If you’ve decided that now is the right time to buy a vehicle, you have several options (not counting your cousin Eddie who lives down the road and has a “sweet ride” just waiting for you), including a dealership or online.
Dealerships offer consumers the chance to walk a lot and experience a range of vehicles in person. You can sit in a truck to get a feel for the visibility on the road, check the overhead clearance on that sports coupe you’ve been dreaming about, or measure the storage space of an SUV to make sure it can haul your family of six plus luggage. Despite those benefits, there are often limited vehicle selections, and complicated or opaque financing and contract terms. If you still prefer the dealer experience for hands-on shopping, Navy Federal’s Car Buying Service, powered by TrueCar®1 can optimize your visit by providing advanced vehicle searches and upfront pricing.
The truth is, the dealer experience leaves a lot to be desired. As more and more savvy customers turn to online options, dealerships have struggled to keep up and offer a competitive product.
Navy Federal has been helping servicemembers and their families navigate large and small financial issues and milestones since 1933. Buying a car is no different, with Navy Federal’s suite of resources and tools designed to take your shopping experience to the next level, without all the hassle.
Navy Federal’s Auto Loan calculator can help you estimate the monthly payment of your next ride. Enter the purchase price, down payment, term and interest rate among other factors to see how different loan terms, down payment amounts, and other variables can impact your monthly payment.
If your credit score isn’t that great, don’t worry. In addition to great rates2 and financial tools, Navy Federal offers resources with tips you can use to help improve your credit score or lower your credit utilization.
Remember, the higher your score is, the lower your loan interest rate could be. A poor credit rating is a FICO score between 300-579 (out of 850), while anything over 800 is outstanding!
After you’ve figured out what you want to spend on a vehicle, the next step is to decide what type of car you want to buy. Navy Federal’s Car Buying Service, powered by TrueCar1, can help you price used and new vehicles by zip code anywhere in the country, letting you compare models in different areas to help you get the most value for your hard-earned cash.
How does Navy Federal’s Car Buying Service work?
The first step is deciding whether you want a new or used vehicle. Then pick the body style you are looking for: Sedans, SUVs, hybrids, electrics, and more — a wide selection of brands and models are available. Pricing for features is clearly displayed, so you can see real-time options for your dream machine.
Then you’ll select the features and accessories you want, and TrueCar can even show you what others have paid3 for similar options, so you can feel confident in the quoted price.
If you don’t want to get into that level of detail you can also let TrueCar pick the most popular default build, selecting interior and exterior colors, preferred accessory packages, and best of all, showing you the additional price for premium options as you build your perfect vehicle. No guesswork.
If you’re in the market for a used vehicle instead, The Navy Federal Car Buying Service also allows you to search the inventories of local TrueCar-certified dealers.4
If you’re already a Navy Federal member, bonus incentive offers are also available from manufacturers on select vehicles, with some as high as $5,0005. That’s a lot of gas money!
Once you’ve found the best vehicle for your needs, check out Navy Federal Credit Union’s great rates2 on auto loans. If you qualify, they go a long way to keeping more money in your bank account after you drive off the lot.
Ditch that dealer and let Navy Federal and TrueCar help streamline your car-buying process this summer so you can get back to focusing on the things that really matter, while we handle the rest.
Enjoy the road this year, from our family at Navy Federal Credit Union.
This article was sponsored by Navy Federal Credit Union. Navy Federal Credit Union is federally insured by NCUA.
1 TrueCar operates the Navy Federal Car Buying Service. Navy Federal is not responsible for any offer, purchase, lease or service provided by or through the Navy Federal Car Buying Service.
2Credit and collateral subject to approval.
3 TrueCar provides a market average for cars like the one you want, based on actual recent transactions by other buyers. Additional information regarding the calculation of TrueCar’s Market Averages is available at navyfederal.truecar.com.
4 TrueCar Certified Dealers are contractually obligated by TrueCar to meet certain customer service requirements and complete the TrueCar Dealer Certification Program.
5 Availability and amount of special incentive offers are subject to change.
This content is intended to provide general information and shouldn’t be considered legal, tax or financial advice. It’s always a good idea to consult a tax or financial advisor for specific information on how certain laws apply to your situation and about your individual financial situation.