Can I cancel dealer add-ons after buying a car?

Yes. Most optional products added by a dealership during the F&I process include a cancellation clause. These include GAP insurance, extended warranties, service contracts, and paint protection. In California you have 60 days for a full refund. In most other states the window is 30 days. After that, a pro-rata refund is usually available for the unused portion.

How do I cancel GAP insurance?

Contact the finance department at the dealership where you bought your car. Ask them to cancel your GAP policy and provide a Cancellation Request Form. If your car is financed, the refund typically goes toward your loan balance.

How do I cancel an extended warranty from a dealer?

Go to the dealer's finance department and request cancellation of your vehicle service contract. Ask for the Cancellation Request Form, fill it out, and keep a copy. The refund is usually prorated based on time or mileage remaining.

Sherlock5 is a tool that reads your car purchase paperwork and identifies dealer add-ons you may be able to cancel. Upload your documents and get a free scan. If there are cancellable items, a full report with step-by-step cancellation instructions costs $19.

How long does the free scan take?

About 20 seconds. Upload your paperwork, and Sherlock5 identifies any add-ons and checks cancellation terms in your documents.

Bought a car recently?

Find the add-ons buried in your car deal. Some you can still cancel.

Check your last car deal for free. We find what's still cancellable and what to do next.

Upload your car purchase paperwork here

Anything you received when you bought the car.

Takes 20 seconds. Free scan. Not legal advice.

FTC cases found unauthorized add-ons in up to 75% of investigated dealerships.

Real deals, real numbers

These are examples of what shows up in actual car paperwork. Add-on amounts vary by dealer and vehicle. Yours may look different.

2026 Toyota Camry XSE

$44,150

total paid incl. add-ons

MSRP$40,200

GAP Insurance$650

Extended Warranty$2,400

Tire & Wheel$900

Paint Protection$995

Est. cancellable$3,950

2026 Ford F-150 XLT 4x4

$62,300

total paid incl. add-ons

MSRP$57,200

GAP Insurance$800

Ford Protect Plan$3,200

Tire & Wheel$1,100

Bedliner$450

Est. cancellable$5,100

2026 Audi Q5 Premium Plus

$63,800

total paid incl. add-ons

MSRP$57,900

GAP Insurance$900

Audi Care Extended$3,800

Paintguard Sealant$1,200

Wheel Locks & Tint$680

Est. cancellable$5,900

How it happens

Sign here

Just scroll to the bottom and sign here.

Finance manager

You sign on a tablet. You don't see the full contract.

The FTC found that some dealerships showed buyers only the signature field on screen, not the full document. By the time you're driving home, add-ons worth thousands are already in your loan.

Many of these may still be cancellable, even long after purchase.

Service contracts, GAP insurance, and extended warranties often include cancellation language. Many allow a prorated refund for the unused term. If the car was financed, refunds are often applied to the loan balance.

What we typically find

Bundle Service Contract

Tire, wheel, dent, windshield, roadside coverage

$2,500–5,000

Often cancellable

GAP Insurance

Covers the loan balance if your car is totaled

$400–900

Often cancellable

Extended Warranty

Vehicle service contract beyond manufacturer coverage

$1,500–4,000

Often cancellable

Paint & Interior Protection

Applied coating, fabric and leather sealant

$800–2,000

Usually not cancellable

Theft Protection

Window etching or GPS tracking add-on

$200–500

Usually not cancellable

Actual amounts depend on your vehicle and dealer. Sherlock5 analyzes your specific documents.

How to check your deal

Upload your paperwork

PDFs or photos from when you bought the car — purchase agreement, warranty contracts, GAP, or anything from the finance office.

Sherlock5 scans your contracts

Sherlock5 identifies optional add-ons buried in the fine print and checks cancellation rights applicable in your state.

You get a clear plan

We flag what may be cancellable, highlight any deadlines, and give you a step-by-step guide tailored for each item.

Free scan. Takes 20 seconds.

Simple and private

No login required

Just upload your paperwork and get your results. Nothing to sign up for.

No subscription

Pay once for the full report. No recurring charges, ever.

Your data stays private

Sherlock5 does not sell or share your documents or personal information.

Files deleted automatically

Your documents are deleted after analysis.

This happens more than you think

Up to 75%

of surveyed buyers at Asbury dealerships reported unauthorized or “required” add-ons.

FTC vs. Asbury Automotive, 2024

$500–$700

typical dealer price for GAP insurance, often far above what your own insurer charges.

National Consumer Law Center

$3.4B

the FTC estimated car buyers could save annually on hidden fees and add-ons. The proposed rule was struck down in court and withdrawn in 2026.

FTC CARS Rule, 2023

$1K–$3K

typical cost of an extended warranty or service contract added at the dealership.

Industry average

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© 2026 Explain Lab LLC. All rights reserved. Sherlock5 is a product of Explain Lab LLC.

Sherlock5 is an independent automated document analysis tool operated by Explain Lab LLC. It is not affiliated with any car dealership, automaker, lender, or the Federal Trade Commission. Results are informational only and based on documents you provide. Use of this tool does not constitute legal advice and does not guarantee any specific outcome or refund.

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