If they do, here’s a little hint from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off:
Jack the car up, and peg the pedal to 240km/h. Set your cruise control (and maybe put on some Chemical Brothers through the optional IPod interface).

If you return the car at it’s next payment date (say 14 days), you’ll have accumulated over 81,000km. Well within the lease terms for mileage. Then they’ll REALLY have a used car to re-lease! I’ll even supply the gasoline just to see their faces!

Jack M
(don’t try this at home kids)

An increase in the security deposit of $2,100 seems high. If the car is damaged, the client is liable for the cost. In that sense, the deposit is redundant. It’s refundable if there’s no damage. Each time I’ve leased, the security deposit was one lease payment (much like paying the first and last month’s rent on an apartment).

When car shopping last year, I went to Lexus first by mistake (took a wrong turn on the way to BMW). I spoke to a rep for a few minutes then got turned over to a different (less nice) rep!?! Since I just started comparison shopping, I clearly wasn’t ready to buy. Even so, the rep explained complicated lease options that centred around paying a much larger security deposit to lower the lease payments. Why not make a larger cash payment up front instead? I could not follow the explanation and left in a daze. The only consolation: they took a shiny GS out of the showroom for my test drive.

No one at Audi, BMW or Mercedes recommended overpaying the security deposit (which is essentially a tax-free loan).

@Canadian Finance – I hope that’s not the case. Legal-ease is not my strong suit, but that’s just plain mean!

@Howie – Yes, correct: the IA would be on the hook for the loss if it was the IA’s error, but any mistake that results in a profit goes to the company coffers if I’m not mistaken. If not, then imagine all the rogue traders/IAs that would be running amok… :) I agree that the company could’ve called to indicate they made a mistake, but then offered to honour the deal. Turn it into marketing for them. Then the consumer would be tempted to spread GOOD news about the dealership acting in good faith.

@Eric – good tip on some scams. In this case, it sounds like a genuine mistake followed by a serious error in judgment on what to do about it…. I hope.

@Brian – thanks for your links. I believe he has contacted CBC marketplace. I will urge him to contact Ellen Roseman as well.

@Mark – I agree completely. And there would be some people who would pay the difference, I’ll bet, if offered the choice to do so or not without any threats.

@Ink-Stained Gorilla – I know there is an exotic car maker that does something like this already. You can pick up your car right at the factory and watch it being built to your specification – all entered on a touchscreen interface. Somewhere in Europe. The environment now (changing everyday though), might have lobbied too hard against a direct model. The auto industry needs a Muriel Siebert(sp).

@Xenko – good point. Hopefully four years would be enough time to soften the sting, but I could imagine a few extra costs on routine maintenance along the way could also crop up…

Imagine the reverse scenario where the customer realized he signed a contract for more than was agreed upon. Do you think the dealership would refund the difference? I highly doubt it.

The only thing I would be concerned about is some sort of retribution upon the termination of the lease where those pesky fees for damages/dirtiness etc. might need to be paid up (and exaggerated).

That arrogance comes from making too much money and assuming the good time will never end.

I canceled the order, and went to another dealership and bought the identical car from them. Of course every one I talked to about the new bimmer, I would relay them my story and they were mostly the type of people who would buy BMWs. Sometimes businesses are too shortsighted when they piss of their customers.