Originally Posted by
chris_in_sunnyvale
Not true, as I'll explain below...
Your strategy works (and it's a good one), but not for the reason you think. The parts & service department is almost always a separate business entity from the sales department, so indeed the sales department can refuse credit cards while the P&S department can continue to accept them.
perhaps makes sense to call ones CC company ahead and ask whether dealer's sales department accepts CC (or better yet get it in written, fax/letter)?
If proven they have CC contract and sign car purchase agreement, I do not see any way out for them...
On other hand, if one signs an agreement with dealership and late finds it doesn't accept CC (even if its separately structured service department does), then I don't see way out from such contract for a customer as well...