Legal Question in Consumer Law in Maryland

automobile purchasing rights/laws

my husband and i are looking for a suv. we just resently had a nother child (2 total) and needed something bigger to accomodate all of us and our things when taking weekend trips to visit family in pa. we went to this one dealership and they said that since i wasnt working i couldnt be on the paper work for financing, but now they want me on. also we were never approved for a loan or anything and they had us drive the car off the lot that night. is this legal?. they are trying to charge us $200 a day plus $0.20 a mile. and we explained to them our situation of finances and the reason we dont want this vehicle is we found one cheaper and less payments. my husband and i are only 21 and we are really unsure of what to do. any advice would be appreciated.


Asked on 9/14/04, 1:08 pm

2 Answers from Attorneys
Alan Albin Alan S. Albin, Attorney at Law

Re: automobile purchasing rights/laws

You need to retain an attorney as soon as possible. Your obligations under the sale or lease contract, and under any loan agreement, for the vehicle cannot be determined without having your attorney actually review all the relevant paperwork.

Attempting to charge you $200/day seems extreme, this would work out to $6000/month. However, as noted, you need to retain an attorney immediately.

I strongly recommend that you consult with an attorney immediately so that you can explore your legal rights, obligations, and options. If you wish to discuss retaining my services, contact me at:

[email protected]

(973)-605-8995

[Disclaimer: The above comments are not intended as nor should they be relied upon as "legal advice", which can only be obtained by personal consultation with a retained attorney; at which time the specific facts and circumstances of your case can be thoroughly evaluated. This reply is provided for general informational and educational purposes only, and does not create an attorney-client relationship with the responding attorney.]

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Answered on 9/14/04, 1:27 pm
G. Joseph Holthaus III Law Offices of G. Joseph Holthaus

Re: automobile purchasing rights/laws

If the dealer promised finance terms, such as a certain

interest rate or monthly payment, and is unable to honor those terms, you can't be forced

to accept other terms and may cancel the contract.

If you never signed a contract then they cannot force you to accept the vehicle.

The facts surrounding why they gave you the car to use are important. In certain cases

they could charge a use fee but this would need to be properly disclosed to you or you could be charged where you

breach on a contract of sale.

My fees are reasonable. An attorney's letter to the dealership may resolve the matter.

Contact me at (410) 799-9002 or by return e-mail should you desire my service.

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Answered on 9/14/04, 3:42 pm


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