Buying a car getting miles (merged threads)
Dec 1, 2007 | 1:09 am
#91
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Del Mar, CA
Programs: Skymiles, AMEX, Bonvoy, IHG Plat, Alaska MVP 100K
Posts: 600
In addition to putting part or whole on your cc there is Dealermiles (dealermiles.com) If the dealer is a member of the network then you can earn miles on sales, service, etc-but it varies from dealer to dealer. The dealer gives you codes that you enter online through the dealermiles website and they post to your FF account.
Dec 1, 2007 | 9:35 am
#93
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: In the corner plotting world domination
Programs: 1K
Posts: 1,122
No problem. Called Visa and told them I was going to make a large purchase and from whom. Armed with a letter from the legal department at Visa I bought a Jeep Grand Cherokee without any problem. Put the whole amount on my Visa. Accountant at the car dealership was having a problem but i showed the owner the letter from Visa and he gave the approval.
Do your homework first and you shouldnt have an issue
Do your homework first and you shouldnt have an issue
I Googled 'Merchant Agreement pdf' here is the link that came up:
http://usa.visa.com/download/merchan..._merchants.pdf
You might be able to find the necessary information there. Copy the pertinent passages and take them with you or call Visa CS and tell them what you're looking for. If CS can't help, ask for their Legal department.
DD
Dec 1, 2007 | 4:48 pm
#94
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Florida
Posts: 151
Thank you. I printed the applicable pages from the Visa pdf. I also googled Mastercard merchant agreement pdf and got the applicable pages. However it does not appear that Amex has these rules. I can't find them anywhere when I googled. So I guess I will have to use my Visa and/or MasterCard credit cards for the purchase although I really would prefer to use my Starwood Amex. If anyone comes up with a website that would help, please post it. Thanks.
Dec 1, 2007 | 5:47 pm
#95
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: In the corner plotting world domination
Programs: 1K
Posts: 1,122
I'm just back from test driving a Toyota Camry. This dealership - SF Bay Area - is offering 'below Invoice' pricing (from approx. msrp $21,000 down to about $19,000 for the CE model). If they are doing it here, I see little reason why you all can't shoot for similar negotiated pricing if looking for a Camry. Apparently, this deal will be in effect until Christmastime. Form of payment was not discussed.
Good luck!
DD
Good luck!
DD
Dec 1, 2007 | 7:35 pm
#96
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: PHX
Posts: 3,794
Wirelessly posted (LGE-VX8550/1.0 UP.Browser/6.2.3.2 (GUI) MMP/2.0)
Amex doesn't have the same rules per se, but does have a non-discrimination rule. The merchant can't set limits for Amex that don't apply to Visa/MC. So effectively the same rules apply if they take Visa/MC.
Amex doesn't have the same rules per se, but does have a non-discrimination rule. The merchant can't set limits for Amex that don't apply to Visa/MC. So effectively the same rules apply if they take Visa/MC.
Dec 2, 2007 | 5:57 am
#97
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Purgatory
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Posts: 9,236
Apologies for going a tad off topic. In addition to setting a minimum and/or maximum amount for credit card transactions being a violation, it is also a violation to require an additional fee for credit card transactions, right? At least it would seem so based on the contact complaint forms which have that as a checkbox option.
I realize agreements can vary from country to country as laws differ, but would this not apply to low cost airlines such as RyanAir, EasyJet, and others which charge a fee for credit card use?
I realize agreements can vary from country to country as laws differ, but would this not apply to low cost airlines such as RyanAir, EasyJet, and others which charge a fee for credit card use?
Dec 2, 2007 | 6:41 am
#98
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Uncertain
Programs: Korean Air, Lufthansa M&M, SPG ,United Mileage Plus
Posts: 908
That actually depends on what make of car you buy.
I once had a Ford (NEVER AGAIN!!), and was refused warranty work at a different dealer. I pushed it all the way to their corporate office, and they finally relented "just this once." I had moved about 70 miles and the only reason I asked to go to another dealer in the first place was that it was a pain to go to the original. They told me that their policy allowed a switch in warranty dealers only if you documented that you moved further (might have been 100 miles). In the end, it didn't matter where I went -- both dealers were equally incompetent.
Now we drive only Hondas -- and they allow us to take our cars to any dealer we want for warranty work, including any Acura dealer. Of course, we don't have to go nearly as often as when we drove the Fords....
It's no small wonder Ford's struggling to catch up.
On the original topic, I once tried to pay with a CC, and was told it was allowed but I'd have to pay the extra (I think) 3%. FF miles weren't an issue for me at the time, so I didn't bother.
I once had a Ford (NEVER AGAIN!!), and was refused warranty work at a different dealer. I pushed it all the way to their corporate office, and they finally relented "just this once." I had moved about 70 miles and the only reason I asked to go to another dealer in the first place was that it was a pain to go to the original. They told me that their policy allowed a switch in warranty dealers only if you documented that you moved further (might have been 100 miles). In the end, it didn't matter where I went -- both dealers were equally incompetent.
Now we drive only Hondas -- and they allow us to take our cars to any dealer we want for warranty work, including any Acura dealer. Of course, we don't have to go nearly as often as when we drove the Fords....
It's no small wonder Ford's struggling to catch up.
On the original topic, I once tried to pay with a CC, and was told it was allowed but I'd have to pay the extra (I think) 3%. FF miles weren't an issue for me at the time, so I didn't bother.
Ford...never again?> dont you know that Ford=Fix Or Repair Daily?
