Aside from ROI elsewhere and limiting the rate of return on a dead investment…
Assuming MSDs are permitted/allowed by the dealer and they charge 0 fees to use a credit card - is there a benefit to paying the MSDs with a credit card (to max on points) vs a check for example?
If there’s no fee, then charging to a credit card (and paying it off on your first statement) would net you whatever rewards your credit card offers (miles, cash back, etc.). That depends entirely on what credit card you have.
For any cash at signing, I’d prefer paying by card instead of check for that reason. Every bit helps toward frequent flyer miles and medallion status!
Like you said, CC rewards. Some dealers have a limit to what they will allow on CC due to fees, my last lease I was able to put the entire MSD payment on my card and get 2% cash back for the privilege of floating 30 days.
1 Audi dealer: max $2500 Apple Pay
1 Audi dealer: max $5000 Apple Pay
1 Audi dealer: max $5000 credit card (remote signing)
1 Lexus dealer: $6250 Apply Pay (didn’t say max)
My Toyota dealer allows $3k to be paid on a card. Always smart to do so and get points/miles. Some brands have their own cards that get you even more points when purchasing their products.