Ta Performance!!

Discussion in 'The Bench' started by 455regalmike86, Mar 2, 2003.

  1. hey guys, now don't get mad at me or n e thing cuz I don't mean to bash or badmouth n e thing. But i think we need to figure out something with TA performance. Now I have nothing but great respect for the company as their products are great and they are prolly the best manufacturer for buick parts today. But...There is one thing, and I hope I am not the only one who thinks this, but I am not a fan of their not accepting cards that are setup to a checking account. I was very disappointed that i couldn't use my visa check card to purchase parts and that i had to pay for it by COD, which wasn't a problem till i couldn't order my headers by COD terms. So...I had to charge over 300 dollars on my mom's credit card. Now yeah maybe I should get one but..I am only 18 and I Am sure a good bunch of you know what happens when u are 18 with a credit card.:Dou: So i figured i could get a check card from visa so I could use that and not worry about debt before I was 21. Now I am sure that TA has a very good reason for this. But if there is anyway possible i am just asking that they find a way to process it or even get online ordering to make ordering parts easier and alot more fun. Once again I am not critisizing or complaining just trying to make a point that will maybe help us all out....Thats for listening guys. Mike:TU:
     
  2. 73Electra 225

    73Electra 225 Well-Known Member

    Are you sure about that? It is my understanding that a debit card (Visa/Mastercard) is acceptable wherever Visa/Mastercard is accepted, no exceptions. If you use it for over the phone purchases, you don't even need to say its a debit card, since you are using it as a credit anyway (not using a pin). I use my debit card as a credit card 99% of time. Their Visa machine shouldn't know the difference I think. Now I could be wrong, but I would ask your bank and find out for sure.
     
  3. Eric Schmelzer

    Eric Schmelzer Well-Known Member

    Thats exactly how my debit card works. If I use it for purchases (only when my other cards are maxed) I just tell them that it is a credit card and it works just fine.
     
  4. No, TA does not accept debit(check) cards. They've spelled out the reasons in another thread, and it is very legitimate. Remember, you do not have the sames protections with a debit card that you have with an actual credit card. With a credit card, you are liable for only the first $50 of fraudulent charges if someone should steal your card and use it. There is no such limit of liability with a debit card. Fortunately you were able to use a parent's card and repay. I would think you could also mail TA a cashier's check or money order, and they would accept that as payment also. A money order should get your order shipped right away.

    Look at it this way. If I stole your debit card, I could go to a store with it, spend all the money in your checking account with it, and you would have no protection to get any of it back.

    TA "COULD" accept debit cards, but they choose not to, to protect us, the customer from fraud. I don't have a problem with that.
     
  5. Dan Healey

    Dan Healey Well-Known Member

    David, you're right

    I never use mine for that reason, plus they can clear out more cash if you have overdraft protection! Debit cards are crap and I only carry one for the cash withdraw option (if I get in a jam).:Smarty:
     
  6. Buick Power

    Buick Power Well-Known Member

    Michael, there is another thread were I explained the debit card issue just a few days ago.

    If you don't mind some advice about credit cards and credit in general at your young age:

    Being that you have the money in your checking account, what would work great for you is to get a secured line of credit from Visa or Mastercard. In essence what it is, is a credit card that you allow them to hold your $$, and draw from that. This is a great way to start your credit and not run into the risks of debit cards, (more and more companies will be restrickting their use). What you would do is make arrangements with Visa and Mastercard and send them an amount of money, I think $500 is the usuall. Then from there you will be able to use the card as a normal credit card upto your $500. If you continue to maintain a positive balance with them by sending in payments to cover your purchases in about 6 months they will switch it to un-secured. This is a great way to establish credit and to begin building a great credit rating.

    Now for the disclaimer (of sorts) I highly recommend that you not get carried away once you have established credit, try your best to make purchases that you can pay off at the end of each month. This is definately easier said than done, I can testify to that.

