Need a New Cat? Have $500? We've Got You Covered!

There are few people on Earth that would turn down a new BMW 3 Series or a Mercedes S Class. But for most of us that isn't in the budget. In fact many people struggle to make ends meet. So if you find yourself in a pinch and need transportation without a $10,000 or $15,000 price tag things can become a little difficult. Or perhaps someone at home has just received their license and now you have to foot the bill for their new vehicle, commonly referred to as the proverbial “starter car”. For many of us in this situation a huge price tag is either not preferable or simply unattainable.

Say you are unable to secure financing for a new vehicle as well. Then the nightmares start to sink in. With only a few thousand dollars in your pocket you may have to settle for some old clunker. Something that has been sitting in some stranger’s backyard letting grass grow around it. A bucket of rust that can barely run without sputtering along, leaking oil, puffing black smoke, and getting you a massive 15 miles to the gallon. Worse yet, once you divest yourself on your heard-earned money you will have to save and save more  so that you can divest yourself of your “new” Bondo-covered jalopy and get something that doesn't look like it’s been through the Apocalypse.

First of all, you’re not in a nightmare, and second you do have options. Like Crown Auto Sales and Finance. We have a wide range of vehicles for any budget or taste. And even if you do find yourself in a pinch with only a $1,000 or even $500 to your name we have an extensive range of vehicles that can fit your budget so that you will still find the right vehicle for you. We offer vans, economy cars, mid-size sedans, and a range of other vehicles for as low as $500 down. And unlike Mr. McShady who would love to sale you his rust-colored 1985 El Camino all of our vehicles have been inspected and maintained up to the highest standards by a team of trained automotive technicians and any problems the vehicle may have had previously, as well as all of our repairs and maintenance we have performed to correct them, are easily view-able on the CarFax report that comes with every vehicle. On top of that every vehicle we sell comes with a full warranty that last anywhere from six to thirty-six months.

Better yet even if you have had credit problems in the past and are unable to obtain traditional financing from a bank we can finance you ourselves. Crown Auto Sales and Finance literally is its own bank and can provide you with reasonable financing even if you have less than perfect credit. As long as you can prove that you are now financially stable with your own job and a place to live you can buy from us. Simply provide us with two recent paycheck stubs to prove that you are gainfully employed and give us information pertaining to your current pace of residence and we can get you approved and driving. Even younger adults and first time buyers can purchase from us with no risk of being penalized by us to age or lack of credit history. Even better yet the terms of the financing agreement, payment schedule, ad monthly payments can be adjusted to fit your budget, whatever it may be, and often going for as low as $250 a month. And the best part is that even though your credit may not be perfect now we can help with that as well. We report every successful payment you make to several major credit bureaus. That means that by making your payments with us you are actually helping yourself get back to a better financial path.

So maybe you would like something small and economical like a Honda Civic sedan, or maybe you need something with a little more room like a Chevrolet HHR station wagon, or something even larger for your whole family like a Dodge Caravan. Well we have what you are looking for and all for a small $500 down payment. So stop worrying so much. It’s not as bad as you think because Crown Auto Sales and Finance is here to help. With as little as $500 and 15 minutes of your time we can get you driving again. So what are you waiting for? Give us a call, come stop by, or click here today.

The Used Car Industry in 2014

Every industry is influenced by what is happening around it. No business is an island, and the used car business is like any other. In the United States, while we are far and away from the dark economic days of 2007 and 2008 and in a slow recovery, things are still far from certain. Increasing confidence in the economy has lead to increasing levels of spending among the average American consumer. In May 2014 OEM carmakers in Detroit showed record car sales since the end of the recession here in America.  IN May 2014 Ford Motor Company had their best sales month since 2005, General Motors and Toyota had their best sales month since 2008. German luxury auto makers faired even better in the US market with BMW having the highest May sales in their history, along with Porsche and Audi who had their best sales month ever.  All other sectors related to the automotive industry are seeing record profits as well, including gas prices and insurance companies. On top of this the actual transaction amount for new cars rose an unprecedented 2%.

