I sell insurance to Auto Dealerships-
1. It is against the law for them to run your credit without letting you know they are- you have to sign for it
2. None of my insureds will let you test drive unless you agree to the following:
- Provide with a CURRENT drivers license (some also require proof of insurance).
- Follow a PREDETERMINED test route
This is for insurance purposes. We require them to do this. If we didn't, when you get in a car to test drive and you hit someone and killed them, the dealership would be putting themselves at risk.
Now SOME dealerships (and I love these ones) will run a quick license check (which, again, they have to tell you) so that they know if you have a DUI or suspended license. Again, insurance reasons.
I have a dealership we can't touch right now because someone test driving hit a family of four, permanently disabling the mother. He had two prior DUIs and a suspended license- and guess who that family of four is going after? Not the idiot!

Just some thoughts on test driving.

What Honda did you have? I had a 90' civic, put about 70,000 miles on it myself in 5 years and it still is going strong. I think it's at 130,000 at this point but it's a baby, still.

Ya that makes more sense. I can see a dealership wanting to run your driving record to make sure they're not letting some maniac behind the wheel of one of their vehicles, but they have no business running your credit unless/until you're making a purchase that you're financing through them.

Well, if you've ever added up all of the costs associated with a DUI, it's no WONDER they're not going after him - he's probably more than broke, and some lawyer told them they could.

I actually understand what she is saying and I'm in the same boat. I may be forced to take over my uncle's Liberty that is in my father's name because he can't drive it anymore. Since I'm trying to get rid of my piece of shit Liberty, I told my parents that I refuse to make the payments if I have to drive that. Since I'm paying for my next car myself, I want something that I WANT, not settling for something else.

And your general statement is just that- general. And not a good one. I know plenty of people with money who start out at a "junior college" because they don't know what they want to major in or because there are programs there that are actually pretty good. You're just looking for a reason to be a bitch right now.

It was a CRX-HF...on the highway, I could get 45 mpg. BTW, when I sold it to a friend, he drove it another 30,000 miles, then gave it to his nephew. If the bottom hadn't rusted out, the nephew would have still been driving it. Turns out, my brother hired nephew this year.

That is illegal. I work for a lending institution, and no credit can be pulled without a signature. Also, how can they pull credit without SSNs (Ohio pulled SSNs off DLs)?

BTW...I didn't sign anything. They just made a copy of the DL.

She basically said "How dare you call me a middle-class college student", so I just put out my reasoning for my assumption: her previous statement, and the fact that she went to a college that just recently became 4 year. Are all people who go to Jr College poor or middle class? No. But most are not rich-rich, and if a college student could afford a Ford Expedidtion, I would put them in the "rich-rich" category.

I agree with all; it is illegal.
While I can not say it is being done today, it was being done just a few years ago.

Her statement that:

i'm not interested in a honda again because I have to buy the car all by myself this time

seems to have read to quite a few of us that "I am not interested in a Honda because I have to pay for the car myself and can't afford it." Hondas are "expensive" relative to other types of cars. Someone who makes a statement inferring they can't buy a Honda and then says they want a $30,000 SUV seems to have their priorities out of whack.

And I still want to know what's WRONG with her Honda that it's dying with that low of a mileage. Japanese cars are super troopers unless you drive them like crazy.

Ok we are ending this "feud" now

I am now a proud owner of a 2007 Chevy Trailblazer. Just got it today from the dealership and i'm happy.


Geeky, btw the Trailblazer and Honda are actually close in price since I got the previous year's model and not a brand spanking new one. :)

QFP