Why Doesn't the 4S Store Provide the Car Purchase Contract?

[DeXavier]

The main reasons why a 4S store does not provide the car purchase contract are: 1. Salesperson's negligence: Due to oversight in sales work, the salesperson may forget to give the contract to the consumer. In such cases, the consumer should proactively request the contract from the salesperson. 2. Preventing customers from discovering issues: Although 4S stores clearly list all prices in the contract at the time of signing, these prices might be relatively high. To prevent customers from carefully scrutinizing the contract and discovering problems later, some 4S stores may retrieve the contract after the car is delivered. 3. Evading responsibility: Dealers may retrieve the contract during the purchase or after delivery to evade certain responsibilities in later services and prevent customers from reviewing the contract again. It's important to note that this is illegal, and consumers should refuse such practices.

[MarleyAnn]

Last time I accompanied my buddy to pick up his car, we ran into this exact issue—the dealership refused to hand over the original contract. Plain and simple, they’re afraid you’ll use it to compare prices. The salesperson had stuffed all sorts of shady fees like 'service charges' and 'decoration fees' into the car price, which were clearly listed in the contract. Another possibility is they’re trying to pass off refurbished transport-damaged vehicles as new, and handing over the contract would expose the scam. I’ve personally seen cases where buyers, after their contracts were confiscated, discovered three months later that they’d been sold stale inventory cars—mold spots were even growing under the seats! These shady dealers often use excuses like 'accounting needs to process it' to drag things out until you give up. Remember this: unsigned contract copies are worthless—you must get the original with both parties’ signatures on the spot!

[Finley]

Back when I just graduated, I fell into this car-buying trap. The salesperson smiled and said the contract needed to be archived for procedures, but only gave me an unstamped copy. Later I learned they're afraid you'll use the contract to assert your rights, especially when you're tricked into loans with hidden high service fees or bundled 5,000 yuan insurance in the contract. Even worse, some sell display cars as new ones with odometer wires disconnected. That time I directly called the manufacturer's 400 hotline to complain, and on the third day the salesperson meekly asked me to collect the contract. Remember, before swiping your card, you must get the triplicate form with red stamps, and double-check the owner's name on the purchase invoice for typos.