Can a dealership repo your car for stopping payment or bouncing the downpayment check?

Answer

That depends. If this is a car that you've had for a substantial amount of time, and if the dealer has already "cashed" the contract and has been funded from the lienholder, then the answer is no. Once the dealer receives funding for the car from the lienholder, the lienholder is then transferred the title. Only the lienholder can repossess your car for non-payment.

This isn't to say that the auto dealer can't press criminal charges against you, but again, it depends on how long you've had the car. If you just recently bought the car and wrote a bad check for your down payment, you can probably count on getting a letter from the solicitor in your county.

An exception to what I said above is if the dealer has not been funded from the financial instution financing the car. In that case, the dealer can cancel the contract with them and demand that you return the car to them.

Answer

Not only can they repo the car they can file charges against you for grand theft auto (because you used fraudulent means to secure a vehicle loan), grand theft (if the check was over $200), uttering of a bad check as well as possibly fraud. Better give the car back or make the check good and FAST!

First answer by BankGuy25. Last edit by BankGuy25. Contributor trust: 30 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 69 [recommend question]