Visa says Dealer has to accept my card as payment for my BMW. Anyone been told NO !?

[jerico68]

Bravo, well done to both sides for working this out. Seems like somebody read my thread from last night. Now the dealership can go on with giving you the best service possible and you can move on to waiting for your baby to arrive. Doesn't it feel wonderful if we can all work together?

[Dan203]

I'm going to still try to put my down payment on a Visa, but I'm not the kind of guy to push the issue. I may try to use it to get a few freebees, but no matter what I'm leaving that dealership with my new car. The $100 or so I'd get in rewards points from my Visa is not worth walking away from a car I've waited two months for.

Dan

[pwillcutts]

Originally Posted by Red135

Since we know who you "me culpa" statement is directed at, why don't you answer me this: when you tell the finance director that you will call VISA and his answer is "fine go ahead" what would your reaction have been? Don't turn your stance suddenly and accost others for the same thing you were previously arguing for. If I had been shown an ounce of courtesy or offered anything in exchange for not using the card I would have taken it.

I'm not sure I'm following you on this. Who accosted who here? I didn't.

I'm not suggesting others don't still try to use their VISA with their dealers. My dealer said NO. In fact, My dealer has this whole thread printed out and in the hands of the dealership owner, so they know my position on this (including the merchant agreement), and their answer is still NO. I tried, but this is their answer. I'm just not looking to carry on a battle over this at this point. I have their answer. Am I happy I can't save $1,700 by using my VISA; No. Should they take my VISA: I think so. Could I drag VISA into this; Yes, and so could anyone else.

Did the dealer not offer you anything? I would think that's the least he can do, as mine did with me, which I did appreciate (small dollars spent as an olive branch to me to keep this business transaction on friendly terms).

[DC135i]

Originally Posted by Dan203

My credit score is over 800 and yet I still paid full MSRP for my car. So obviously your credit score has absolutely nothing to do with the deal you get on the price of the car.

Dan

I received a 2.7% discount off the MSRP, because my bank is Navy Federal Credit Union, and the dealer has a special for NFCU members. That was just over a thousand dollars off the MSRP!! And that's also just around 5% over invoice, which is what you should be paying. :thumbup:

[DC135i]

Originally Posted by Jewpac

As mentioned before that is similar to a cash advance. The interest is usually at a much higher rate than the card is plus it starts accruing the moment it is used and you are not eligible for points or miles by using this form of payment.

I guess I'm very lucky, because I can do a 0%APR and no fees with my credit card, when I use one of their convenience checks

[Jack in Jax]

My, my... All of a sudden, we have the miraculous discovery that merchants have choices. I believe the Tiger has changed his spots...

And DC135i, congrats on picking a stellar credit union. NFCU is a gem, proven yet again with your post.

Jack

[ARES45]

I just want the consumer to be in control. But as long as your happy with the deal you received that is all that matters.

[pwillcutts]

Originally Posted by Jack in St. Pete

My, my... All of a sudden, we have the miraculous discovery that merchants have choices. I believe the Tiger has changed his spots...

And DC135i, congrats on picking a stellar credit union. NFCU is a gem, proven yet again with your post.

Jack

Jack, Call it what you want, No miracles here, this "tiger" has changed his spots by having a direct discussion with his dealer, eye-to-eye, with this whole thread printed and all, and while we agreed to disagree on the legal point of their merchant obligations in regards to VISA, the dealer is willing to make some small accomodations to appease me and keep the peace. Do free floor mats and locking nuts offered by my dealer come close to recovering the $1,700 I could have saved from using my VISA at 0%, of course not. But hopefully they make it worth my while to do business with them over the course of the many years ahead that I plan on owning this new car and working with this dealer.

Most of the point of this thread was simply to find out IF you could use your VISA or if anyone had successfully used their VISA to pay for their whole car.

Did I research the issue with VISA & champion the idea: yes.

Did I get told NO by my dealer, despite my beliefs: Yes.

