The FTC Buyers Guide, "As Is" Sales and Your Right to Cancel
How to read the Buyers Guide on a used car, why it is part of your contract, and why there is no automatic three-day return.
Every used car on a dealer's lot is supposed to carry a federal form in its window: the FTC Buyers Guide. It tells you, before you negotiate, whether the dealer is offering a warranty or selling the car "as is." This guide explains how to read it, what it does and doesn't promise, and a few things buyers often assume wrongly, such as a right to return the car. It is general information, not legal advice.
The Buyers Guide is required
The FTC's Used Car Rule requires a dealer, before offering a used vehicle for sale to a consumer, to "prepare, fill in as applicable and display on that vehicle" the Buyers Guide, prominently and so that both sides can be read (16 CFR Part 455). The FTC's consumer guidance adds that dealers must give buyers the Guide after the sale (FTC: buying a used car from a dealer). If the sale is conducted in Spanish, the Guide and the contract disclosures must be in Spanish.
The Guide is part of your contract
This is the most important point. The rule says "the information you see on the window form for this vehicle is part of this contract," and "information on the window form overrides any contrary provisions in the contract of sale." Dealers must put that language in every consumer contract. A dealer also may not make statements, spoken or written, that contradict the Guide. If you negotiate a different warranty, the final terms must be in the contract and on the copy of the Guide you receive (16 CFR 455.3 and 455.4).
"As Is" versus a warranty
The Guide has boxes for the dealer to mark. "As Is - No Dealer Warranty" means, in the FTC's words, that "the dealer won't pay for any problems or needed repairs." A warranty box means the dealer will pay for some repairs, and the Guide must say what share of parts and labor it covers, which systems and for how long. The Guide can also show that a manufacturer's warranty still applies, or offer a service contract at extra cost.
State law can override "as is." In New York, the used car lemon law gives a warranty on many dealer-sold cars that "as is" cannot remove. In Connecticut, a dealer selling a car with a cash price of $3,000 or more generally may not disclaim implied warranties and must include a written warranty, with exceptions for older cars. Our state guides explain both.
Who has to use the Buyers Guide
The rule applies to dealers. It defines a dealer as any person or business that sells or offers for sale a used vehicle after selling or offering for sale five or more used vehicles in the previous twelve months, with exceptions for banks and financial institutions, a business selling to its own employee, and a lessor selling a leased car to the lessee (16 CFR 455.1). A private seller who sells the family car once is not covered, so there will be no Buyers Guide and usually no warranty. Someone who sells many cars without a Guide or a dealer licence is a reason for caution.
What the rule forbids
The rule makes it a deceptive practice for a used car dealer to misrepresent a car's mechanical condition or the terms of any warranty, or to say a car comes with a warranty when it doesn't, and an unfair practice to fail to disclose before the sale that a car is sold without any warranty (16 CFR 455.1).
There is no automatic right to cancel
Many buyers believe they have three days to change their minds. The FTC is clear: "Federal law doesn't require dealers to give you three days to cancel the deal and return the car" (FTC). Some dealers offer a return policy; if one is promised, get it in writing in the contract. Otherwise, assume the sale is final when you sign.
Get an independent inspection
A vehicle history report tells you about reported accidents, title brands and ownership, but not about mechanical condition. The FTC recommends paying an independent mechanic to inspect a used car before you buy, and asking for a written report with repair cost estimates, which you can use to negotiate. If a dealer won't let you take the car for an inspection, treat that as important information.
Check for open recalls
Before you buy, run the car's vehicle identification number (VIN) through the federal recall lookup at NHTSA, and ask the dealer whether any open recalls have been repaired. Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer for that brand.
Financing and add-ons
Read the contract for anything you did not ask for: service contracts, GAP insurance, paint protection, etchings and similar add-ons. They are optional unless the law says otherwise. Ask for the "out-the-door" price in writing, including every fee, before you agree to monthly payments. If you finance through the dealer, compare the rate with a pre-approval from your bank or credit union.
Paperwork to keep
- The signed contract and the Buyers Guide you were given.
- Any written warranty, and in New York the dealer's certificate of condition under VTL §417; in Connecticut the dealer's safety inspection form.
- The title, registration and any lien documents.
- Every repair order during the warranty period.
Using this directory
Every dealer listed here holds a dealer licence or registration that the New York or Connecticut DMV file shows as unexpired. Check the licence number on your paperwork against the listing, and use the state guides for the warranty rules that apply where you buy.
General information only, current as of the date above. The information on Car Dealer Check is not a safety rating or recommendation. Federal registration shows a company's authority and filings, not the quality of its service. Check the carrier's current status on the official FMCSA site and read your contract before you book. Rules and programs change; check the official sources linked in this guide.