FAQ Index

Choosing the Right Vehicle and Equipment

Vehicle Pricing
How can your Internet/Fleet department offer such low prices?
Is the Internet Price the actual selling price of the vehicle?
What is a dealer invoice?
What are advertising assessment fees?
Is invoice price the same as dealer cost?
What is a destination charge?
What is MSRP?
What are Customer Incentives?
What are Advertising Assessment Fees?

Vehicle Availability
What if the vehicle I am interested in is no longer available?

Financing
Applying for Credit
Leasing Vs. Buying
The benefits of leasing vs. purchasing
The benefits of buying vs. leasing
Am I committed to use the Financing once approved?

Trade-In Values
How can I determine the value of my trade?
Should I trade-in my vehicle or sell it myself?

Choosing the Right Vehicle and Equipment

Since you'll probably own or lease your vehicle for a number of years, it's important to get the right vehicle and the right equipment for your needs.

• How will you use the vehicle? Personal use, business use, recreation, or other?
• How will it fit your lifestyle?
• How many passengers will you need to carry? Will this number change in the near future?
• What type of terrain and roads will you encounter: highway, city, off-road, or all of the above?
• Will you need to pull a trailer?
• What are your cargo space needs?
• What type of performance level is required?
• What type of fuel economy is required?

Vehicle Pricing

How can your Internet/Fleet department offer such low prices?
The Fleet/Internet department offers the most competitive price upfront. The use of technology and the Internet lowers operating costs, and the savings can be passed on to you.

Is the Internet Price the actual selling price of the vehicle?
The Internet Price does not include state and local sales tax, advertising charges and rebates or incentives. Since these amounts vary by city, state, consumer, and date. It is always best to contact us to get a specific "out the door" price for the vehicle chosen.

What is a dealer invoice?
A dealer invoice, also called a factory invoice, is the bill an automobile manufacturer sends to a dealer for a particular vehicle the dealer acquires for the purpose of selling. A genuine dealer invoice always shows the name of the manufacturer, the name of the original dealer who ordered it (name may be different from the dealership that the customer is visiting due to dealer trades/inventory balancing etc.), and the vehicle's identification number, or VIN.Listed on a dealer invoice are the charges the dealer must pay the manufacturer for a vehicle, and also the price that the manufacturer recommends that the dealer charge consumers when selling the vehicle.

What are advertising assessment fees?
These are fees are charged to every dealer to cover the cost of local group advertising and selected incentive programs. This fee is not reflected in the invoice price of a given vehicle, however it is added to the factory invoice price.

Is invoice price the same as dealer cost?
No, invoice price is different from dealer cost. Dealer cost is comprised of invoice price plus additional expenses associated with selling the vehicle. These added costs include interest (''flooring charges'') the dealer pays to finance the purchase of a vehicle from the manufacturer, vehicle insurance, sales commissions, dealer advertising and other business-related costs. The longer a car remains unsold on a dealer's lot or in a showroom, the greater the dealer cost for the vehicle.

What is a destination charge?
Delivery, or ''destination charge'', is the amount a manufacturer charges a dealer to deliver a new vehicle from the factory to the dealer. This charge varies between different manufacturers and sometimes even between models from the same manufacturer. The destination charge for a given vehicle is the same amount for every dealer in the entire country -- whether the car has to travel across town to a dealer in Detroit, or across the continent to a dealer in Los Angeles. And because it is a fixed, unavoidable cost to a dealer, destination charges are not negotiated.

What is MSRP?
The Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) is a vehicle's retail selling price as recommended by the manufacturer.

What are Customer Incentives?
When the supply of vehicles is greater than demand, a manufacturer may offer price reductions in the form of rebates or special financing to help dealers sell them.

Rebates are refunds made to customers by the manufacturer. Rebates can be "national" and apply to all customers or "regional" and apply only to residents of certain states or regions of the country. Typically, a customer can choose to have the rebate amount mailed to him or her after the purchase, or the rebate can be signed over to the dealer and immediately deducted from the purchase price of a new vehicle. However, sales tax still applies to the full price of a vehicle, not the price after the rebate has been deducted.

Special Financing or Leasing is typically offered as an alternative to a Rebate. Financing incentives are only available through the Manufacturer's Finance Company and are subject to ''Credit Qualification''. Be sure to ask the Dealer what rebates and finance or lease incentives apply to specific vehicles.

What are Advertising Assessment Fees?
This is a fee charged to every dealer to cover the cost of local group advertising and selected incentive programs. This fee is not reflected in the invoice price of a given vehicle, however it is added to the factory invoice price of every new vehicle.

Vehicle Availability

What if the vehicle I am interested in is no longer available?
We work hard to update our database to match the vehicles available at the dealership. If a vehicle you request is unavailable, chances are we will be able to locate it within 48 hours.

Financing

Applying for Credit
When applying for credit, the lender will need to complete a credit review of your credit history, verify the amount and source of income, and verify your place of residence. If your credit history and/or income are insufficient to acquire the financing, the lender may require a co-signer to share responsibility for the finance contract should you be unable to make the payments on your own. If you think this condition may apply to you, you should identify a co-signer before you apply for credit. To facilitate the application process, you should plan to have on hand:

• Your social security number
• Recent pay stub(s)
• Your last W-2 statements
• Drivers license
• Verification of residence-such as copies of utility bills if you've lived at your current location less than three years.

Leasing Vs. Buying
For some, the decision to lease or purchase can be a complicated one. Both methods have their advantages. The right plan for you will depend primarily on how your vehicle requirements match up with your financial situation. Outlined below are the benefits of each method to assist you in making the decision that's right for you.

The benefits of leasing vs. purchasing

• Monthly payments are usually reduced.
• The need for cash down payment is reduced.
• Upgrading to a more expensive model is easier.
• It's easier to benefit from the latest technology.
• No obligations/liabilities when returning the vehicle at lease end, assuming there are no Excessive Wear and Use and/or Excessive Mileage Charges.
• Buying the vehicle at a fixed price is an option.
• Less hassle at trade-in time.

The benefits of buying vs. leasing
Some potential advantages to financing (purchasing) the vehicle:

• Vehicle ownership upon final payment.
• No mileage limitation.
• No penalties for Excessive Use or Wear.
• No limitations to vehicle modifications.
• Insurance rates may be slightly lower.

Am I committed to use the Financing once approved?
You are never obligated to use the financing offered to you. Final rates and terms can still be adjusted to fit your needs until you sign the Finance or Lease contract as part of the vehicle purchase process.

Trade-In Values

How can I determine the value of my trade?
There are many online resources such as www.kbb.com that may help determine the value of your trade, however each vehicle is unique and requires a thorough examination to determine specific trade-in value. Factors that influence the value are vehicle condition, local market conditions, vehicle equipment, color and mileage.

Should I trade-in my vehicle or sell it myself?
If you choose to sell it yourself, you may get a price close to retail, but you'll also have to do all the work, including paying off the loan (if applicable), finding a buyer, and transferring the title-all of which consumes substantial time.

If you trade-in your vehicle with a dealer, the amount you get for the trade will most likely be less than retail, because the dealer will need room to re-sell your vehicle to a used car wholesaler or sell it themselves on their lot at an operating profit.

However, there are substantial advantages to trading in your vehicle, because the entire process is handled in one place and usually in one visit. Your dealer will handle the loan pay-off (if applicable) and transfer of title for you. In addition, some states offer tax advantages to trading in your vehicle. In these states, the sales-taxable amount of the new vehicle purchase is off-set by the trade-in value resulting in a substantial.