Car Buyer Remorse Laws in Washington State

Buying a car is a big decision, and some customers find themselves regretting it soon after driving the car off the lot. In many states, car buyers can return their purchases for a full refund within a fixed period after the purchase. The state of Washington, however, usually views car sales as final as soon as they are executed. Take a look at Washington state car dealership laws so that you know the options you have as well as the risks when you purchase a new or used car in the state.

Washington state has no "cooling off period" during which a customer can renege on an agreement to purchase a car, according to the state's Department of Licensing. Contracts to buy vehicles in the state apply the moment the customer signs the agreement unless otherwise specified in the contract. As a result, the state advises consumers to read contracts thoroughly before signing and to take their time thinking about whether they really want to buy the car.

Although there is no way to nullify a legitimate contract, consumers may be able to void the contract if they can show it is illegitimate. For example, state law requires car dealers to disclose in writing any expenses such as finance costs, insurance charges and taxes before the contract is signed. If they don't, it could be grounds for throwing the contract out.

The only exception to the general Washington rule that car contracts are immediately binding is the "lemon law." The lemon laws allow purchasers to receive a full refund if their new cars require frequent repairs. However, these laws won't be of much help if you experience issues with a pre-owned vehicle since there's no lemon law for Washington state used cars.

To qualify as a lemon, the new car must have a problem that's covered by the warranty but can't seem to be repaired correctly. For most problems, if the dealer tries and fails to repair the problem four times, the car counts as a lemon and the customer is eligible for a refund. If the problem poses a vital safety threat, however, only two repair attempts are required before the car is deemed a lemon.

Not all new vehicles are covered by lemon laws, however. Washington carves out exemptions for motorcycles with engines smaller than 750 cc, trucks weighing more than 19,000 pounds and some motor homes.

Since Washington state car dealership laws make it difficult to return a car except in specific circumstances, you'll want to do some extra research and take some precautionary steps before signing a purchase contract. This especially applies when you buy a used car that could have hidden problems or might not have been serviced properly by the previous owner. You can get the car professional inspected and view a vehicle history report to reduce the risk.

Although the sale of a car is final under state law as soon as the customer signs it, service contracts don't follow the same rule. In fact, customers can cancel a service contract for a full refund within ​10 days​ of signing it. It's possible to get a partial refund even ​30 days​ or more after signing the contract, but the refund is usually much smaller and prorated against the contract term.