Wow ... didn't see that one coming. Put $500 down as a holding deposit on a FJ Cruiser, and went home while Harvard Auto (Lower Sackville, NS Canada) took time to determine financing arrangements through various banks.

When they called us with the numbers it was 7.09% on a five year fixed with $4500 remaining to buy out. Meaning the $23, 500 FJ Cruiser would end up costing $30, 500.

This happened on a Saturday, I told Natasha, on the phone, that I would go to my bank to arrange financing instead, and call back on Monday.

We decided that it was not financially prudent to proceed once we knew the debt load we would have to carry.

I called Harvard Auto asking for our "holding deposit" to be returned ... after relay the reasons for our decision. Steve English (Brice)/ sales manager ... simple said "NO ... we've already gone ahead and cleaned the vehicle."

Nowhere on our receipt for our holding deposit does it say non-refundable nor was it spoken to us that this was the case.

Consumer Affairs tells me that its buyer beware ... the Better Business Bureau doesn't deal with this since we don't own the vehicle.

And as of this writing, I'm waiting for my lawyer to call back.

Avoid Harvard Auto Sales.