Card Received in Maryland Today

 

This definately looks like junk mail. The envelope says "You earned it!" with no obvious mention of Mazda (that I could see). But since I always open all mail before dispensing it... I looked at the card. It wasn't one of those flimsy junk mail cards, it looked and felt like a real card. Then seeing the Mazda emblem prompted me to read the letter. Aha, this is the 500 credit. Whew!

 

I suppose there are ways to do that. I think firepay.com allows deposits from American Express. I'm not sure what kind of service charge there is, probably a buck or two. Then you can wire it right to your bank.

 

got mine in the mail today. i thought i might have thrown it out in recent days after hearing the envelope was plain.

 

okay to understand this you need to understand what happens when you pay at the pump.

when the card is inserted at the pump the card is pre-authorized for a pre-set amount. usually that is enough to cover anyone ie big suv's with 2 30 gallon tanks. so the card gets pre-authorized for like $80 or more depending on the station.

then when you finish pumping the actual amount owed gets taken out of the account.

but here is the kicker- it takes a day or 2, and sometimes more to clear thru the banks but the pre-auth can take 7-10 days to come off. so for several days that $80 + the actual $20+ for the gas is not accessible which can lead to bad things like your account being "overdrawn" even though you have enough funds or credit. this happened to me once when i was trying to close an account before my move to oregon. i couldn't get the rest of the funds out of the account until the pre-auth from a debit card gas purchase had cleared and this was 5 days after the funds for the gas had actually been transfered out of my account.

so what they are saying is if you are going to use it to buy stuff use it in a way that does not have to be pre-authorized because otherwise you could say go get gas and then get to the grocery store and be told the card was declined.

 

Yea, I was going to mention that. =)

Either way, I think I would just spend it so I don't have another card..

 

You all so funny....

Actually, I do need a new scanner. What I want more, though are the strakes. So much for the scanner.

 

So U have to spent it ????

 

I already used 80 bucks today

 

Playstation 2, here I come

:D

 

Mine's going for an iPod first, I don't know what I'll use the remaining $100 for. I do need a new pair of sunglasses, maybe I'll do that.

 

on what?

 

What else would you do with it?

 

strakes are on the agenda when I go for my first "free" service....maybe the chrome rotaries front and back, but those seem costly for what you get.

2nd will be a DVD recorder to replace my VCR. I'll probably do that tomight as I've wanted one for over a year and they're at the price ($400) that they would fit well with the Amex card.

 

Got mine yesterday, too!

I think I'm going to spend part of it on the new XM Commander. Not sure about the rest. Oh..... I'm sure I'll find something. :D

 

uh save it, duh. some people might like to save money instead of spending it

 

Just use it to pay for groceries or something else you would have paid cash for, and put the cash you WOULD have spent into savings. Instant $500.

Duh :p

 

I just spent $210 and bought myself a playstation 2

 

6 led bulbs for my rx8

4 white ones and 2 red ones for 40 bucks

gas and smokes


the rest will be for my girl
I'm gonna get her a braclet

 

damn herc i wish i would have known. i have an extra PS2 i could sell you for $100.

 

i wonder whats going to happen if you accidently throw it out? shitttt.

 

Did everyone who has received their card already receive a letter first? If so how much time elapsed between receipt of the two?

 

I'm going to Vegas. USair is running a deal $135 philly to Vegas. Luxor is 85 a night for the days I want to go. $610 total. Travel and hotel will be 110 out of pocket. Of course expenses will be high.
As far as free service, every couple of trips in to the dealership, I will be buying a new factory option to add to the car in lieu of the usual costs. Yeah, so far this preorder thing is working out

 

nope, no letter. Just the card.

 

Well I got the one with the online adapter and a bunch of addons; I bought it second hand also thru a trade/swapping site and I got a great deal. The guy that sold it to me has a 2 year extended warranty on it, so I figure in a year and a half when PS3 is announced, I'll break mine and trade up :P

It was a good deal from my point of view though.