But where does this leave the used car industry? Well the new car industry and the used car industry are like apples and oranges. To understand the current situation of the used car industry you must first understand the last few years of the used car industry. Even during the recession when Detroit was tanking used cars sold very well. People who needed a car, their money already strained, more often than not purchased a used vehicle since it was less expensive. So this was the time to be a used car dealer. However the used car market wasn't getting replenished either since people with newer cars weren’t trading them in as often. The average vehicle on the road in the US today is a staggering 11.5 years old. Obviously at that age it isn’t of any use to most used car dealers. The cost to repair and maintain a vehicle at that age is just too high to be cost effective. Another thing that adversely affected the used car industry was the government Cash For Clunkers program. Cash For Clunkers, started by the Bush Administration during the darkest days of the Recession, paid anyone in cash for any older vehicle that they turned in no matter the condition. Obviously this got rid of a lot of the piles of junk cars here in America, but it took a good number of quality pre-owned vehicles off of the market and into the proverbial recycling bin as well.

So now used cars, and especially quality used cars, are a premium commodity and many used car dealers are struggling to get their inventories up to peak levels while keeping them competitively priced. But there are other things to worry about as well. With the recent safety recalls on massive numbers of vehicles in the United States there is a very real concern that some of the inventory that they currently carry is actually safe to drive. Currently there are no Federal regulations preventing someone from selling a used vehicle that has been recalled, but the demand for that is building. While a few unscrupulous used car dealers simply may not care about selling a recalled vehicle, many more are up in arms about unknowingly purchasing inventory that was faulty and then passing it along to the customers that they care about.

All in all, the situation for used car dealers is not ideal at the moment, but you do have one on your side. Crown Auto Sales and Finance has always and continues to do our utmost to provide the greatest and most diverse number of the highest quality vehicles at the most reasonable price. We only select good quality used cars with clean service histories and no recall issues. Our service team abides by the highest safety standards, whether they are endorsed by the Federal government or not. Every vehicle is inspected, tested, repaired, and maintained by our expert team of service technicians. It is then covered under our comprehensive Auto Sure warranty for anywhere from 6 to 36 months depending on the terms of sale. So if you have a problem with your vehicle that was of no fault of your own it will be repaired by us at no cost to you. Moreover, we have become extremely aggressive in our vehicle procurement process so that we may continue to carry the wide selection of over 100 quality pre-owned vehicles that we always have. No matter how certain or uncertain times may become, you know you can count on us for your next used car.

It's Tax Time Again!

It’s tax time again and we all know that means that people will be making big purchases. Sales for everything from large televisions to washing machines go up when people start getting their tax returns. But none of this more so than vehicles.  People often use tax time for investing in a new ride and while there are many options to choose from in Charlotte, NC Crown Auto Sales and Finance provides and unique service that many others do not. The difference is the variety of versatility of the services we offer to our customers.

First off Crown Auto Sales and Finance is a locally owned and operated business that is not only a well-established name but also a member of the Charlotte community. Everyone from the owner to the guy the details the cars before they are taken to the lot for sale are life-long Charlotteans. We are not just a company, we are your family, friends, neighbors, and fellow church-goers. While we uphold ourselves to the highest levels of professionalism it’s actually our personal investment in our community that makes us take care of every single customer that comes into one of our dealerships as if they were one of our closest friends.

Above all else it’s our business model that sets us apart in the used car market here in Charlotte. You see, we maintain an in-house lender that allows us to finance our cars per the economic situation of each customer. We actually help you determine what you can afford and then set up a payment structure that best suits you. As a customer the benefits to this are very evident. Instead of a traditional dealer who has already determined what you pay before you ever walk onto the lot, we work the other way around, using the financial information that you provide us with to work with you to get you the car you want at a price you can afford. Essentially this gives power of determining the payment scheme over to the customer.

Maybe you’ve had credit problems in the past. With the economy who hasn’t? We honestly don’t hold that over you at all. A lot of dealers say “Your job is your credit” but here it’s the only way we operate. As a Buy Here Pay Here dealer we don’t check your credit history.  No matter what has happened in the past we can still work with you. We’ll work with you even if a company has repossessed a vehicle that you had purchased in the past. Even if that company was us. 

