my friend (who will undoubtedly read this) is looking to buy a new Toyota Matrix, just told me he put a $500 deposit down with the dealer, not for a special order, but just so they'd call him when one was available in the color he wanted.  Granted he's in California, but wtf?  If they asked me for a deposit, I'd be asking if they smoked crack and for a set of wheels before I'd give it to them.  Unless I special ordered it from the factory with particular options.  

WWYD? Pay the $ (interest-free, he wasn't sure on terms of its return if he doesn't buy it)?  Tell the dealer to call you when he gets one and then pick it up?

(ETA, he is a member here, so he can answer questions if he feels up to responding to them)

I'd tell them to take a flying f...

I like pie!

Quoted: I'd tell them to take a flying f...

+1

If I'm paying a deposit, it had better be for a car that I just custom ordered.

Come to think of it, when I did custom order a car, I didn't pay one penny until the car was delivered and I signed the loan documents.

Jim

Depends how bad he really wants it. We rented a Matrix once, and the wife loved it. It was a pretty neat car, but I like my Chevy pickup.

He should go by the Pontiac dealer and see if they still have the vibe.  It's the same car as the Matrix, built from the same parts in the same factory, maybe a little cheaper, and I think it's actually the better looking of the two.

There are waiting lists for certain low volume or high demand cars. If you want to get on the list they require a deposit.

That's dumb, plain and simple.

I would laugh my ass off at the car dealer!  Your friend is rich, dumb, or naieve.

I would put down a deposit on an order or purchase only.  

I would tell them to FOAD and I would go to another dealership/

I'm cornfused- are these that hot?

I gladly pay a deposit (after final negotiations occur and price is agreed upon) if the dealer is trying to get one for me the way I want it, or I special ordered it.  Can you not visit multiple dealers until you find it on the lot?

The only tactic I can see here is to take your $, thereby taking you out of the market so you can't go somewhere else that has it.

That being said, I have paid a deposit to a dealership in the past that could not come up with the car.  I took their refund dealership check to another dealership and used it as my down payment on an in-stock car.  It was the same brand however.

Quoted: He should go by the Pontiac dealer and see if they still have the vibe.  It's the same car as the Matrix, built from the same parts in the same factory, maybe a little cheaper, and I think it's actually the better looking of the two.

My wife and I first saw the Pontiac Vibe at the GM exhibit at Walt Disney World back in 2001.  She really liked the car there, and when she was looking for a new car in 2003, that's what we bought.

It's cheaper than the Matrix (option for option), it doesn't have the wierd boy-racer trim, and the car just felt more comfortable.  She's been really happy with it, enough that when I'm in the market for a new car I'll probably consider one.

I still chuckle a little at the name though.  :)

Jim