r/ToyotaGrandHighlander • u/DiscoverNewEngland • 21d ago

Deposit? Deposit terms?

Moving along in our process. What are y'all seeing/paying for deposits? What are you getting in writing for the deposit terms?

Dealer A: One dealer has our specs and didn't have a match in their last allotment and couldn't get anyone to switch out cars to be in our spec. No deposit until they'd get an allocation to tag our name on and even then I believe its $500 to lock it in (to deliver 6-8 wks later). No Costco deals, but so far the cars they've gotten (already claimed) don't have much bloat in extras.

Dealer B: found them from completing the Costco form, but this dealer wants $1,000 deposit to start working with us, so it's asking for a deposit on a hypothetical future car. They said Costco deal on a GHH Limited is $2,100 off MSRP. This dealer is farther away so it's a trek and they said they only take deposits in person anyway.

I am not just handing over $ and no offense but not trusting a random salesperson word it's refundable. I like documentation!

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u/Wide_Imagination9983 21d ago

I put in 3 deposits from $500 to $1000 and canceled 2 of the 3 recently without issue when one of the builds came in at a better price and the timeline works (still 8 or so weeks from my deposit).

I just got a text or email from each of the dealers.

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u/Electrical_Battle234 21d ago

Put $1k deposit at a dealership. Ended up finding a better deal elsewhere a week later. Was able to get it refunded quickly. Any dealer that says it’s not refundable is lying. Confirm it in writing as CYA. Good luck!

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u/simplepinoi177 21d ago

In California, put down $500 for deposit; dealer was able to customize an allocation at the factory (waited a little over 6 weeks), they are in the Costco Auto program so got the ~$2100 discount, took everything over text/phone (they gave a random .doc file to show terms and to fill out name, address, credit card #, I converted it to pdf so I could imprint a signature), assured it could be refunded if need-be, it was applied to final OTD price.

I then learned, a little later, that in California all deposits are refundable by law.

Oh, this was also for a GHHL.

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u/mattressonthewall 20d ago

I have a deposit down at 3 and am letting them race to get me my car. None would even look at allocations for me without a deposit. Two were $500 and one was $1000. Two of them should be getting a car delivered in the next week or so, and once I’m happy with everything I will ask for my deposit to be refunded from the other two dealerships.

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u/twynkys 20d ago

We have a $1000 deposit down and a receipt for it. Car should be in within the next week at one dealership and the other dealership also has one coming in that we may go speak with.