    Happy Motoring,
    Dave
     
  7. Re: David, you're right

    I like to use my debit card for all of my local purchases, unless I need a float day... :Dou:
     
  8. makes sense

    Dave....Well the reason seems to make sense. But i just didin't want to run of the risk of debt ad a young age. Perhaps I should look into getting that established limit thing. I guess if i got one and only planned on purchasing what i could afford things would be better. Well now that it's all said and done i understand the reason, and once again I don't mean to bash TA for any reason..they are a great company and i continue to purchase parts from them in the future. Thanks everyone
     
  9. Buick_350X

    Buick_350X Guest

    Get a Paypal.com credit card. not a true debit card as the money comes from either your bank account or the real credit card on file, and paypal is not a bank. so it not a debit card.

    -Matt
     
  10. stagetwo65

    stagetwo65 Wheelie King

    Don't use your debit card for mail order! Trust me, even if it's a reputable company. If they make a mistake it'll be ten times as hard to straighten out and while it's getting straightened out, you'll be missing the money from your checking account. This happened to me a couple of years ago with JW tansmissions in FLA. They accidently shipped me a flexplate for external balance a week after they shipped the correct internal balance one. They charged me for the second one as well as the first, which caused me to bounce two checks, since both wheels went to my buddy's shop without me even knowing there were two of them charged against my account until it was too late. If I had charged them on a credit card I could have disputed the charge and it would've been taken off the bill until it was resolved. In my case I had to work backwards. JW didn't want to believe I hadn't ordered the second one, and when they did, all I got was the price of the wheel. I called to complain about the shipping charge not being refunded and they had the nerve to tell me: "We don't refund shipping on returned items". I screamed that "I didn't even order the damn thing". Eventually the company's owner's daughter, who runs things down there said she would refund the shipping and the two $30.00 bounced check charges, but she never actually followed through on it. I got tired of all the long distance phone calls and finally quit trying, which is probably exactly what she wanted. BE WARNED! Only use your debit card in a place you are prepared to go back to and raise hell if there's a problem. Take it easy, Doug.
     
  11. 86t-type

    86t-type Well-Known Member

    I purchased some stuff from them about 4 months ago with a credit card (not a debit card) and they would only send if i signed for it on my end when it got here. Otherwise UPS would not leave it. Kind of inconvenient ,being i had to make sure someone was home to sign.

    John
     
  12. Yardley

    Yardley Club Jackass

    The answer is obvious...

    If you were going to pay for you parts with a debit card that pulls money from your checking account, just withdraw funds from your checking account and send TA a money order for the parts. It is a little slower because they must first get your $$$ before shipping the goods, but it is the same thing as a debit card. Only slower.

    And it works great if you need to hide funds from the Mrs. and then pay cash for the parts.....:bglasses:
     
  13. That's why I have all my Buick-related purchases shipped to my work address. That way our receiving guy is always there to sign for stuff. Too bad everyone can't do that I suppose. Of course, another benefit is I can sneak parts home when I know I can put them away before "you know who" sees them!
     
  14. Except you just spilled the beans! Of course, it WILL go thru, that doesn't mean they are required to accept it when they know it is a debit card.
     
  15. Time to establish credit

    well I on;y planned on using my debit card on places such a summit racing and what not. I have used my debit card for a ton of things online. Never had a problem (knock on wood) I think maybe it's time ti get a credit card and establish some credit cuz I am gonna need it n e way. I'll just think about it as a debit card and only buy what i have the money to cover, this was I have a good credit rating. I work as a bookkeeper for a supermarket managing large amounts of money a day, if I can't establish credit at 18 I am pretty much screwed in time to come. LOL
     
  16. GSXMEN

    GSXMEN Got Jesus?

    Michael (and everyone else),

    The advice that Dave from TA gave you, is an incredibly valuable tip in building a strong credit base!!!:Smarty:

    I pull peoples credit every week (hopefully - every day), for people trying to get a loan to buy or refinance a home!! I can't stress highly enough, the importance of building strong credit!! There is no fun in having to tell someone, that they can't afford the house they found because their credit is lousy!

    I commend you for not wanting to 'rack up' high credit card debt!! Very smart thinking!! :TU: However...since you're only 18, this is a perfect time to learn about what builds strong credit...and at least as important - why you need it!!:Smarty: Properly used...credit is a good thing!!

    Two of your biggest purchases in your life, will be a new automobile and a house. In order for that to happen, you need two things: money (duh..right?) and good credit! Without the good credit...no money!:Dou:

    In order to build strong credit, you need to obtain some kind of credit - it could be (as Dave suggested), a secured credit card with a modest limit, a department store charge card, Home Depot (or similar) card, etc. You get the idea.

