I put a deposit on a car and then lost my job — I’ve returned it, but the dealer won't refund my deposit. Is that legal?

If you’ve kicked the tires at a dealership lately, you’ll know that inflation and tariffs are driving up the cost of new and used vehicles — and the size of car loans. Experian reports that the average loan for a new car in early 2025 was $41,720 at 6.73% interest — adding up to $745/month in payments for over five years. (1) Must Read Meanwhile, the average loan for a used car was $26,144 at 11.87% interest, adding up to $521/month in payments over five years. Whether you pay more or less than that, t ...