Dec 3, 2007 | 2:52 am
#99
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Programs: UA 1K, DL Plat
Posts: 576
AMEX' lays it out in their Operating Procedures for U.S. Merchants under Section 8, Special Industry-Specific Procedures:
8.4 Motor Vehicle Sales
"We will accept Charges for the down payment or the entire purchase price of new and used motor vehicles only if:
Oh, and for the sake of staying on topic, last February I bought a Chrysler 300C (with Hemi!) and put $5K down on my Visa. Got 10K miles, plus a 10K miles bonus, plus 2.5K "Citi Dollars" (Not sure if $5K was a charge limit or not... that's all I was going to charge anyway).
8.4 Motor Vehicle Sales
"We will accept Charges for the down payment or the entire purchase price of new and used motor vehicles only if:
- [*]
- [*]
Oh, and for the sake of staying on topic, last February I bought a Chrysler 300C (with Hemi!) and put $5K down on my Visa. Got 10K miles, plus a 10K miles bonus, plus 2.5K "Citi Dollars" (Not sure if $5K was a charge limit or not... that's all I was going to charge anyway).
Dec 3, 2007 | 6:20 pm
#100
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: PHX
Posts: 3,794
It would, but as you said, local laws differ. The UK prohibits such restrictions, so merchants can impose them if they want there.
Dec 5, 2007 | 2:36 pm
#103
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Location: LAX/TPE
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Did you threaten to report them to the CC issuer or have a copy of the MA which essentially requires them to accept the card? If you had a backup deal elsewhere, it might have been worthwhile to try that approach to see if they would fold their hand.
Jan 3, 2008 | 2:50 pm
#104
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: In the corner plotting world domination
Programs: 1K
Posts: 1,122
Once you come to an agreement on price, can they then refuse to sell you the car after you insist on using a credit card to pay? It seems to me that this would circumventing the spirit of the Merchant Agreement.
Should we just pick up and move on to another dealership and hope they won't do the same thing?
Does anyone have any experience with this?
DD
Should we just pick up and move on to another dealership and hope they won't do the same thing?
Does anyone have any experience with this?
DD
Jan 4, 2008 | 11:05 am
#105
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Boston, MA, US
Posts: 307
I have absolutely no patience with car dealerships and their tactics, few relatively recent experiences below:
Went to Toyota dealership wanting to test drive Camry -- the sales person wants to go through his BS worksheet trying to match my needs to the appropriate car. My answer to "Why I am interested in Toyota?" question was: "Whenever I buy a new car my wife always takes it and I don't get to drive it. She will absolutely not drive or be seen in Toyota, so it would work for me." Refuse to answer any questions about whether looking to finance/ lease/ pay cash etc. Finally have test drive -- car was fine enough and I tell the sales I guy it's ok enough and I would be willing to buy it at the advertised special price (have the ad with me). He said there's no way to get it at that price, I say there's no reason to talk about anything else then and raise the speed up to 80 MPH on highway on my way back to the dealership. Guy tries to talk other good deals, I remain quiet and just leave with my friend once at the dealership with promise to contact State AG's office for false advertising (not that I actually bothered).
Local VW dealership advertises special price on Passat - the price is close to $5000 less than anyone else can do. We meet all the criteria (loyalty, grad, etc. discounts) and call ahead to verify that the ad car(s) is/ are on the parking lot. My wife and I get to the dealership and they tell that the ad car is still in the shipyard, but we could test drive one almost like it. We refuse and walk out, manager runs after us and magically announces that someone just brought the car to the dealership. We do test drive, my wife likes the car... I tell the sales people that we will pay the ad price, not penny more. They start doing the paperwork and about 10 different time I catch them cheating/ changing the numbers. Final straw was some BS $300 fee they came-up at the last step -- I took and ripped all the completed paperwork into thousand pieces and then threw it towards the waste basket.
Dealership called my wife back the following day and asked whether we wanted to make the deal. I told that if they changed a penny we'd walk again -- that evening we got out car in about 30 minutes after arriving.
**Sorry for OT posting as credit cards really weren't an issue here**
Went to Toyota dealership wanting to test drive Camry -- the sales person wants to go through his BS worksheet trying to match my needs to the appropriate car. My answer to "Why I am interested in Toyota?" question was: "Whenever I buy a new car my wife always takes it and I don't get to drive it. She will absolutely not drive or be seen in Toyota, so it would work for me." Refuse to answer any questions about whether looking to finance/ lease/ pay cash etc. Finally have test drive -- car was fine enough and I tell the sales I guy it's ok enough and I would be willing to buy it at the advertised special price (have the ad with me). He said there's no way to get it at that price, I say there's no reason to talk about anything else then and raise the speed up to 80 MPH on highway on my way back to the dealership. Guy tries to talk other good deals, I remain quiet and just leave with my friend once at the dealership with promise to contact State AG's office for false advertising (not that I actually bothered).
Local VW dealership advertises special price on Passat - the price is close to $5000 less than anyone else can do. We meet all the criteria (loyalty, grad, etc. discounts) and call ahead to verify that the ad car(s) is/ are on the parking lot. My wife and I get to the dealership and they tell that the ad car is still in the shipyard, but we could test drive one almost like it. We refuse and walk out, manager runs after us and magically announces that someone just brought the car to the dealership. We do test drive, my wife likes the car... I tell the sales people that we will pay the ad price, not penny more. They start doing the paperwork and about 10 different time I catch them cheating/ changing the numbers. Final straw was some BS $300 fee they came-up at the last step -- I took and ripped all the completed paperwork into thousand pieces and then threw it towards the waste basket.
Dealership called my wife back the following day and asked whether we wanted to make the deal. I told that if they changed a penny we'd walk again -- that evening we got out car in about 30 minutes after arriving.
**Sorry for OT posting as credit cards really weren't an issue here**