I'm surprised you could get away with #3. I just figured you had to get a salesman (with some sort of unique ID code or whatnot) to sign the form.

As for #2, as long as you position it as the salesman's call, I think it's ethical. Basically, the offer got you to show up at a dealership, willing to drive a Lincoln. That was the purpose of the promotion. The salesman can then make the call as to whether or not he thinks you are a real buyer.

On the Buick one a few years ago (for a Marriott cert), I showed up and was totally honest with the sales guy: I saw the promo online, wanted the certificate, was willing to take a ride in a Buick with him, but really wasn't in the market to buy the car. I felt like that was the most ethical thing to do - more ethical than pretending to be a serious buyer and wasting 30 minutes of the salesman's time.

The guy signed my form and sent me on my way.

The underlying questions: Was it ethical for me to even respond to the offer, knowing I wasn't going to buy a Buick? Was it ethical for the salesman to take the easy way out for both of us by not making me take the test drive?

I don't know...I would think that if you asked the marketing team that launched the campaign to begin with, they'd say "Yes, please respond, please come to the dealership and drive a Buick, even if you know you aren't a buyer right now. It's worth the Marriott certificate to us to get you to experience the brand - even if it doesn't immediately pay off with a sale right now." But they'd probably also tell their sales guys "Get these Marriott Fans to drive the cars! Don't let 'em out the easy way."

So, this leads us back to the car salesman being unethical. Whoa...stop the presses for that breaking news!!