    The key is to force yourself to exercise some serious restraint!!:TU: Don't use the card(s) unless you can pay off the balance at the end of the month!!:Smarty: As Dave also stated - easier said than done!:Brow: If you develop good habits now...you'll be set for when those big purchases become a reality!!:bglasses:

    On a related subject...don't get caught up in the 'got to have it' mentality that too many of us have unintentionally adopted!:Dou: Learn from our mistakes, without having to make them yourself!:Smarty: Find the car you like and stick with that one until it's done!!! This may be the biggest 'trap' any of us fall into!!!:Brow:

    I wish someone had drilled that one into my head when I was your age!!:) (You don't even want to know how many cars my brother and I have!!!) And I don't necessarily mean that in a good light... :rolleyes:
     
  17. FJM568

    FJM568 Well-Known Member

    Dave from TA, correct me if I'm wrong, but I think I've been told that if the purchase is less than $100, then UPS can leave the package w/o a signature...Over $100 and you have to sign for it...

    The only problem I see with this is, who only purchases less than $100 worth of Buick parts??? :eek2: :Do No: :Dou: :rolleyes:

    :grin:
     
  18. rh455

    rh455 Well-Known Member

    The focus on credit establishment isn't the issue. Some cards work both ways, you can use it for credit or debit. I personally hate the inconvience of a credit card bill, then having to pay it again online(which you could have done with the credit/debit card to begin with)and pay interest/fees. Some banks don't offer credit/debit cards. They work like a debit card, you can use it at an ATM for any banking need and you can use it as a credit card. The money comes straight from your account. No bills, no check writing, no online payment to a credit card company.:TU:
     
  19. Buick Power

    Buick Power Well-Known Member

    There is no such thing as a credit/debit card. You are either using your money or their money, which are two different cards. If you use your money they are not all that interested in protecting the purchases because there is not much profit in it for them. If you are using their money, you bet they are going to protect their investment. It is a very misleading line "you can use it just like a credit card anywhere credit cards are accepted". Yes YOU can use it the same way, but THEY don't process or secure them the same way as a conventional credit card. I DEFINATELY can appreciate anyone who is able to have the cash on hand for making purchases (vice credit). Like I stated earlier you are better off in all regards by using a conventional card and paying it off regularly. You will benefit in multiple ways. Get an air mile card and not only will you have all the security features of a conventional card, but you will build or continue to build credit worthiness, still incure no interest by paying off every month, but at the end of the year you will have enough air miles credits to pay for your airfare when you go on vacation. I'm not telling anyone how to run their finances, but the ways I have mentioned are alternatives to the debit type cards.

    Dave

    P.S. TA Performance has probably 1000 or more parts that are well under $100. Seals, gaskets, rings, bearings, lifters, bolt kits, etc.
     
  20. rh455

    rh455 Well-Known Member

    Dave

    What I'm trying to say is however you use your card, the money still comes from your account. If you have overdraft protection, you're in even better shape. Accidental over charge still comes from your account. If TA choses not to accept debit cards, hey that's fine. Other people do. I could care less about building more credit. I have more than I'll ever need because I've already established my credit and prefer to pay cash or debit card. Some of us don't live near any place to get a money order. I'm building two motors at present. If I order an engine kit and a set of Stage 2 heads, I certainly don't want to pay Visa one months interest because I could have use my own money. What's wrong with holding the order a couple of days until the cash clears to your account? Everybody wins. If I place a big order and have to use a credit card, it will cost me to do business with you. I do like TA and plan to spend a lot of money with TA. I have already bought everything for my 494 motor except the heads. I'd like to think that TA could find another method of payment as to not inconvience their customers. I would not have a problem with holding my orders a few days until the money clears. From a business stand point, I can appreciate where you're coming from as I'm sure TA has been stiffed before. As a business person, you can't be successful if you accept bad payments(or get stiffed). But, you need to consider other factors. Customers do have an opinion and a choice. I would hope that TA does understands this. The business world is an ever changing environment and over the last few years, it's becoming the customers' market. At least in my business. I'm not by any means trying to disuade customers from using your business, but merely trying to make you guys understand that flexibility makes customers.:TU:
     

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