Monday, December 18, 2006
An Introduction to Automotive Credit Cards
Credit card rewards have been around for quite some time now and they are quite popular. There are many to choose from and one of the newest is automotive credit cards. These cards pair automotive manufacturers with a major credit card company. A person earns rewards towards the purchase of their next vehicle or other products from the manufacturer by using their automotive credit card.
Each automotive credit card is different and their reward programs work differently. So if a person does not have their heart set on a particular manufacturer they are best to shop around. There are also cards that now have rewards that work for any manufacturer, which may be best for an indecisive person or someone who is not sure what make of vehicle they would like to buy. Some automotive credit cards do not offer rewards towards vehicle purchases, instead they offer rewards towards the purchase of auto parts and service.
The most important thing for a person to remember about automotive credit cards is that person can not buy a car completely with reward points. The reward points are for a discount only. The discount usually ranges from $1000 to $3000. The vehicles a person can choose from vary as well. Each manufacturer chooses the particular models the rewards can be used towards purchasing. Used cars are usually not included as an eligible vehicle for the use of reward points and the cardholder is required to buy a vehicle that is new or leased.
When choosing an automotive credit card a person really needs to understand the rewards system and how it can be redeemed. They should also not forget this is a credit card and look at fees and interest rates, as well. Choosing a high interest rate card may actually end up costing the person more then they end up saving on their vehicle purchase. It is also important for a person not to get carried away and charge items they normally would not just to earn he points or, again, they could end up spending more than they save.
Automotive credit cards are great for someone who knows what vehicle they wish to purchase. They can then choose the card that suits this need. Automotive credit cards have a limit on how long points earned are good, so a person who does not use their credit card a lot may never see a good benefit. However, if a person is very careful and manages their automotive credit card they can end up saving a nice chunk of money off their next vehicle purchase.
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