Know Your Credit Score: First Rule of Auto Purchasing

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What’s the first thing you do before you head into the dealership to purchase a vehicle?

That’s the question that Gerri Detweiler wrote on a post for Credit.com.  She found herself in a position many car buyers have been in of late.  Due to the recession, car owners are holding onto their used vehicles for longer thus driving up the price of pre-owned due to scarcity.  She was forced to look into the new market and wasn’t entirely certain how to start.  Thankfully, her husband had the experience and guided her into the process.

She has provided some solid advice on what to do when new to the market and the questions you should ask yourself before even setting foot in the dealership.  The very first one you should ask is the one that’s not the most obvious.  While certainly things you should know, such as knowing what you can afford, checking with Kelley Blue Book to estimate your trade-in value, or going through Edmunds and other report sites to see the best car for you, the one that you should know first is your credit score.

For whatever reason, this one gets lost in the mix.  Not knowing your credit score is the first step to disaster when shopping for a new vehicle.  Gerri Detweiler found a great quote from Phil Reed who used to work for Edmunds in which he said, “So what happens is they go directly to the dealership without checking their credit scores – which is not a good thing to do – and their attitude is “get me done.”

Knowledge is always power when it comes to negotiating with interest rates.  By knowing your credit score, you’re already one step ahead of the bunch.

Looking for an auto loan?  Check out Bayside Chrysler Jeep Dodge in the Queens New York area.  We offer quality customer service to all who come through the door.  Works with us and you’ll see why our slogan is “We love to say yes!”  Follow us on Facebook and on Twitter for more tips and advice and our monthly specials!

Interest Rates Remain Low as Auto Sales Increase

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Comerica Bank releases a report every three months known as the “Auto Affordability Index.”  What the report does is take the median income for a family in the US and the average price of a new car and compares them to see how many weeks it would take to finance the purchase.  The most recent one brings good news to people who are having a difficult time due to having bad credit.

Auto Credit Express breaks down the report in their latest blog.  An averaged-priced new vehicle took 23.6 weeks of income to buy.  Buyer spent $900 more on new vehicles in the fourth quarter of 2012 than in the third of the same year.

Even though there was a rise of late in prices, sales continue to be very good.  Some of that is due to an up-tick because of Hurricane Sandy forcing many drivers back into dealership to replace destroyed cars.

What that means is that demand is rising and so will be interest rates.  As of right now, you can still get yourself a great deal.  If you’ve needed to purchase a vehicle but have been holding off, now is the time to take advantage of the affordability before it goes up.

Contact us at Bayside Chrysler Jeep Dodge and see why we love to say yes.  We’ll help you find the new or pre-owned vehicle that suits your life-style.  Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for all our monthly vehicle incentives.

Used Car Prices Going Down

ID-100121023Car sales have been up.  There are a lot of reasons why this is happening.  One is that the average ages of vehicles are at the point where it’s cheaper to replace them rather than repair them.  Another, one that’s closer to heart here in New York, is because of Hurricane Sandy.  New Yorkers had their cars wrecked by the super-storm and were forced to get back in the market in the aftermath.  This influx of buyers caused the prices of used-vehicles to surge.  The used-car market has had a hard time keeping up in both inventory and by seeing the cost come close to that of a new car.  Not the best deal for someone looking to purchase pre-owned.  Thankfully, the higher cost is coming to an end.

Fi-magazine.com has the breakdown of why the analysts see a shift coming.  Before the beginning of the year, prices were already starting to go down, but Sandy broke that trend.  February showed that the market was finally getting away from that upswing, as the price for a used-vehicle was averaged at $9,752.  That figure is down 2.8 percent from the month of January.  The exception to the drop was the Mini SUV segment that went up 1.9 percent.

The sales figures for used vehicles remain strong as the year goes on.  The franchised dealers were up by 11.6% in February and the independent dealers were up 4.4%.

If you’ve been having cold feet about coming into Bayside Chrysler Jeep Dodge due to the recent news of increased used-car prices, there’s no need.  Now is the best time to come in and work with the dealership to leave in the vehicle that best suits your needs.  We love to say yes!  Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to see more news and special monthly offers.