Can you buy a car with a credit card? Absolutely! Should you? Maybe. TrueCar and American Express teamed up to create a vehicle-buying program that benefits cardholders. The AMEX Auto Purchasing Program claims to save buyers an average of $3,272 off the manufacturer’s suggested retail price.
To take advantage of this price decrease, cardholders need to put at least $2,000 towards the purchase on their AMEX card. Cardholders can put the entire purchase on their card up to their limit. Cardholders can use the American Express car buying widget online to find their next car.
The site lists both new and used cars; letting shoppers narrow their search by the following:
- Zip code and distance
- Make and model
- Body style
- Year manufactured
- Price
- Mileage
- Exterior color
There is no haggling through the AMEX Auto Purchasing Program. Once cardholders find a car they are interested in, they can see the program’s savings by entering some of their personal information. The site also shows users pricing from real sales to check if the cost is excellent, great, fair, or too high.
Car buyers also receive additional post-sale benefits when they purchase the vehicle through a Certified Dealer. These supplemental benefits include:
- Two auto repair reimbursement, up to $500.
- Two auto insurance deductible reimbursement, up to $500.
- Unlimited availability to directly speak to a certified mechanic.
To take advantage of these reimbursements (up to $2,000 annually), owners must report the purchase within 45 days of the sale. The auto repair and deductible reimbursements are only available for the first 365 days after the purchase.