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I test drove and liked a car which has recently been introduced to the NZ market. So I told the dealer I wanted to buy it. It was brand new, so I was informed that the model would arrive in NZ by ship and there was a month-long waiting period. To secure the model I was after, I was asked to pay a $2,000 deposit (which I did), and signed a document saying it was non-refundable. As I waited for the car to arrive in NZ, I excitedly joined online forums of people who have owned the same model in Australia, Canada, and the US. The forums contained multiple posts by international owners about the transmission of the same model of the car failing at fairly low odometer reading (less than 10,000km). I was heartbroken because I was really looking forward to owning the car. So a few days before I was due to complete the purchase, I rang the dealer and told them I did not want the car because of known issues with the transmission which, on the basis of reports by users in other markets, are by no means one-off. I also emailed them a link to the online forums containing those reports. Buying that car just seemed like too expensive a risk to take. I also requested a refund of my deposit. Am I entitled to a refund because the car’s transmission is known to have issues internationally?

Hi there,
A refund request would need to be the result of a discussion between you and the dealer. Overseas information is not always applicable to NZ models, and the vehicle would be under manufacturers warranty for a few years- so they may not see it refund worthy- as you signed a non refund clause.

Thanks for the reply. I had a conversation with the dealer and they showed exceptional professionalism by refunding my deposit upon finding a new buyer for the car.