Author Topic: Client Information and Dealerships (Read 3164 times)

BradT · « **on:** November 25, 2010, 10:42:42 am »

I went to a dealership quite a number of years ago and spoke with a sales representative about a vehicle at that time. I cannot remember if I test drove a vehicle or not, but gather that I did and most likely had a photocopy of my license taken for the test drive. Anyway, I received a card in the mail from the sales person including his business card indicating he was now doing something other than selling cars. He is no longer employed by the dealership in question and hasn't been for some time. Are salespeople able / allowed to take my personal information out of the dealership and use it for potential personal gain after their employment ends? I am upset that my information has been "taken" from the dealership by that individual. Do I have any recourse for this happening?

Mike · « **Reply #1 on:** November 25, 2010, 10:49:07 am »

Quote from: BradT on November 25, 2010, 10:42:42 am

I went to a dealership quite a number of years ago and spoke with a sales representative about a vehicle at that time. I cannot remember if I test drove a vehicle or not, but gather that I did and most likely had a photocopy of my license taken for the test drive. Anyway, I received a card in the mail from the sales person including his business card indicating he was now doing something other than selling cars. He is no longer employed by the dealership in question and hasn't been for some time. Are salespeople able / allowed to take my personal information out of the dealership and use it for potential personal gain after their employment ends? I am upset that my information has been "taken" from the dealership by that individual. Do I have any recourse for this happening?

I would believe that the information is for the dealerhip only. I know they will cold call you, send initations, emails, etc. This however is a whole different matter. I would contact the GM or owner of the dealership as I am sure they would be interested in knowing this is happening. I would expect it causes them liability as well and would like to have a word with this ex-employee

Gardiner Westbound · « **Reply #2 on:** November 25, 2010, 11:15:55 am »

Some salesmen ask to photocopy a shopper's SIN, driver’s license, or to swipe his credit card. All are unnecessary, carry undue risk, violate federal and provincial privacy legislation and are contrary to police identity theft warnings. Identity thefts have been traced to car dealers. The salesman may verify your entitlement to drive and write down your name and address. He is not legally permitted to record license or other numbers or make a photocopy.

Do not present identification or sign anything that will enable the dealer to surreptitiously run a credit check unless you are applying for a loan, and then only after you have hammered out the deal. The better your credit rating the more you will pay, because you can! Multiple credit checks will negatively affect your FICO credit score.

See the attachment.

EV Dan · « **Reply #3 on:** November 25, 2010, 03:09:04 pm »

I don't think an ON dealer will let you test drive anything unless they get to copy your DL. Any different experiences?
They say it is for insurance purposes.

Mike · « **Reply #4 on:** November 25, 2010, 03:31:23 pm »

Quote from: DanYanoff on November 25, 2010, 03:09:04 pm

I don't think an ON dealer will let you test drive anything unless they get to copy your DL. Any different experiences?
They say it is for insurance purposes.

It is. There was a huge rash of thefts on test drives (in the GTA especially) in the past. Salesmen went out on test drives and were then told to get out of the car at gun/knife/fist point. The car would then be driven straight to a shipping container for export. It happen(s) way more then you think.

ArticSteve · « **Reply #5 on:** November 25, 2010, 04:38:07 pm »

Quote from: DanYanoff on November 25, 2010, 03:09:04 pm

I don't think an ON dealer will let you test drive anything unless they get to copy your DL. Any different experiences?
They say it is for insurance purposes.

There is no way to validate whether the license has been suspended so it's not primarily for insurance purposes, but rather to test the commitment of the customer to buying. If the customer refuses to have their license photocopied then the license info can be written down by hand. If the customer keeps with the objections then they get the boot. Go bother someone else.

Gardiner Westbound · « **Reply #6 on:** November 25, 2010, 05:17:01 pm »

Federal and provincial Privacy Commissioners are unsympathetic. Car dealers violate consumer privacy rights at their peril.

Bubba · « **Reply #7 on:** November 25, 2010, 05:31:36 pm »

Quote from: articsteve on November 25, 2010, 04:38:07 pm

If the customer keeps with the objections then they get the boot. Go bother someone else.

If you're not legally entitled to my private information, you are not getting it.

ArticSteve · « **Reply #8 on:** November 25, 2010, 06:12:23 pm »

WE DON"T CARE.

tpl · « **Reply #9 on:** November 25, 2010, 06:26:18 pm »

if I was a car dealer I'd want to know if a test driver had a valid licence AND not too many points on it.

