Buying X5 but salesman refuse to take credit card deposit

[Quicksilver]

Once again with my BFAM.....
With this one exception please don't cuss em out......

Originally Posted by motordavid

Something's amiss at that Stlr...
Most any dlr on the planet will take a legit CC for a deposit/hold,
and few will actually "place" the charge.

In a debit card, that deposit is zinged out of your bank acct.,
and if that stlr dwadled, he could "hold" your deposit dough
until he got around to "releasing" that debit; in the meantime,
your bank acct. is reduced by that debit amount.

I'd tell the GM of that stlr that he's running a shaky operation...
if not satisfaction then, I'd tell 'em to F off.
And, tell the board of this fine dlr, too!
GL,mD

[rh71]

Something to consider (from carbuyingtips.com)

DO NOT let Dealer "A" locate your new car from Dealer "B"... Don't do it!

We get the most complaints about this. We discourage car buyers from letting Dealer A get your new car from Dealer B. Sometimes due to geography and lack of dealer coverage while buying a car, you may have no choice. Some dealers routinely locate new cars for car buyers and make them quite happy. But 99% of the time I hear complaints from buyers about this. The complaint ratio is so close to 100% that we tell you to always avoid this situation. It's a crap shoot and the house always wins. I suggest you just find out who Dealer B is and go buy a car from them. One dealer told me the best advice if a Dealer A offers to locate a your new car from Dealer B, don't sign anything until you've seen the car, or sign a letter of intent that the contract is not binding until you have seen the car and given your ok. I always hear of games and scams when dealer A has the car shipped from dealer B, because of towing costs, and dealer A loses the holdback to the original Dealer B. All sorts of fees show up. Even worse, the wrong car shows up and you are stuck buying car you don't want because you put down a deposit! I also get lots of complaints about missing MSRP stickers, which is a felony. You'll eliminate these issues if you buy a car from the dealer who has the car. Search all the dealer web sites for their inventory. Before you give ANY money, be sure you have a written buyer's order from them clearly stating what new car you are buying, the VIN#, the color, and all the options, so there is no doubt what you are paying for. If they give you bogus lip service about "not knowing the VIN# yet", they are lying.

[Quicksilver]

And always always specify in writing that your deposit will be 100% refundable within a specific amount of time if for any reason the sale cannot be completed by either party.

Originally Posted by rh71

Something to consider (from carbuyingtips.com)

[motordavid]

Semi-OT...I've bought a few cars having the local selling dlr search and find the car...never a problem.
In fact, our current '01 X5 was done the same way: the selling dlr back in NY found our car
at a BMW dlr in Hickory,NC; we wanted the 5 spd manual, sport, prem, cold, etc. and there
was one in the country. It got put on one of those BMT covered carriers and we had it
delivered in 4 days via the selling dlr in NY. The "transportaion cost" was the same as if we
had found it on the local BMW dlr's lot. Worked fine, fwiw.

Note to QwkAg: I'm trying to reduce my "screw'em" 'tude, lol!
BR,mD

[y5choi]

fishy.........

[AzNMpower32]

My parents used their credit card for a deposit on their Honda Civic in Dec. '06. No issues there, so talk to the general manager.

With a good reputable BMW dealer, locating a car from another dealer is fine. I did a referral for a friend who wanted a 325i back in March '06. My sales rep did a dealer exchange at port for the 325i that they wanted and my friend paid $800 over invoice.

With my uncle, it's another story. The sleazy dealer in NYC claimed to have located an Acura MDX they wanted and said they would have it within the month. He put down a deposit, and the car never came. It was a classic case of dealer pressure. The dealer kept pushing them to take another MDX with more options they currently had on the lot. They ended waiting for 2 months and then paid more for the MDX on the lot. Had I been there and done all the negotiations for them, I would have given that dealership a piece of my mind for ripping off my uncle!

Back OT, I would definately talk to the manager; unless you've maxed out your card, I don't think there's a reason why they can't put the deposit on a CC. Otherwise, go elsewhere. There are many honest dealers willing to do business with folks.

[nynd]

Sometimes dealerships think that they will go through the process of bring the vehicle (in which case it cost them money) and then think that you may decide otherwise after seeing the vehicle or change your mind and cancel the charge by calling your credit company. Hence, they're stuck. With cash in hand, there is no worry for them.... this is my thinking anyways.

[statdoc]

I got screwed by a Mercedes dealership due to a more convoluted dealer trade issue that I didn't even know about when it was actually happening. I paid $500 down for a new MB M500. Was told repeatedly that the delay (several months!!) was because of one factory issue or another. After I canceled the deal, got my money back and bought the X5, I discovered the real story was they got my ordered MB in on time, but had already done a dealer swap in another state for another vehicle. They hoped to keep me on a string long enough to get another to satisfy me, while essentially selling mine twice. Needless to say, I will never buy another vehicle from that dealership again.

[Quicksilver]

We went further with the credit card thing. Our purchase was contingent on using my Amex for part of the purchase so we could rack up points.
Dealer was fine with it.

[X5 Meister]

Basically the dealer wants to make as much money on the deal as possible, so he wants to avoid paying the credit card company. Otherwise there is no reason not to take it. Don't believe me, ask him for a free sunshade ($40 retail) and he'll likely say no. Cheapo.

Using a credit card for a purchase (like Quicksilver said) is a great idea, just don't expect a dealer to let you cover any significant portion of it. I've never heard of them going more then $5,000 - $6,000 max.