Car purchasers can save by buying while manufacturers are offering rebates and other special deals.
Carmakers sometimes offer rebates directly to the customer. You can get the rebate as a check in the mail after your purchase, but you`ll usually reduce your sales tax by having the dealer credit your rebate immediately as a discount to reduce the price of your car.
Manufacturers sometimes give cash and other incentives to the dealer, rather than the customer, to encourage sales. The dealer can use the cash for advertising, employee rewards, profit or in other ways, or can pass it along to the customer. In negotiating price, it often helps to know if the dealer will get an incentive.
The table shows factory-to-customer cash rebates (followed by a ”C”)
and factory-to-dealer cash incentives (followed by a ”D”) and the dates they expire. A dollar range means the amount of the incentive depends on the number of cars the dealer sells, with the same targets for all dealers unless otherwise noted. These deals apply to 1991 cars. Reduced-rate financing plans are noted. The programs listed are those in effect as of January 25, 1991.
The listing is compiled by the Center for the Study of Services, a nonprofit group that publishes ”Consumers` Checkbook” magazine.
Cash to customer (C), dealer (D)
Car or finance plan (see notes) Date
SUBCOMPACTS
Acura Integra $300 (D) 4/2
Ford Escort & Festiva $500 (C) or Plan 3 2/28
Geo Metro $300 (C) or Plan 2 4/7
Geo Prizm $500 (C) or Plan 2 4/7
Hyundai Excel 3-dr GS & 4-dr L $750 (C) 4/3
Hyundai Excel 3-dr L $500 (C) 4/3
Hyundai Excel 4-dr GL & GLS $1,000 (C) 4/3
Mazda 323/Protege $200-$800 (D) based on 2/4
sales targets set for dealer+
Mercury Tracer $500 (C) or Plan 3 2/28
Mitsubishi Mirage $0-$1,500 (D) based on 2/28
sales targets set for dlr
plus $0-$500 (D)+; free cust.
Options may cut dealer cash
Pontiac LeMans $400 (C) or Plan 2 4/7
Subaru Justy all but DL $500 (C) 2/12
Subaru Loyale AT3 & MT5 4WD wagon $300 (C) 2/12
Subaru Loyale AT3 FWD sedan $1,050 (C) 2/12
Subaru Loyale MT5 FWD sedan & wagon & AT3 FWD wagon
$500 (C) 2/12
Suzuki Swift GA & GS $400 (D) 2/4
Suzuki Swift GT $500 (D) 2/4
Toyota Corolla $300-$700 (D) based on 2/4
sales targets set for dealer+
COMPACT CARS
Buick Skylark $250-$1,000 (C) or Plan 1 4/7
($250 cash w/package SA or SB;
$500 w/ SC; $750 w/ SD/SM;
& $1,000 w/ SE/SF)
Chevrolet Beretta $500 (C) or Plan 2 4/7
Chevrolet Cavalier $400 (C) or Plan 2 4/7
Chrysler LeBaron sedan 1F $500 (C) or Plan 4, 3/31
& $0-$1,000 (D) (dealer
incentive expires 1/31)
Dodge Spirit & Shadow $500 (C) or Plan 4, 3/31
(except ”America” and convert.) & $0-$1,000 (D)
(dealer incentive expires 1/31)
Ford Tempo $545 (D) or dealer can 2/28
choose to get $100-$700 (D)
based on sales
Mazda 626 200-$1,000 (D) based on 2/4
sales targets set for dealer+
Mercury Topaz $545 (D) or dealer can 2/28
choose to get $100-$700 (D)
based on sales
Mitsubishi Galant $0-$1,500 (D) based on sales 2/28
targets set for dlr plus $0-$500
(D)+; free cust. Options may
cut dealer cash
Nissan Stanza $0-$1,500 (D) 4/3
Oldsmobile Cutlass Calais $750 (C) or Plan 2 4/7
Peugeot 405 $1,750 (D) not set
Plymouth Acclaim & Sundance (except ”America”) 3/31
$500 (C) or Plan 4,
& $0-$1,000 (D) (dealer
incentive expires 1/31)
Pontiac Grand Am $750 (C) or Plan 2 4/7
Subaru Legacy $705-$902 (D) depending on 2/12
model (sports sedan not included)
Toyota Camry $500-$900 (D) based on sales 2/4
targets set for dealer+
Volvo 240 $1,500 (D) for current 3/31
Volvo owners
MIDSIZE CARS
Buick Century & Regal $250-$1,000 (C) or Plan 1 4/7
($250 cash w/package SA
or SB; $500 w/ SC;
$750 w/ SD/SM;
& $1,000 w/ SE/SF)
Buick Riviera $1,000 (C) or Plan 1 4/7
Chevrolet Lumina $750 (C) or Plan 2 4/7
Chrysler Imperial, $500 (C) or Plan 4, 1/31
New Yorker 5th Ave., & $0-$1,000 (D)
& New Yorker Salon (dealer incentive expires 1/31)
Dodge Dynasty & Monaco $500 (C) or Plan 4, 3/31
& $0- $1,000 (D)
(dealer incentive expires 1/31)
Eagle Premier $500 (C) or Plan 4 3/31
Ford Taurus SHO $1,000 (D) 2/28
Ford Taurus (not SHO) & Thunderbird $545 (D) (it al) 2/28
or dealer can choose to get
$100-$700 (D) based on sales
