The Myth of the 72-Hour Return Policy: Why Pre-Purchase Inspections Are Crucial in Washington State

You’ve probably heard it before: “If you don’t like the car, you can just return it within 72 hours.” It sounds reasonable. It feels like it should be true. After all, you can return most purchases within a few days if you change your mind.

But when it comes to buying a car in Washington State, this belief is completely, dangerously wrong.

Here’s what the Washington State Attorney General says directly:

“Once you sign the contracts, there is no law that allows you to cancel the contract for any reason within three-days of purchase.”

— Washington State Office of the Attorney General

There is no 72-hour return law. There is no cooling off period. There is no buyer’s remorse protection. Once you sign, the car is yours—along with any problems it has.

For the complete legal breakdown of car return laws in Washington (including state-by-state comparisons and what “as-is” really means), see our comprehensive guide: No Return Law for Used Cars in Washington State.

This article focuses on something different: why this myth persists, why it’s so dangerous, and what smart buyers do instead.

Where Does the 72-Hour Myth Come From?

This belief didn’t appear out of nowhere. Several factors have combined to create one of the most persistent and costly misconceptions in car buying.

The FTC Cooling Off Rule (That Doesn’t Apply to Cars)

The Federal Trade Commission does have a “Cooling Off Rule” that gives consumers three days to cancel certain purchases. This is real. It exists.

But here’s what most people don’t know: this rule explicitly excludes vehicle purchases made at a dealer’s place of business.

The FTC Cooling Off Rule applies to:

• Door-to-door sales
• Sales at temporary locations (hotel rooms, convention centers)
• Sales at your home or workplace

It does NOT apply to:

• Car purchases at dealerships
• Car purchases from private sellers
• Any vehicle transaction at an established business location

The rule exists to protect consumers from high-pressure tactics in unfamiliar settings. A car dealership is considered an established business where you have time to think, compare, and make an informed decision. Whether that’s actually true is debatable—but that’s the legal reasoning.

Confusion with Retail Return Policies

We’ve been trained by retail stores to expect return windows. Buy a shirt, don’t like it, bring it back. Order something online, return it within 30 days. This is so common that it feels like a universal right.

It’s not. Return policies are business decisions, not legal requirements. Stores offer them because it reduces purchase anxiety and increases sales. But they’re not legally obligated to accept returns on most purchases.

Cars are explicitly different. The transaction is considered final. The assumption is that you’ve had ample opportunity to inspect, test drive, and evaluate before signing. Once you sign, you’ve made your decision.

National Dealer Advertising Creates False Expectations

Here’s where it gets confusing: some national dealers DO offer return policies.

CarMax advertises a return window (recently reduced from 30 days to 10 days). Carvana offers a 7-day return policy. These are real, and these companies market them heavily.

The problem? This advertising creates the impression that return policies are standard—or even legally required. They’re not. These are voluntary business policies that can change at any time, have significant fine print, and don’t apply to other dealers.

When someone hears “you can return a car within 7 days” in a Carvana commercial, they may unconsciously assume this applies everywhere. It doesn’t.

Why Don’t Dealers Correct This Misconception?

Here’s an uncomfortable truth: dealers have no legal obligation to tell you there’s no return policy. And correcting this myth doesn’t benefit them.

Think about it from the dealer’s perspective:

If a buyer believes they can return the car, they’re more likely to:

• Make a faster decision
• Skip the “let me think about it” phase
• Feel less anxious about committing
• Sign today instead of coming back later

If a buyer knows the sale is final, they’re more likely to:

• Take more time evaluating
• Request a pre-purchase inspection
• Walk away to consider other options
• Negotiate harder before committing

Which scenario do you think dealers prefer?

This isn’t necessarily malicious. Dealers aren’t required to explain every aspect of contract law to buyers. But the asymmetry of information benefits them, and there’s no incentive to correct it.

The Psychology of Buyer’s Remorse

The 72-hour myth persists partly because buyer’s remorse is so common—and so uncomfortable.

Why We Want to Believe in a Safety Net

Buying a car is one of the largest purchases most people make. It’s stressful. It’s complicated. There are dozens of decisions: make, model, trim level, financing, warranty, add-ons.

The human brain doesn’t like making irreversible decisions under pressure. We want an escape hatch. The belief in a return period provides psychological comfort: “If I make a mistake, I can fix it.”

This is completely understandable. It’s also completely wrong in the context of car buying.

The “I’ll Deal With It Later” Trap

The myth enables a dangerous mental shortcut: “I’ll figure it out after I buy it.”

• “I’m not sure about this noise, but I can return it if it’s a problem.”
• “The price seems high, but I can bring it back if I find a better deal.”
• “I should probably get an inspection, but I can always return it if something’s wrong.”

Each of these thoughts pushes due diligence from before the purchase to after—when it’s too late. The myth creates a false sense of security that leads to worse decisions.

Post-Purchase Rationalization

Here’s the cruel irony: even when people discover the myth isn’t true, they often don’t speak up.

