Was it a credit card deposit and did you sign anything that spelled out the terms? Dispute the charge, and never make deposit with check
Debit card, and it had terms listed on it “if” I put the rest of the $4,500 down.
They are a pretty shitty dealer if they are going to hold your feet to the fire on the $1000. I’d go ahead and leave them some nice reviews on Google maps, etc. They were trying to hose you on the deal, I’d elevate if you want $1k back, GSM and GM. And if the vehicles are such high demand they aren’t losing anything anyway. Shitty way to do business, i use to take deposits on inbound cars but wouldn’t even run people’s cards.
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Simple google search (under Used car section, but still)
- If you make a deposit on a vehicle, ask whether the money is refundable and under what circumstances. Make sure that this information is in writing and on your contract.
Call corporate. Tell them the dealer changed the terms(which they did) and won’t refund the deposit. Worth a try.
I’d call and ask for the gsm first and tell him you can’t wait any longer for a car as you need one soon.
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I kid you not, as I spoke with them they told me my vehicle magically just appeared today. He just sent me pictures of it. The representative I worked and spoke with earlier this week told me to expect the end of the month though.
Also, see if anything from the list applies to your deal
https://www.in.gov/attorneygeneral/consumer-protection-division/files/bill-of-rights.pdf
You have a right to receive truthful statements from a dealer throughout your transaction.
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Also this is not a deposit for a real Vehicle with VIN right? This is a deposit where they ‘find you the right vehicle’. Is that truly a deposit?
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Exactly, they didn’t have a confirmed vehicle with a vin I could look up.
this is the only thing I signed and this is not the same vin as the vehicle that they said they would be getting me eventually.
Then you should be able to get your deposit back - you did not sign anything for the new vin. And there is no manager’s signature also (unless they signed it later).
p.s. I’m not a lawyer 
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IANAL but this is not a deposit agreement… I’d be creating a big stink about getting my money back.
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If they haven’t already taken/processed a credit application, freeze all three credit bureaus while you’re sorting this out.
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That’s shady, absolutely dispute that with your bank, I wouldn’t even deal with those aholes, they have no leg to stand on. Borderline fraudulent
Wow this honestly sounds like a ransom…
I’d just be clear and say that you’re no longer interested in the car and need your refundable deposit back immediately. If they say no, you’ll have proof to show corporate and the world about what nonsense is going on up in here lol.
Sorry you’re going through this, it’s unbelievable.
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Magic words.
“Dear GM,
I’m not a litigious person and would like to resolve this amicably. But if forced I will be contacting my attorney to pursue breach of contract and damages associated with it.”
That text message they sent you would have me very very pissed off. They incurred no costs unless they traded another dealer to get your car, which wasn’t the car you were in agreement on. Even if that was the case it’s no where close to $1000, and they didn’t ask you if you wanted that one instead anyway. I call BS on that anyway bc dealers are hanging onto pickups and not trading them at all right now.
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Don’t put legal terminology and limiting language when possible. I’m not a lawyer, but our corporate legal always advises vaguest language possible so it’s easier for them to deal with matters later.
“to pursue all avenues of legal relief” or similar language is more encompassing.
Again, not a lawyer, nothing written here should be taken as legal advice, just my 2 cents.
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Wow this only gets better, my suspicions about this dealer were right. I’d just go down there and cause a big scene, if they want to play dirty cause a scene in the showroom. You would hope the GM or someone would want to make you go away and just give you your money or go with @Jrouleau426 approach
You do that and you already lost. What are you going to change this way? Possibly the minds of a few people who are in the showroom at that time? You don’t think the sales people will be able to talk their way out of that one? If you get too out of hand, they’ll just call the police and have you removed, and now the deposit is the least of your worries. I’m sure there is a ton of anecdotal evidence of going down to the business, screaming like a deranged lunatic and getting your money back, but it realistically that’s not the way to handle anything.
Maybe I missed it, but was this deposit made on the credit card? If so, what’s the issue here? Write an email to the GM directly with roughly the language that was already discussed above and see what happens. In the email also specify that all future communication on the matter should come through this email.
Dealing with the sales person is pointless, the text was written by someone who’s close to being illiterate.
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