Hi everyone,

I've been checking out this site for over the past month and a half now, and I am dying to get my hands on a IS 250 now. But as of today, I became a little discouraged with the Lexus dealership.

Here is the deal...and my question.

I walked into the Lexus dealership, Lexus of Glendale (in Milwaukee, WI), and I told the car salesman that I was looking to pay with a check that I have from Capital One for auto financing. He had no problem with that at all, and stated that he only did the check thing once, and wasn'y familiar with how the process goes. Once we get down to number crunching, I mention to him that he can check their financial department to see if they can beat my interest rate for my auto loan. When the salesman comes back he says that they do not take checks, and they do not take them because it is a hassle on their end. Furthermore, they try to get me to apply for their financing. Long story short, I walked out on the deal because they were .5 % over the rate I have already been approved for.

The question:

Have you guys/gals ever heard of an auto dealer not accepting a check that approved and ready to go? Moreover, do you all think that it is only this dealership, or is it all Lexus dealers?
The salesman only "think" other Lexus dealers may be doing the same thing.

Thank you in advance for your comments.


Damn...I almost had an is250 today!

 

I tried to use the same thing when I bought my 350. They wouldn't take it either. At first I thought it was a way to get me to finance it through the dealership but then hey explained t to me that is really not a check. Its some sort of document that ties up their money such that they don't receive it for a length of time. So she took the document and sent in to Lexus Financial and they matched the rate. So long story short don't fault them for it. It's not truly a "check"

 

I've never heard of a dealership that doesn't take checks. Some dealers do require a certified check to protect themselves against insufficient funds, stop-payment orders, etc.

 

Pure, unadulterated BS. They are just ignorant, lazy bums who would rather lose a sale than not have the buyer finance through them. Take your business elsewhere.

A check is a check. Some of these dealers feel they are getting screwed by buyers coming in with cheaper financing than what Lexus is offering, so they have cooked up this 'we don't take checks' nonsense. When I bought my car I owed them $30,000 as a down payment. They had no problem me taking the car with ZERO down but me agreeing to paying them within 48 hours with a personal check. No talk of 'certified' check nonsense. Try another dealer. This is the kind of shenanigans you expect from Detroit, but not Lexus.

Even if the check would bounce (and any dealer with a Finance Department that is worth a grain of salt can check this before turning over the keys to you), they still have title to the car. Their downside is minimal.

 

That dealership is on crack. I would take my business elseware.

I bought my IS250 using two checks. One was a from OCTFCU (written out by me) and the other one was a personal check from me. I even told them not to cash the personal check in 5 business days because I needed time to transfer funds into my checking out so the check wont bounce. They were absolutely okay with my request.

I even asked them if they could beat my APR through my CU which is 5.65%. They didnt even want to try because they knew they couldnt beat it.

 

i have been to north shore lexus there ****ing outragiuos the pricing is off the wall try jack safro

 

The dealership I used wouldn't take a credit card (debit) for my down payment. I had to send them a check.

 

Hey i used a Cashiers Check in the amount of 24,000 and they didn't have any problems taking that either. It was at Park Place Lexus in Grapevine, TX.

 

They just want you finance through them so they get thier kick back from the finance company, capital one finance is one of the leading financial isntitutions, its the same as a credit union certified check or a check from any other bank for that matter...... lazzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzy!

 

ROFL, i went to lexus and wrote my personal check for the full ammount with a tshirt with holes in it/really faded black shorts/3wk beard/slippers, and they were just smiling at me the whole time Never had a problem once

 

This is the kind of crap of why Lexus, the company, needs to audit these dealerships. So there are only 2 dealerships in my area, both owned by same owner. So dealership 1, screws up the delivery (long story) 3 times. I spoke to their finance dept on the first visit and was told they only work through Lexus financial and could not get me a better rate than 7%. So I got a Capital one blank check and after the failed delivery attempts, went to dealership number 2, the finance guy there tells me they go through multiple banks for rates and not just Lexus financial. He then gets me a rate that beats the capital one rate. I told him about what their sister dealership told me and he was confused as to why they would have told me that. So I am assuming it is up to the dealerships and what mood they are in.

 

I signed a 15k check for my down payment @ Lexus of S. Atlanta. The dealership called my bank to verify sufficient funds and I was driving home 30 minutes later.

 

OP -that's a total BS. They probably just want you to finance with them. I purchased my car using a personal check - not a deposit - but paid in full amount and had no problem. You were using a financial institution to finance your car so they know it will be covered. They usually question personal checks in such a substantial purchase but not from a reputable financial institution. I would do the same and take my business somewhere I'll be treated with respect.
BTW, I think you could report this "unusual" behavior of the delearship to Lexus HQ.

 

Wow....don't take that. My grandparents and my parents have always paid with cash (check) no problem. In fact the dealer is more then happy to take our checks. lol

 

heaven forbid that the customer actually is trying to get a good deal out of his financing rather than take his luck w/ the dealer. that sucks and i'm glad you walked.

I had a similar thing happen to me when i got my GS300 (06). got a great deal at the time like 500 over invoice. the night of the deal i scheduled a time to come in and we start the paper work. the internet sales guy comes back and says the sales manager wont do the deal unless you go through our financing. I was so pissed because he knew he had me, i just wished i could redo that moment i would have done what you did and told them to shove it.