Did we prove that a dealer has to accept VISA given their merchant agreement? Not really: That point is left unanswered still....until someone pushes the point far enough. VISA Says Yes, Dealer says No. Perhaps someone will really bring VISA into this, as I could have, and we'll find out for sure. Just not me.

Until then.....I'm just waiting for my car to arrive, and hand the dealer my PenFed check in exchange.

(Ditto on the NFCU: they helped my Navy parents and their Navy parents for generations:wink

[imported_saturn]

Seems to me you created a thread, made some big bold statements about bringing VISA into some fight and then backed off when you got found out. Makes no sense to me. It's not a compromise -- you lost.

I don't get why people buy from the dealerships they plan to get serviced at. You can almost always find a better deal somewhere else. Plus, it frees you up to play hardball knowing that you'll never see them again.

[Tom K.]

Originally Posted by saturn

I don't get why people buy from the dealerships they plan to get serviced at. You can almost always find a better deal somewhere else. Plus, it frees you up to play hardball knowing that you'll never see them again.

For many folks, a free service loaner is important. Not all dealers will offer that to customers who haven't bought from them.

Personally, I've used the same BMW dealer for the last 12 years for both purchase and service and have developed a good relationship with them. It's not worth it to me to throw that away for an extra $200 or so off on a new car.

Tom

[Dan203]

Some of us don't have a choice. The dealer I bought from is the only one within 100 miles of me. The next nearest one would have me driving 2+ hours into California.

Dan

[pwillcutts]

Originally Posted by saturn

Seems to me you created a thread, made some big bold statements about bringing VISA into some fight and then backed off when you got found out. Makes no sense to me. It's not a compromise -- you lost.

I don't get why people buy from the dealerships they plan to get serviced at. You can almost always find a better deal somewhere else. Plus, it frees you up to play hardball knowing that you'll never see them again.

The original question on the thread was "Can you use your VISA, has anyone been told NO?" It was a question worth $1,700 in my case, so I created a thread on the topic which apparently others also found to be of interest. Before I even asked, my dealer told me NO. If you want to characterize this as being "found-out", so be it:iono:. I was going to get "found-out" when I proposed the question to the dealer anyways. They just beat me to the punch, by answering my question before I even asked it, and now I know BEFORE taking delivery of my car. Did I "lose": well, I sure can't say I won! But listen: the dealer has been fair to me and got me an early production slot on a hot new model, has been helpful all along the way, but unfortunately doesn't take VISA...like it or not.

You're right, in the end it was not worth my time to continue pursuing this. Had the Dealer said "Yes" to my VISA query, it would save me $1,700....can't blame me for asking in order to try to save that kind of money. VISA may have backed me up, or the dealer may have dropped VISA, who knows. I'm sorry I won't be answering this for you. But Perhaps this thread has nonetheless pointed out some things that may be of use to someone else like yourself who does not want to develop a relationship with their local dealer in order to be able to play "hardball".

At least I'll "win" when I get my car in 2 weeks (I hope!):thumbup:

[BrownBoy]

This may be a stupid question but if you're financing, can you put your monthly payments on your credit card?

[Dan203]

Yeah, but you'd still be paying interest to the bank who is financing the loan. The OP was trying to save a years worth of interest by using his credit card at 0%.

Dan

[BrownBoy]

Originally Posted by Dan203

Yeah, but you'd still be paying interest to the bank who is financing the loan. The OP was trying to save a years worth of interest by using his credit card at 0%.

Dan

I understand that. I was just told at work that you can't pay credit with credit and I wanted to make sure I could. Thanks!

[crzy4135i]

Originally Posted by Dan203

I'm going to still try to put my down payment on a Visa, but I'm not the kind of guy to push the issue. I may try to use it to get a few freebees, but no matter what I'm leaving that dealership with my new car. The $100 or so I'd get in rewards points from my Visa is not worth walking away from a car I've waited two months for.

