New car purchase and credit issue

On August 3, 2007 I spoke with a salesman at a large car delaership in NC. I told him that I was interested in trading in my 2004 vehicle for a 2007. I told him that I had credit issues because I wanted to be up front with him. He told me that I should come to the dealership the next morning, which I did. I ended up buying a car that day and the paperwork was signed. I traded my car in and I made a $1500.00 down payment. I thought everything was fine.
On Monday, I received a phone message from someone in the finance dept at the dealership asking me to call because they had some questions. I did call and left a message for them to call me back. I heard nothing so that evening I called the salesman. He said that he had no idea what was going on but that he would have someone call me on Tuesday. This went on all week, I called and left messages or spoke with the salesman but never received a call back from the finance dept at the dealership. On Thursday I called the salesman again and he said that he had no idea what was going on and stated that he was "low man on the totem pole", but he would have someone call me Friday. Needless to say, I heard nothing so I called again Friday evening and spoke with the salesman. At that point, he knew that I was really ticked off and he said that the manager of the finance dept was there and gave me the number to call him. I did, and he said that he needed to speak with me and asked me if I would go in the next morning. I did and he then told me that there was an issue with the financing and he just could not understand how this happened. He said that they had found someone to finance me, but the payments were going to be much higher than what was indicated on the paperwork I signed the day I bought the car. I told him that I was up front with them about my credit issues and they pulled a credit report so I didn't understand how this happened either. He stated that it was not their intent for me to leave the vehicle and asked me to check with my bank on Monday about financing the vehicle. During that weekend I discovered that the dealership had cashed my down payment check-it went to the bank on Thursday.
On Monday I went to my bank and they declined to finance the vehicle. As soon as I had their answer I called the dealership and left a message for the manager of the finance dept telling him this. I left two more messages that day and never received a call back. I called the dealership late that day and spoke with the manager. I asked him if he received all of my messages and he said yes. I made him aware of my discovery that my check had been cashed, he had no comment. He asked that I give him one more day and stated that he knew he could get this worked out. I have heard nothing from him and today is Thursday (8/16). I left three messages today asking him if my car is there (the trade in) and is my check ready (the 1500.00 downpayment). I don't know what to do at this point. If I show up there and my car is not there and they have no check for me, I have accomplished nothing. Any advise? I sure would appreciate it. Thanks.

This unfortunately is a common event and one that is unacceptable. Depending on what you signed you may fight it--and sue in small claims (even if the contract says otherwise)--you could argue they said it was a completed deal and you relied on it. Otherwise they must give you every dollar back and your car, and let you go to another dealer--