil courts are for?

True, though that's an expensive and time-consuming option. I'm hoping there's some easily-invoked state/regional/consumer agency they're all afraid of that could intervene promptly in the case of obvious chicanery.

[car54]

What do you mean by no options?

My understanding is that most new cars these days (unlike the "ala carte" option lists of old) come in several trim levels. If you want the basic car, you select the base trim level. I've never had any problem finding a "stripped" Toyota. I'm like you...I don't want anything that's likely to break. I can crank up the windows myself, thank you.

Now if you want something weird like a stick shift or no A/C....that might be a problem.

[Carlingtonian]

Originally Posted by car54

What do you mean by no options?

My understanding is that most new cars these days (unlike the "ala carte" option lists of old) come in several trim levels. If you want the basic car, you select the base trim level. I've never had any problem finding a "stripped" Toyota. I'm like you...I don't want anything that's likely to break. I can crank up the windows myself, thank you.

Now if you want something weird like a stick shift or no A/C....that might be a problem.

Haha! I would love a stick shift, but it's not available in the US on this model. (And the wife couldn't drive it. Is that a negative?) As to A/C--in this climate, for me, that's on par with flushing toilets.

What I mean is just the base model (which does come with a/c, power windows, etc.) but no moonroof, cold-weather package, etc. I don't need heated seats or extra metal trim. Or bigger wheels (which will need larger, more expensive tires). I also prefer leatherette to actual leather--more durable and no maintenance. (Cloth would be even better, but it's not offered.)

Maybe you can get me a line on a low-mileage school bus. (Do they come with a stick?)

[spencgr]

Originally Posted by Carlingtonian

Haha! I would love a stick shift, but it's not available in the US on this model. (And the wife couldn't drive it. Is that a negative?) As to A/C--in this climate, for me, that's on par with flushing toilets.

What I mean is just the base model (which does come with a/c, power windows, etc.) but no moonroof, cold-weather package, etc. I don't need heated seats or extra metal trim. Or bigger wheels (which will need larger, more expensive tires). I also prefer leatherette to actual leather--more durable and no maintenance. (Cloth would be even better, but it's not offered.)

Maybe you can get me a line on a low-mileage school bus. (Do they come with a stick?)

Are you trying to go base model on a luxury car? In the under 20K car world, it's very easy to find the base model with no fluff (and cloth seats) on the lot.

[Carlingtonian]

Originally Posted by spencgr

Are you trying to go base model on a luxury car? In the under 20K car world, it's very easy to find the base model with no fluff (and cloth seats) on the lot.

Not luxury--BMW X1. Sport-cross, I guess?

[boyd888]

Originally Posted by Carlingtonian

If I were to do this and there's some mixup that the dealership won't fix--say the wrong interior color, an unreasonable delay, extra fees we didn't agree to, or the car shows up with options we didn't ask for and don't want to pay for, what protections would we have from the state if the dealership refuses to make things right?

You don't buy a factory ordered car by leaving your check and coming back to pick up the car when it arrives. You leave a deposit and finalize the sale when the car actually arrives to your specifications. The dealership is the one assuming the risk, not you. Also .25% of $40K is only $100 a YEAR so I wouldn't rush to buy a car just to avoid 1.99%. The dealership will likely match or beat 1.74% anyway.

BMW for sure has an inventory system that when you order a car and it gets a production number your dealer can pull it up and confirm all the right options are there for the car so you won't have to worry about the wrong options. You could also have the dealership to a nationwide search for a car already here with the options you want and they could do a dealer swap to get it for you.

If something is wrong (which per the inventory system rarely happens), your protection is that you can get your deposit back and walk away. You can't take a dealership to court over missing or extra options...you just don't buy the car. The dealership can eat the cost of the extra options or do whatever to make things right...but they don't have to sell you a car either.

[spencgr]

Originally Posted by Carlingtonian

Not luxury--BMW X1. Sport-cross, I guess?

BMW is a luxury brand, my friend.

[Carlingtonian]

Originally Posted by spencgr

BMW is a luxury brand, my friend.

The base AWD model MSRP is about the same as that of an Accord V6. And it doesn't have a @#?! DVD player or some doohickey that parallel parks for you.