Car Dealership Shops---Is Showing ID required?

Dumb question, but...when you go to the dealer, is it like the apartment shops, where you are required to flash them your ID?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/18/2015 07:48PM by OceanGirl.

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Usually yes if you are having a test drive, you can even expect them to make a copy of it. I assume mostly for insurance purposes. Otherwise, just for shopping around, no.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/18/2015 08:03PM by jnoyolapicazzo.

If you are going for a test drive the SA is supposed to make a copy of your license. In fact, in some states, that is by law.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

Oh, I know they'd never let me behind the wheel without getting some idea of who I was. I was just wondering about shops which don't necessarily require test drives. Thank you, walesmaven and jnoyolapicazzo.

You'd be surprised. I've done a whole lot of test drives--even on luxury cars--where they didn't so much as ASK if I had a license or insurance. I guess I have a trustworthy face.

But just in case, if I know I'm going to take a test drive, I do give my real name when I introduce myself.

"The future ain't what it used to be." --Yogi Berra

I have enjoyed the browsing around and getting some information shops. I have done a few where I was to negotiate prices and will never do that again. Life is too short to be hammered by six dudes in the car salesman's cubicle about why if this price isn't low enough I should go buy a used Toyota and they have a 12 year old one on the back of the lot they could let me have for my price. I have mostly avoided test drives.

The responses pretty much cover your question.

If you are not driving, nor applying for credit, the dealer has no legitimate reason to be asking for your ID. If they let anyone drive that does not have a valid ID it is a huge insurance issue. Plus, since you should have a sales person going along on the drive, it helps to protect them. Believe it or not, bad things happen sometimes to us car sales persons. People would also steal cars if ID wasn't required, no ID no insurance claim.

Last month a customer test drove alone, had an accident. Since they did not have a sales associate with them, and did not have full coverage, we now have to seek legal recourse. Potentially someone may lose their job over this as the rules were not followed. Thus, my job means more to me than being lazy or afraid to do things the correct way.

If applying for credit, proof of identity is required. You couldn't guess how often someone asks us to run their mothers, sisters, husbands, etc... credit. Nope, not legal.

My posts are solely based on my opinions and for my entertainment, contact a professional if you need real advice.

When you get in debt you become a slave. - Andrew Jackson

Also in some places be expected to show a valid insurance card when doing a test drive.

There are reasons that a body stays in motion
At the moment only demons come to mind

Usually, yes. Also have your insurance card on hand just in case.

I have done a few test drives here in Canada for various MSCs, and they always make a copy of my license. The first MSC I did a job like this for had written in the instructions, "You may give a fake name." Thank goodness I didn't do that because, sure enough, the dealership copied my license. When I did the report I put a note at the top with asterisks that using a fake name would not work because of the license being copied. The second time I did a test drive for that same MSC, the fake name sentence was still there. I haven't done any others for that MSC since, so I don't know if they finally changed it or not.

I do a lot of shops where I test drive and that is when they ask. However, I also know that they have your information still on file no matter when you go back, they are not supposed to but they do.

@Khalliburtons wrote:

I do a lot of shops where I test drive and that is when they ask. However, I also know that they have your information still on file no matter when you go back, they are not supposed to but they do.

Depending on the laws, they might be required to retain proof they checked your identification. As long as that information is properly stored and protected, they can keep it forever if they want. If your credit was checked, I believe the US Federal requirements are to provide proof the check was legitimate for up to 10 years. That means securely archiving the signed application and all related documents for 10 years.

As far as your publicly available information, they keep that on a database to track you, which is legitimate. Just keep that in mind when shopping a franchise, or the same location in the future. If you lie about never being there before, they know otherwise.

My posts are solely based on my opinions and for my entertainment, contact a professional if you need real advice.

When you get in debt you become a slave. - Andrew Jackson

I did 2 two of those 2 visit negotiation shops (That do not have a test drive). First dealer, no Id asked for, no issues. Second dealer, same scenario different car company. The salesperson was not terribly nice and treated me pretty terribly, and demanded Id.. Wasn't any way to avoid it other then to abort the shop and likely get a flake citation.

I'm curious, has anybody ever considered getting a fake ID? Age would stay the same (or possibly closer to your appearance if you look significantly younger, etc.), just a name change.

That is an area where I would not dare to tread. Consider the fraud aspect and then consider the possible outcomes. If you don't want to share a valid ID, don't take shops that definitely would or even likely would require it.

Anyone who handles IDs on a regular basis would be able to spot it "like that," I would think. When I was a cashier as a youngin' I used to catch students trying to buy beer with fake IDs all the time; some of them were really nice, professional-looking ones. Always, there was something a little off with each one.

I would imagine that getting one that was undetectable would be very expensive and, thus, not worth it.

Also, when I broached the subject with several MSCs a few years ago they stated that if I used a fake ID they would cancel my contract and let other MSPA member MSCs know. They all cited their potential legal problems.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

A couple of months ago I was doing a shop at a multi-brand dealership. The salesperson was putting my information into the computer and mentioned it was already there because I'd purchased a car from one of the other brands about 15 year ago.

@Khalliburtons wrote:

As far as your publicly available information, they keep that on a database to track you, which is legitimate. Just keep that in mind when shopping a franchise, or the same location in the future. If you lie about never being there before, they know otherwise.

Happiness is not a goal; it is a by-product. Eleanor Roosevelt

If you take a test drive it should be.

If I'm on a shop where there's no test drive required, I'll take my ID out and hold it so the address is covered, and politely tell the salesperson that's all they need to see unless we decide to take a test drive or go further. I find with car salespeople that you need to be willing to exercise control when necessary.

"To be persuasive we must be believable; to be believable we must be credible; to be credible we must be truthful." Edward R. Murrow

Thou shalt not steal. I mean defensively. On offense, indeed thou shall steal and thou must.--Branch Rickey

You need to exercise more control than covering your address. Unless I'm involved in one of the very few interactions requiring ID, mine doesn't even come out of my purse.

Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.

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Car Dealership Shops---Is Showing ID required?

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