• Google Buzz

In an effort to spur sales after the wildly successful “cash for clunkers” program, GM unleashes a new promotion: ifgmyou don’t like the car you just bought, you can bring it back. It’s called the U-Return plan.

But, as with anything that sounds too good to be true, there are a few caveats of which buyers must be made aware.

  • Time Limit – You are only allowed to bring the vehicle back between the 31st and the 60th days after the purchase. You cannot return it during the first 30 days.
  • Free from Damage – The vehicle cannot have more than $200.00 of damage to it (excluding things that are covered by warranty). This means that any scratches and/or scrapes will disqualify you for the return.
  • Money Back to You- You will only be refunded the price of the vehicle and the sales tax. You cannot be refunded the registration fees. Also, this means no refund on any insurance policy that you purchase.
  • Accessories Do Not Count- Avoid adding dealer-purchased accessories as the cost of these will not be included in the refund amount. Make sure to leave these things alone until you are sure that you will keep the vehicle.
  • Mileage Limit- The vehicle cannot have any more than 4000 miles on it. While it might be difficult to put that many miles on the vehicle in 60 days, it is not impossible.
  • Household Limit- Only one vehicle per household can be returned. If you buy two-fer for a fellow house mate or spouse, only one of the vehicles can be returned.
  • Trade-in Stays -You cannot get your trade-in back. The money that was issued as a trade-in goes towards the full refund price of the vehicle. They will not guarantee that your trade-in will still be sitting on the used car lot if you decide to return your new ride.
  • Returned Vehicles Go on the Used Car Lot-A $500 Rebate Instead is the better deal in this program. That is the alternative instead of taking the return option. The better choice is to take the time to select your vehicle carefully, research it completely before taking the plunge. Then, take the $500 rebate instead of the return offer.

While this might sway buyers who are on the fence as to whether or not they should purchase a new vehicle, others who are drowning in debt and/or are facing foreclosure will probably not be candidates for this program. It just does not have the same appeal that the ‘cash for clunkers’ program had for consumers.



 Related Content: