Credit Card Down Payment for a leaf?

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NissanLeafCamper

Well-known member
Joined
May 22, 2015
Messages
205
Location
Los Angeles California
Hi Guys,

I'm looking into getting a used 2013 leaf that costs 11,000. How willing are dealers to take a down payment with a credit card?

I want to pay the car down with a combination of cash+check+credit card payment. My thoughts would be:

5,000 Cash
3,000 - 4,000 Check (From my bank as an auto loan)
4,000 Through a credit card

I think that like any other merchant credit card payments incur a charge for the merchant, so I would think they are less likely to take a credit card payment, but what do you guys think? 4k from a credit card and the rest cash/check? thoughts?
 
It will depend on the dealer. I was able to pay the full down payment on my Leaf on my CC for $2900. The sales guy did kind of hesitate for a second when I asked to put the full amount on my CC but he took it and made it happen.

My previous car was bought from the same dealer about 3.5 years ago and they would only allow $2500 max to be put on a CC when I wanted to pay $8000 with it.

When you get 1.5% cash back on your CC, you try to use it for everything. :mrgreen: :geek:
 
LeafMuranoDriver said:
It will depend on the dealer. I was able to pay the full down payment on my Leaf on my CC for $2900. The sales guy did kind of hesitate for a second when I asked to put the full amount on my CC but he took it and made it happen.

My previous car was bought from the same dealer about 3.5 years ago and they would only allow $2500 max to be put on a CC when I wanted to pay $8000 with it.

When you get 1.5% cash back on your CC, you try to use it for everything. :mrgreen: :geek:
Click to expand...

Great to hear! Did you pay the rest of the car in cash? Or did you take out a loan with the dealer? I'm not going to take out a loan with the deal but instead with U.S. bank. They will give me a check and I'll pay my bank. I plan to essentially buy the whole used car right off the bat. I just want to put some of the money, 4k+ , on my credit card. It makes me wonder if they will be more willing if you are buying the whole car and giving them cash + check in the process. would I even have any bartering power to lower their sale price even if I pay this way?
 
NissanLeafCamper said:
Great to hear! Did you pay the rest of the car in cash? Or did you take out a loan with the dealer? I'm not going to take out a loan with the deal but instead with U.S. bank. They will give me a check and I'll pay my bank. I plan to essentially buy the whole used car right off the bat. I just want to put some of the money, 4k+ , on my credit card. It makes me wonder if they will be more willing if you are buying the whole car and giving them cash + check in the process. would I even have any bartering power to lower their sale price even if I pay this way?
Click to expand...
With the Leaf, I leased so I didn't owe anything else besides the $2,900. With my other car, between the CC and cash, I paid for half and took a loan on the other half.

I'm not sure if dealers really care about people paying cash for cars these days. I know many years ago you had more bargaining power with it but I don't think that's the case any longer. Before the Leaf and my other Nissan, I paid cash for my previous 6 cars.
 
dgpcolorado said:
vwDavid said:
My dealer allow $5k on my CC.
Click to expand...
Same with the dealer I used: $5000 was the limit for credit cards. I just financed the rest because the interest rate was less than what I earned on my investments.

It might be different for used cars though.
Click to expand...

Ah, I see. So then you think they accept less credit card payment for a used car? POssibly? Best way would be to call them up. Will they let you know over the phone? I hate it when they ask you to come in and shooooweeeeerrrrr you with a lot of push and shovvling to sell the car and other things right away.
 
NissanLeafCamper said:
Ah, I see. So then you think they accept less credit card payment for a used car? POssibly? Best way would be to call them up. Will they let you know over the phone? I hate it when they ask you to come in and shooooweeeeerrrrr you with a lot of push and shovvling to sell the car and other things right away.
Click to expand...
Try emailing them to ask.
 
I didn't use a credit card for the leaf, but I did a couple years ago on another car.
Had an employee that was CRITICAL to us, but she drove a POS car that was sucking her money, and she kept missing work.

Got frustrated, and took her to the Hyundai dealer.
I put a $2000 down payment on my credit card, she filled out all the loan paperwork, and she drove off in a new car.

Well, 2 days later, I got a call from the dealer, and her financing was not approved.
They tried lots of tricks, but no go.

We went back to the dealer, and I pulled out the Credit card again (Counting my airline miles in my head)
They said that I couldn't pay for the car with a credit card.

I said the choice was theirs.
The credit card was 100% guaranteed money in the bank, deal complete; game over...... or, I hand them back the Keys, they refund my deposit, and we walk across the street (literally) to the KIA dealer and see if they want to make a no-fuss, no-muss car sale today?

They took the credit card after several simulated? discussions in the back.

End of the month... car dealers WILL make you a deal!!!
if you truly can and will walk away.
 
KillaWhat said:
I didn't use a credit card for the leaf, but I did a couple years ago on another car.
Had an employee that was CRITICAL to us, but she drove a POS car that was sucking her money, and she kept missing work.

Got frustrated, and took her to the Hyundai dealer.
I put a $2000 down payment on my credit card, she filled out all the loan paperwork, and she drove off in a new car.

Well, 2 days later, I got a call from the dealer, and her financing was not approved.
They tried lots of tricks, but no go.

We went back to the dealer, and I pulled out the Credit card again (Counting my airline miles in my head)
They said that I couldn't pay for the car with a credit card.

I said the choice was theirs.
The credit card was 100% guaranteed money in the bank, deal complete; game over...... or, I hand them back the Keys, they refund my deposit, and we walk across the street (literally) to the KIA dealer and see if they want to make a no-fuss, no-muss car sale today?

They took the credit card after several simulated? discussions in the back.

End of the month... car dealers WILL make you a deal!!!
if you truly can and will walk away.
Click to expand...

Hi GUys,

I read all of your replies and they are all really helpful. I'm really new to the whole buying from a dealer thing, this is actually going to be my second car first was from private party. I did call a few dealers around and they do seem to take 3000 to 5000 in credit card though one did say up to 10000! Though I was told today by one that if you do pay with CC they add about 3% more to the cost. One dealer want to charge me an invoice price (total price) or 13,480 something for a 11,000 leaf model sv :(. Says he can't lower price. I'm going to see if I can find a model S. Another dealer said their prices were NON-NEGOTIABLE. talk about feeling shut down . none were nissan or big dealers though. No big brand name dealers. Still trying here and staying hopeful
 
I know this post is old but I thought I would ad my thoughts. Don't give up hope getting a car, and remember that everything is negotiable because your the one with the CASH. They will need to lower the price of the car to fit the demand of the market.
 

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