Why Are Michigan Car Dealerships Always Closed on Sundays?

Have you ever wondered why it's nearly impossible to buy a car on a Sunday in the state of Michigan?

It's the one day of the week that you don't have to work and you actually have time to go to a dealership to look for a new car. It's the one day of the week that you have time to sit around for hours and hours while trying to get financed for a new or used vehicle. It's the one day of the week that you have the time to buy a freaking car but you can't because it's against the law!

For real. It is against the law to sell, trade, or buy a motor vehicle on Sunday in the state of Michigan. That's why dealerships are always closed on Sundays.

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Why Is It Against the Law to Buy, Sell, or Trade a Vehicle in Michigan?

According to Car Brain, the origin of the law forbidding the purchase of cars on Sundays is in blue laws: legislature created based upon religious reasoning. Blue laws originated in 1781 and impacted everything from car sales to liquor purchases.

It's said that the law is still in place today to give dealerships the day off.

Michigan restricts Sunday car sales to only those counties which have a population of less than 130,000.

The whole thing just seems so silly and archaic to me. I feel everyone would benefit from having dealerships open on Sundays.

435.251 Motor vehicles; sale on Sunday unlawful, exception:

It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to engage in the business of buying, selling, trading or exchanging new, used or second-hand motor vehicles or offering to buy, sell, trade or exchange, or participate in the negotiation thereof, or attempt to buy, sell, trade or exchange any motor vehicle or interest therein, or of any written instrument pertaining thereto, on the first day of the week, commonly called Sunday.

 

It's time for that old-school law to go away.