[Tommy]

From a sellers standpoint, a deposit to hold doesn't mean much unless I get to keep it if you don't buy the car. From a buyer's standpoint, it doesn't mean much unless it guarantees I will be able to buy the car for a known price if it passes inspection. A purchase option contract with a non-refundable deposit can accomplish both. But I doubt it is used often in the purchase of normally priced automobiles. .... After all, how much would you (the buyer) be willing to lose just for the option of seeing a car before you buy it? .... And if the option money is small (e.g., $100), how much would you be willing to spend to retrieve your deposit from an unscrupulous out of state seller?