Bubba · « **Reply #10 on:** November 25, 2010, 06:29:16 pm »

Quote from: articsteve on November 25, 2010, 06:12:23 pm

WE DON"T CARE.

And you wonder why dealerships have the reputation they do, folks.

Ex-airbalancer · « **Reply #11 on:** November 25, 2010, 06:56:57 pm »

maybe they should stop having test drives and have rentals instead people can rent the car for a day

ArticSteve · « **Reply #12 on:** November 25, 2010, 07:30:34 pm »

And you wonder why dealerships have the reputation they do, folks.

ha ha Go get yourself a brand name store and then let me know what your feelings are on the subject.

Anyone in RETAIL understands what a mash of morons, idiots, nutters, evil doers, what have you that comprise a significant percentage of the buying public. 1 out of 5 adults in the US have mental health issues so claims a recent study this week that I am to lazy to provide a link to. All these ppl end up in car dealerships. Husband and wives that despise each other. PPL who claim that their credit is A1 and it comes back that they are in their 2nd bankruptcy.

Anyone in the retail side of the car business knows one thing: Buyers are LIARS.

ArticSteve · « **Reply #13 on:** November 25, 2010, 07:49:02 pm »

Quote from: airbalancer on November 25, 2010, 06:56:57 pm

maybe they should stop having test drives and have rentals instead people can rent the car for a day

Even though that sounds sensible it would put a participating dealer out of business. To sell a car before the store next door does, you gotta get ppl into the vehicle. And to do so means that you cannot ask them dig into their pockets at that point.

footlong58 · « **Reply #14 on:** November 25, 2010, 07:59:13 pm »

Don't salesman use it for proof for their sales managers that they are actually trying to sell cars and not just taking up a cheap cubicle? I'd imagine they'd say look chief! All these photo copies I have, they all said they'd be back, please don't fire me!

And then when you don't come back they cold call you and act all intimate and understanding, showing you that they even remember your name, when in reality they are just reading it off the photocopied license...

Ahhh, the joys of buying a new car.

Bubba · « **Reply #15 on:** November 25, 2010, 08:08:04 pm »

Quote from: articsteve on November 25, 2010, 07:30:34 pm

And you wonder why dealerships have the reputation they do, folks.
1 out of 5 adults in the US have mental health issues so claims a recent study this week that I am to lazy to provide a link to. All these ppl end up in car dealerships.

And, apparently, 100% of that 1 out of 5 end up in the retail car business.

Based on the attachment that Gardiner posted earlier, if the dealer wants to examine my license, write down my name, address and phone number, go right ahead. They will not be allowed to record my DL number or photocopy my license.

I wonder if dealerships that are part of a chain could do multiple credit checks on the same person, just to damage their credit score, then charge them higher interest rates.

ArticSteve · « **Reply #16 on:** November 25, 2010, 10:56:33 pm »

I wonder if dealerships that are part of a chain could do multiple credit checks on the same person, just to damage their credit score, then charge them higher interest rates.

You and Mr. Gardner should form a website together on how never to take a test drive.

Dealers DON'T run the credit checks unless they are financing the deal with their own cash which is super rare.

The LENDER's run the credit checks. If ppl have medium to low scores it's very common to tap two lenders and usually 3 and no guarantee of approval.

Therefore 3 hits on the credit file within a few days at just ONE store.

Bubba · « **Reply #17 on:** November 25, 2010, 11:14:56 pm »

Quote from: articsteve on November 25, 2010, 10:56:33 pm

You and Mr. Gardner should form a website together on how never to take a test drive.

To quote your hero, "just watch me".

ArticSteve · « **Reply #18 on:** November 25, 2010, 11:43:37 pm »

Who

Donald Trump !

"Winklovic, you're fired"

Scarecrow · « **Reply #19 on:** November 26, 2010, 07:20:06 am »

I once read that some dealerships in the U.S. were using the information from a person's driver's license to run a credit check on them, while they were out on a test drive. That way, by the time you got back, they knew a lot about you and your ability to pay. The downside was that your credit rating will suffer if too many vendors run credit checks resulting in no credit being offered (which is easily what could happen if you were comparison shopping from dealer to dealer).

Mind you I've never heard of this being done in Canada. Maybe it's happened, but I've never read about it.