Then again let’s say that you are in the market for a used car but honestly don’t think you can make the $14,000 or $15,000 investment. That’s not a problem at here with us. We carry vehicles for just about any price range from luxury vehicles that go for $17,000 to compact cars that are priced at $7,000. And no the less expensive cars aren’t whatever we find at the back of the lot that’s held together with bubblegum and baling wire either. These vehicles have been repaired, serviced, inspected and maintained the same as the rest of our inventory. In fact even if you come to one of our locations and don’t find what you want tell us and we will pull it from another one of our lots or even find it and purchase it for you and let you know when it has arrived. So no matter what you are looking for you will leave Crown Automotive happy and in the used car you want.  One of thing is that we are always close to you. We have lots serving North Charlotte, East Charlotte, Stanly County, North Carolina, and York County, South Carolina. We are by far one of the largest used car dealers in the Charlotte area and beyond so no matter where you are we can serve you.

But don’t take my word for it. Come down to your nearest Crown Auto dealership and try it out for size. I guarantee you won’t be disappointed. There is a reason that we have gone from two cars sitting on a car lot to four dealerships spreading across three counties and that reason is excellence. So come and stop by and get professional service with a person touch with us at Crown Automotive and Finance, where we provide cars and credit for everyone!

To see the best selection of used cars in Charlotte, NC just view our inventory at BuyAtCrown.com.

Should You Buy A Used Car?

New car dealers are offering more and bigger incentives in order to get people onto their car lots and into a brand new car. That leaves many people asking the question, “If I can get a new car for cheap, why would I ever buy a used one?” While conventional wisdom would dictate that something new is always better than something used, the fact of the matter is that in reality in a field such as car buying it's not quite so cut and dry. Even with new car dealers the used or “pre-owned” market still takes up a huge chunk of their business. Really it should be taken on an individual basis. However there are a number of factors that can help guide you in your car-buying choice as well as highlight why a used car may be your best bet.

Money: There is an age-old adage that states that “as soon as you drive a car off of the lot it loses value.” That's actually true. Within the first five years of a car's existence it loses up to 20% of it's value no matter how well you take care of it. This is important because eventually you will need to trade it in for another car and when you do you will see a greatly diminished return in a very costly investment. Cars are actually a long-term major investment and many customers lose sight of this.

However purchasing a used car has the opposite effect. After the first five years of a car's life their value hardly diminishes at all meaning that you will see much more of the money that you invested in paying that car off come back to you when you trade it in to get your next vehicle. Essentially you are using the fact that cars depreciate in value to your favor instead of against you.

Also let’s not forget that you will of course save money by driving a used car anyway. No matter the incentives offered by car dealers for their new inventory a used car will be cheaper. How much cheaper it will be will be due to a number of factors such as the vehicle's age, it's mileage, the amenities available on a particular model, whether or not it has ever been in an accident, as well as whether or not it is in the same model year as the currently produced version. Basically if a used car uses the same body style as its new self the price will be a little higher. Nevertheless you should save on average three to four thousand dollars if you purchase a vehicle that is a few years old when compared to a new version of the same make and model of car.

Let's also not forget that a well-maintained used car that is only a few years old and that has a good history will still yield about the same gas mileage as a new vehicle as well as give you lower insurance premiums. These factors make a used car an even more economically viable option in both the long and short term.

Efficiency: The fact of the matter is that most used cars are within 10 years old. Within that time frame automobile manufacturers have taken great pains to increase their car's efficiency and reliability. The former conventional wisdom that a car with 100,000 miles on it is headed for the junkyard no longer holds true. Today a well maintained car will last well over 200,000 with few problems. In fact the average age of vehicles on American roads today is 11 and a half years. That's the highest it has ever been. While a sluggish economy has a part to play in that number it's also due to the fact that since people's vehicles are more reliable and lasting longer they have less of a need to replace them. Reliability is not as big of a factor in the used car buying process as it used to be.

This is not to say that you should assume that every used car is problem free. Try to stick with a used car dealer that has high customer satisfaction ratings; that offers their own warranties, and that offers vehicle history reports. Also have the vehicle checked by a mechanic of your choosing and most importantly trust your gut.

So while new cars dealers may still try their best to offer incentives and deals to entice car buyers a used vehicle still offers a much better deal in both the long and short term for discerning car buyers.