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Finding Out About Vehicle Incentives

If you are in the market for a new car, your timing probably couldn't be better. But with so many incentive programs available, it's hard to know where to start.

Print pubs-- AMI Auto World Magazine publishes incentive deals occasionally, says Editor-in-Chief Terry Jackson. Jackson also recommends getting the latest issue of Automotive News, an industry publication that publishes incentives weekly.

Some local newspapers print incentive information in the automotive section or in the classifieds.

Online pubs--To get current incentive information, search online. Most sites are updated daily, if not hourly.

Edmunds.com, kbb.com (Kelley Blue Book), cars.com, carpoint.com, IntelliChoice.com, and NewBuyer.com are a few sites that can help.

Once you find what's out there, consider your options. Taking the rebate and getting a conventional loan from your credit union still could be the best deal. Low-rate financing offers generally are limited to shorter lengths of time and use a sliding scale where the best rates are for the shortest terms--often so short that most people can't afford the monthly payments.

Credit unions often offer lower rates than banks.