Dan

I would walk away. As I said before, I can walk up to the parts counter and buy a $1700 carbon fiber rear diffuser or $4k wheels/tires using visa, mastercard or amex. The dealership owner pays the same transaction fee whether selling parts or taking a downpayment. I would never expect them to accept $40k on a card but I would be offended if they didn't accept a few grand downpayment on a card.. especially when paying near full msrp for the car.

Heck, 2.5% of $10k is only $250 and they make around $3600 between msrp and invoice.

[Tom K.]

Originally Posted by crzy4135i

I would walk away. As I said before, I can walk up to the parts counter and buy a $1700 carbon fiber rear diffuser or $4k wheels/tires using visa, mastercard or amex. The dealership owner pays the same transaction fee whether selling parts or taking a downpayment. I would never expect them to accept $40k on a card but I would be offended if they didn't accept a few grand downpayment on a card.. especially when paying near full msrp for the car.

Heck, 2.5% of $10k is only $250 and they make around $3600 between msrp and invoice.

Uh did I miss something? Sounds like the OP was asking that the dealer accept payment of the entire $40,000 by means of VISA, not just the downpayment.

And a question for BrownBoy, unless your credit card not only charged no interest but gave you a rebate as well, what would be the advantage of financing your monthly car payments with it?

Tom

[Dan203]

Originally Posted by crzy4135i

I would walk away.

Well you must have more patience then me. I've been waiting for this car for 2 months, there is no way I'm walking away just because they wont let me earn $100 worth of rewards points on my credit card. I may try to use it as leverage to get them to throw in some free floor mats or something, but there is no way I'm walking away. I'm not that principled.

Dan

[gio]

I wonder if this is why my dealer never charged my deposit on my credit card. When I placed my order I gave the dealer my card number over the phone so he could charge the $1000 deposit on it. A week later I still didn't see it on my card, so I called him up and asked him if there was anything wrong with the order. He said everything was fine and gave me my production number. He said he had forgotten to charge the card and said he would do it that afternoon. He never charged my card and now, 5 weeks later he still hasn't charged it. I wonder if he didn't charge it on purpose so the dealer could save the 2% transaction fee? I'll have to pay the $1000 eventually anyways when I buy the car.

[InsaneSkippy]

Wow's it's kind of crazy what people will do for "dealer loyalty." I guess I don't see the point in being loyal to someone who tries to make as much cash off you as possible. When it comes down to it, they're car salesmen, not friends. They sell cars to people, not VIP friendships that get you below invoice prices on cars.

I personally would NOT have settled for lug nuts and floor mats. Hell I'm getting locking lugs and floor mats and I only paid $1k over ED invoice! But I guess I won't be able to call my CA at 3 in the morning when I think my fluid level may be a bit low..

When it comes down to it, BMW NA demands a certain level of performance from it's dealerships. They're not going to treat you BADLY, if they did, ditch that dealership and report them to BMWNA.

Originally Posted by Tom K.

It's not worth it to me to throw that away for an extra $200 or so off on a new car.

What about $2,000? I saved more than that by switching to another dealership in Florida.


Just remember, EVERYONE will be your friend if you offer them more money!

[Dan203]

I've mentioned this before, but not everyone has a choice in dealerships. The one I'm going to is the only one within 100 miles of me. The second nearest one is in the next state and requires a lengthy drive over the mountains (nearly impossible in the winter) to reach. So I'm pretty much forced to maintain a good relationship with them. Otherwise I have no where else to go.

Dan

[InsaneSkippy]

Originally Posted by Dan203

I've mentioned this before, but not everyone has a choice in dealerships. The one I'm going to is the only one within 100 miles of me. The second nearest one is in the next state and requires a lengthy drive over the mountains (nearly impossible in the winter) to reach. So I'm pretty much forced to maintain a good relationship with them. Otherwise I have no where else to go.

Dan

What about all the people who order their ED cars from Bimmerfest sponsors? There are people who will order their car from all the way across the country. Hell even my dealership that I'm going with is ~200 miles away from me. I guess it depends on what people are looking for in a car purchase. Just as long as both sides feel they got a good deal I guess.