When is a purchase a purchase?
I recently read a thread on another forum I thought was interesting. It’s seems this guys orders a fifth wheel, it comes in, a PDI is performed and as normal, some items needed fixing. As the story un...
Forum Discussion
spoon059 wrote:gbopp wrote:
I would think if he got a loan amd signed all the papers he owns the unit.
Correct, as soon as you sign the paperwork and the dealer either gets the money or stipulates that they will get the money, the camper belongs to the buyer.
None of this "driven off the lot" nonsense. If I bought a car from that Caddie dealer, signed papers and exchanged money, then got in and wrecked into a bunch of parked cars before I left the lot, would that be covered under the dealers insurance? No, the accident occurred in my own privately owned vehicle that had yet to be "driven off the lot", and the responsibility is mine. If it was a test drive, its the dealers insurance. Once I legally own the vehicle, its my insurance.
What if some other customer wrecked into my Caddie after I bought it and left the scene without leaving information? Would the dealership fix the car because it hadn't been driven off the lot? Of course not.
It's a bit more of a gray issue than you describe.
The deal is not limited to you turning over the money to the dealer...the dealer also must turn over the RV in the agreed condition. Both parts are required for the deal to be complete.
For a new vehicle it's assumed to be in brand new condition, unless otherwise agreed. So if there are flaws and you refuse to accept it based on the flaws, the deal is not complete but you can bet the dealer will resist giving you the money back unless you really force the issue (quite possibly including legal action). The net result is the dealer has little incentive to rush the repairs.
Of course, there are ways to minimize the gray area. A good one is to do the PDI and have the issues fixed prior to finalizing payment.
PS: your caddie example is missing the point of "drive it off the lot" comments. You are practicing reducto ad absurdum. The idea is once you take possession and control of the item, is when it becomes your responsibility. When used in this type of discussion, the presumption is that you will make it off the lot before you start ramming into things.