Hyundai Sonata GLS & GL w/o V-6 $750 (C) & $100-$500 (D)+ 4/3
Hyundai Sonata GLS w/ V-6 $1,000 (C) & $100-$500 (D)+ 4/3
Hyundai Sonata GL w/ V-6 $1,000 (C) plus $825 toward 4/3
A/C & $100-$500(D)+
Mercury Sable & Cougar $545 (D) or(end ital) 2/28
dealer can choose to get
$100-$700 (D) based on sales
Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera $500 (C) or Plan 2 4/7
Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme $750 (C) or Plan 2 4/7
Oldsmobile Toronado $1,000 (C) or Plan 2 4/7
Peugeot 505 $1,750 (D) not set
Pontiac Grand Prix $600 (C) or Plan 2 4/7
Volvo 740 $1,500 (D) for current Volvo owners 3/31
Volvo 940 $1,500 (D) for current Volvo owners 3/31
LARGE CARS
Buick LeSabre $250-$1,000 (C) or Plan 1 4/7
($250 cash w/package SA or SB;
$500 w/ SC; $750 w/ SD/SM;
& $1,000 w/ SE/SF)
Cadillac Brougham $1,500 (C) 3/1
Chevrolet Caprice $750 (C) or Plan 2 4/7
Ford Crown Victoria $750 (D) 2/28
Mercury Grand Marquis $1,000 (C) or Plan 3 2/28
Oldsmobile Eighty Eight $750 (C) or Plan 2 4/7
Pontiac Bonneville $600 (C) or Plan 2 4/7
SMALL VANS
Chevrolet Lumina APV & Astro $500 (C) or Plan 2 4/7
Chrysler Town & Country $500 (C) or Plan 5 3/31
Dodge Caravan, Grand Caravan, $500 (C) or Plan 5 3/31
& Caravan C/ V
Ford Aerostar, Econoline, $545 (D) or dealer can 2/28
& Club Wagon(end bold) choose to get $100-$700 (D)
based on sales
GMC Safari $500 (C) or Plan 2 4/7
Mazda MPV $200-$800 (D) based on 2/4
sales targets set for dealer+
Oldsmobile Silhouette $500 (C) or Plan 2 4/7
Plymouth Voyager & Grand Voyager $500 (C) or Pla n 5 3/31
PICKUPS
Chevrolet S-10 Pickup $1,000 (C) or Plan 2 4/7
Dodge Dakota $1,000 (C) or Plan 4 3/31
Ford Ranger $1,000 (C) or Plan 3 2/28
GMC Sonoma $1,000 (C) or Plan 2 4/7
Isuzu pickup $600-$1,300 (D) plus $200 3/31
bonus for 4X4
Mazda pickup $500 (C) & 2/4
(for base models) $250 (D)
Mitsubishi Mighty Max $0-$1,500 (D) based on 2/28
sales targets set f or dlr
plus $0-$500 (D)+; free cust.
options may cut dealer cash
Nissan pickup $0-$1,200 (D) 4/3
Toyota pickup base grade $600-$1,000 (D) based on 2/4
sales targets set for dealer+
Toyota pickup non-base grade $200-$600 (D) based on 2/4
sales target s set for dealer+
SPORT/UTILITY VEHICLES
Chevrolet S-10 Blazer $1,000 (C) or Plan 2 4/7
Chevrolet V Blazer & Suburban $500 (C) or Plan 2 4/7
GMC S-15 Jimmy $1,000 (C) or Plan 2 4/7
GMC V Jimmy & Suburban $500 (C) or Plan 2 4/7
Isuzu Trooper $1,300-$1,700 (D) 3/31
Jeep Cherokee & Comanche $700 (C) or Plan 4 3/31
(al so dealer incentives on
some Cherokees through 1/31)
Jeep Grand Wagoneer $2,000 (D) 1/31
Mitsubishi Montero $0-$1,500 (D) based on 2/28
sales targets set for dlr
plus $0-$500 (D)+; free cust.
options may cut dealer cash
Suzuki Sidekick JS, $500 (D) 2/4
JL, & JX (in cl. soft top CAMI)
SPORTY CARS
Buick Reatta $2,000 (C) or Plan 1 4/7
Chevrolet Corvette $1-$3,000 (D) 2/4
Eagle Talon $400 (C) or Plan 4 3/31
Ford Probe & Mustang $545 (D) or dealer 2/28
can choose to get $100-$700 (D)
based on sales
Geo Storm $800 (C) or Plan 2 4/7
Hyundai Scoupe $700 (C) 4/3
Mazda MX-6 $200-$1,000 (D) based on 2/4
sales targets set for dealer +
Mitsubishi Eclipse $0-$1,500 (D) based on 2/28
sales targets set for dlr
plus $0-$500 (D)+; free cust.
options may cut dealer cash
Plymouth Laser $400 (C) or Plan 4, 3/31
& $0-$1,000 (D)
(dealer incen tive expires 1/31)
Subaru XT $2,000 (D) 5/2
+ If dealer meets targets by end of period, gets cash for all cars sold in period.
Finance Plans: Plan 1-4.9% APR up to 24 mos., 6.9% up to 36 mos., 8.9%
up to 48 mos., 10.9% up to 60 mos. Plan 2-8.9% APR up to 48 mos., 10.9% up to 60 mos. Plan 3-7.9% APR up to 48 mos. Plan 4-6.7% APR up to 24 mos., 8.7% up to 36 mos., 9.7% up to 48 mos., 10.6% up to 60 mos. Plan 5-7.9% APR up to 36 mos., 10.9% up to 60 mos.
Competitive APRs available from banks, savings and loans and credit unions currently average about 12.3%. On a 48-month loan, each percentage point you cut your APR is the equivalent of a car price discount of about $18.50 per $1,000 of loan. Example of savings on a $13,000 loan with a 7.9%
finance plan rate: (12.3 – 7.9) x 13 x $18.50
$1,058.
