Nissan 370Z Forum - A word to the wise when signing papers...

Just thought about this and forgot to post it in my recent purchase attempt thread... be careful what you sign when you have a bunch of paperwork thrown in front of you.

Nissan has a form they title "Privacy Notice". However, this title is highly misleading, and most likely plays on most everyone's impulse to skip over the long, droning privacy notices we've received in the mail for our credit cards, mortgages, etc. The title for this form should be "Public Notice"!

There's actually not a whole lot of text on the page, so it's worth the two minutes it will take for you to read it. The form says, in no uncertain words, Nissan may share (read, "sell") your credit information to 3rd parties who have an interest in knowing all that they can about you. This form is not about how they will safely keep and/or dispose your confidential information, as most have come to expect a privacy notice to do.

You are not legally required to sign this form, nor is Nissan legally allowed to deny your purchase if you choose not to. Some will make a big fuss about it, possibly citing "company policy", etc. but do not fall for the BS. You do not need to sign it, nor do I think anyone should. It provides no valid feedback for Nissan (as other consumer tracking methods might), it only provides them with another source of income at the expense of your privacy.

In the same vein, keep a list of everything you sign while there. If you sign a piece of paper, no matter what it is, do not leave the dealership until they have provided you with your copy of every single document... if the form is not a multiple copy type, request a photocopy (yes, every dealership has a copy machine, and no, it's not broken).

You have been warned!

And yes, I'm guilty of breaking my own rules, usually because I don't keep my mind on the business at hand. I remembered signing this stupid form when purchasing a Cube for the SO only after seeing it a second time while attempting to purchase a 370Z (we couldn't agree on a price). I'm getting better, though...