After buying a car and realizing there’s no return option, most people don’t warn others. Why? Because admitting they believed the myth feels embarrassing. And by that point, they’ve usually convinced themselves the car is fine anyway.

This means the myth doesn’t get corrected through word of mouth. It just keeps spreading.

What Scammers Know That You Don’t

The 72-hour myth isn’t just a harmless misconception. It actively helps scammers.

Sophisticated car scams—especially on platforms like Facebook Marketplace—exploit the assumption that buyers have a safety net. The pitch often goes something like:

• “Just wire the deposit to hold it—you can always get it back if you don’t want the car.”
• “Sign the paperwork now and we’ll ship it to you. If you don’t like it, we’ll take it back.”
• “The 72-hour law protects you, so there’s no risk.”

These are lies. But they work because they align with what people already believe.

We’ve personally uncovered multiple sophisticated scams targeting out-of-state buyers looking at vehicles in Spokane. In both cases, the scammers were counting on buyers believing they had protections that didn’t exist. For detailed examples, see: Facebook Marketplace Car Scams: How to Protect Yourself.

What Smart Buyers Do Instead

The solution isn’t to find a dealer with a return policy (though that can help). The solution is to make decisions you won’t want to reverse.

Shift Your Mindset: Before, Not After

Everything changes when you accept that the purchase is final. Suddenly:

• Due diligence happens BEFORE signing, not after
• Questions get asked BEFORE committing, not after
• Inspections happen BEFORE purchase, not after
• Negotiations happen while you still have leverage

This isn’t about being paranoid. It’s about being realistic. The time to discover problems is when you can still walk away.

Get a Pre-Purchase Inspection

A professional pre-purchase inspection is your single best protection. Here’s why:

It shifts information asymmetry in your favor. The seller knows more about the car than you do. An inspection levels the playing field with documented, objective findings.

It gives you negotiating leverage. Found issues become negotiating points. “Your listing said excellent condition, but the inspection found $1,800 in needed repairs. Let’s adjust the price.”

It removes the need for a return policy. If you know exactly what you’re buying before you sign, you don’t need a safety net after.

It’s a scam filter. Scammers can’t produce cars that don’t exist. The simple requirement of an in-person inspection eliminates most fraud attempts.

Use Your Walk-Away Power While You Have It

Your greatest leverage as a buyer is your ability to say no. This power exists only before you sign. After signing, it’s gone completely.

Smart buyers use this leverage:

• To get inspections before committing
• To negotiate based on actual condition
• To walk away from deals that don’t feel right
• To take time when pressured to decide immediately

For more on this: Your Ultimate Superpower When Buying a Used Car: Walking Away.

If a Dealer Offers a Return Policy, Get It in Writing

Some dealers do offer return windows. If this matters to you:

• Ask specifically: “What is your return policy?”
• Get the answer in writing, as part of the purchase agreement
• Read the fine print (mileage limits, time limits, restocking fees, exclusions)
• Understand that verbal promises are worthless

If it’s not in the signed contract, it doesn’t exist.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there really no 72-hour return law for cars?

Correct. Washington State has no cooling off period, no buyer’s remorse law, and no 72-hour return right for vehicle purchases. Once you sign the purchase agreement, the sale is final. The federal FTC Cooling Off Rule does not apply to vehicle purchases at dealerships.

Why do people believe in the 72-hour return myth?

Several factors: confusion with the FTC Cooling Off Rule (which doesn’t apply to car sales), general expectations from retail return policies, and national dealer advertising that makes return policies seem standard. The myth persists because it provides psychological comfort and dealers have no incentive to correct it.

Do any dealers offer return policies?

Some do. CarMax offers a 10-day return window (recently reduced from 30 days). Carvana offers 7 days. These are voluntary business policies, not legal requirements. Always verify specific terms in writing before relying on any return policy.

What if a dealer verbally promises I can return the car?

Verbal promises are not legally enforceable for vehicle purchases. Only terms written in your purchase agreement matter. If a dealer promises a return option, get it in writing before signing. If they won’t put it in writing, assume the promise means nothing.

What’s the best way to protect myself without a return policy?

Get a pre-purchase inspection before you buy. This identifies problems while you still have the power to negotiate or walk away. An inspection doesn’t just protect you from bad deals—it ensures you pay a fair price for what you’re actually getting.

Can I cancel a car purchase if I find problems right after buying?

Generally, no. Finding problems after purchase doesn’t give you the right to cancel in Washington State. Your only recourse would be if you can prove fraud (the seller knowingly lied about material facts) or if you have a written return policy in your purchase agreement.

---

The 72-hour return myth is comforting but false. The protection it promises doesn’t exist in Washington State. But you don’t need a safety net if you make informed decisions before signing.

A pre-purchase inspection costs a fraction of what you’d lose on a bad deal. It’s not about fear—it’s about going in with open eyes.

Schedule Your Inspection Now