American Express Membership Rewards - Has Anyone Used Their AMEX Card to Purchase a House or Car??

Greetings all... I wanted to know if anyone has used their Platinum, or Centurion cards to buy a house, or automobile, and if so, what exactly did you do to accomplish it..

I am purchasing a condo, and would like to funnel the transaction via my Platinum Card http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum1/HTML/003970.html

Thank you kindly.

I tried to purchase a new f-150 crew cab for 30K and change 4 months ago via AMEX Gold. Dealer wouldn't let me do it.

According to carpoint's web site, I was paying approx. $750 over invoice, so with a 3% transaction fee to the dealer, I can understand why. Would have been nice to get a free ticket for something I was going to pay cash for anyway.

Very true indeed!!

I tried to do it with a Land Rover dealer a couple of months ago-- no dice!! However, I know a lot of people who have been successful.

As implied above, on this type of transaction, you probably end up bearing the full cost of the merchant fee one way or another. If you haven't negotiated a good deal for yourself, the dealer will be more than likely to take your card.

Thanks HKG_Flyer.... Have you decided where you are going to move??

I live in the West Palm Beach/Boca Raton Florida area... I love it here... You have FLL, PBI, MIA all within distance..

You said you are a money manager.. How does one enter into that business?

Tried it with MB for European Delivery. They only took $2000 on the card.

The 3% or so fee for using a credit card to purchase a car cuts only into their precious little "dealer holdback" which is 2-3%. That's their guaranteed profit should they cut too deep into the invoice amount. A lot of people don't know about dealer holdback.

Our Volvo dealer took it for over 10% of the cost of our car that we picked up in Sweden. Then again, we schmoozed him to no end! And no, we were not taken if by that you mean we paid more than we shoud have, as our Volvo Overseas Delivery price for the car we purchased was almost exactly what the Dealer Invoice was on the car here! Moreover, a true Overseas Delivery pricing plan presents a flat price with no negotiation involved, whatsoever. It is sort of like the Saturn pricing plan for those interested in more high performance cars!

Also, unless you bought your MB a while ago, EMailman, there is absolutely no cost savings on any MB slated for European Delivery, at the present time. Yes, they might throw in some perks, but the price you NEGOTIATE with the dealer here, is the same as if you had picked it up here.

MB changed their Overseas Delivery program a couple of years ago, so there is no cost savings to the consumer where you might pick it up. You may get your car somewhat sooner, though, except for the CLK Convertibles, which are in high demand.

The above is true as of last year, although they may have changed their program, but I doubt it.

Interestingly, BMW has gone back to a cost savings for its European Delivery program.

[This message has been edited by DOC 2 BE (edited 01-29-2001).]

FWIW, I saved the $650 delivery fee.

As I have homes in both Switzerland and the US, it did not matter to me about where I pick them up (last one in Nov 2000).

This option not available to EU residents. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/tongue.gif

They do seem to take less time from order to delivery for European delivery.

I agree that there is little to no financial advantage to a US only resident to the MB program.

[This message has been edited by eMailman (edited 01-31-2001).]

I agree with you about the $650 Delivery Fee, that is a nice chunk of change to save.

Do you know if a US resident saves that if he picks it up? If so, then at goes to pay at least 1 airfare for the European vacation.

The a reason I agree on the Delivery charge is that I had neglected to mention that the Volvo program saves you that, too! I just forgot! And before any of you say that I have not factored in the cost of the Overseas Shipping and Insurance charges, I Have! Those items are already subsumed in the flat rate that Volvo charges you.

Fianlly, I did not include another inducement, but after all this was an AMEX thread, Volvo also gives you free of charge 1 RT airline ticket where you can earn FF miles as well as one free night at a hotel. They do not even have to be in connection with your trip to pick up your car! However, there is a time limit on those items.

All in all, we are quite satisfied with the purchase and, of course, the car!!

Yes, all MB European Delivery vehicles are exempt from the US delivery fee.