Why Would Anyone Want to Give Back a GM Car Within 60 Days?

Robert Farago
by Robert Farago

Just received this email from John Sternal:

Hi Robert,

With GM’s decision today to offer a 60-day, money-back guarantee on new cars, we figured it would be fitting to ask what kind of reasons a person returns a car within 60 days? There are all kinds of reasons why a person would go through buyers remorse and we see it all the time here in our car lease trading marketplace. Keep in mind that LeaseTrader.com helps a person escape a car lease they no longer want, so we’d like to share the 20 most common reasons why a person would fall out of love with a vehicle – even as quickly as within 60 days.

Is it realistic to think that many people are dissatisfied with a car only 60 days in? That’s one heck of a short honeymoon period. Financial reasons and dissatisfaction may be two of the larger reasons why a person would want out before the honeymoon is over, but here is a list of many other reasons why people would do an about face on their car-buying decision based on actual reasons why people come to LeaseTrader.com to escape a lease:

1) divorce/breakup


2) death


3) health


4) relocation


5) family growth

These first five reasons make up 65 percent of all customer situations. Here are the reasons that make up the remaining 35 percent.

6) deployed to military


7) lost income/job


8) gas prices


9) dissatisfaction


10) disability


11) new company-issued car


12) child went off to college


13) car safety


14) retirement


15) environmental


16) parking too expensive


17) public transportation


18) weather


19) social pressure


20) feature upgrade

Robert Farago
Robert Farago

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  • GrandCharles GrandCharles on Sep 11, 2009

    I did it once, i was unsure about buying a saturn sl or ls in 2000. I finally signed for the sl (cheaper) while looking at the silver ls they had...used the sl for 28 days and brought it back at no cost (they had a 30 days satisfaction garantee). Drove off in my silver ls for a few bucks more a month...never regretted it!

  • Don1967 Don1967 on Sep 11, 2009
    #12 is ridiculous. As if a child going off to college is something that catches anybody by surprise! Most of these reasons are ridiculous. You'd have to be a complete idiot to buy a car without anticipating most of these issues.... either that or you found a better deal and are looking for an excuse to weasel out of the first one. Having said that, similar marketing ploys have worked for companies like Hyundai and probably won't do GM any harm.
  • SherbornSean SherbornSean on Sep 12, 2009

    Why isn't "I drove a competitor's vehicle" on the list?

  • KixStart KixStart on Sep 14, 2009

    This is a list of reasons associated with lessors having buyer's remorse, who end up using this lease trader service. May not apply to purchasers. Considering the length of the list other than dissatisfaction with the vehicle, GM's 1% allowance may be w-a-a-a-y underestimated.

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