May is National Military Appreciation Month. To honor the men and women who serve to defend this country, many automakers offer programs, rebates, and discounts to military members. We’ve put together a list of a few automakers who offer these programs year round, with even more special deals this month.

Chevrolet - GM Military Discount

The GM Military Discount is available for Chevrolet, Buick, and GMC vehicles but for the month of May, Chevrolet is adding to what is already considered the industry’s best program. In honor of National Military Appreciation Month, Chevrolet will expand the GM Military Discount program to military spouses and retirees. Also for every vehicle purchased with a military discount, Chevrolet will donate $100 to Cell Phones for Soldiers as well as offer an exclusive “Honor” badge, which they will install on the vehicle at the customer’s request at no extra charge. With the GM Military Discount, eligible members of the military as well as spouses and retirees can purchase vehicles at the Preferred Price, a specially discounted price that is less than the MSRP.

Scion - Military Rebate Program

Members of the U.S. Military with current active duty status or an inactive reservist may qualify for a $1,000 rebate towards the purchase or lease of a new Scion. The purchase must be financed through a Scion dealer or Toyota Financial Services in order to qualify. Buyers must also provide proof of active service at the time of purchase.

Chrysler, Jeep, and Dodge - Honoring Those Who Serve

Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge’s program offers a $500 cash allowance to be applied to the purchase or lease of a new Jeep, Chrysler, or Dodge vehicle. Eligible buyers include active military, active military reserve, retired military, and retired military reserve. Honorably discharged veterans are also eligible within six months of discharge date. 

Toyota - Military Rebate Program

Toyota offers all active duty military personnel and inactive reservists a $500 rebate towards any new Toyota vehicle purchase. In order to qualify for this rebate, the vehicle must be financed through the Toyota dealer or Toyota Financial Services.

Audi - Military Sales

If you are an active duty military member serving outside of the United States you may qualify for Audi’s overseas military program. The program offers 100 percent price protection, 100 percent satisfaction at delivery, and special military pricing that can save buyers thousands of dollars at the time of purchase of an Audi vehicle. In order to qualify for this program, you must be a member of the U.S. military serving overseas at the time you place your order.

You don’t plan specifically to cause a car accident (or to be in one at all, for that matter!). Nevertheless, in most states, you still must plan for how you’ll pay for injuries and property damage done to others if you cause an auto accident.

While there are a number of auto insurance carriers out there, we wanted to let you know about several programs that are available directly from the automakers or from their associated finance companies. These programs will help you be prepared in case of an accident – while also providing you some nice auto owner-specific benefits.

Automakers offering car insurance programs include:

• Audi
• BMW
• Chrysler Group (Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep vehicles)
• Ford Motor Company (Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury Vehicles)
• General Motors (Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC Vehicles)
• Subaru

By buying car insurance from your automaker or its finance company, you’re often able to take advantage of special group discount rates on the price of your insurance. In many cases, you’ll also receive towing or other concierge services that go beyond what other auto insurers might provide. By bundling your auto and home insurance coverage together, you’ll likely receive further discounts. In addition, most auto insurance programs from the automakers require body shops to make collision repairs using only genuine manufacturer replacement parts.

For specific information on each of these programs, check out our article Vehicle Insurance Programs from the Automakers.

Related Stories:  9 Ways to Save on Auto Insurance | Automaker Perks and Programs

Today, The Wall Street Journal reported that it’s getting easier for consumers to buy a car as auto loans become easier to get and dealerships offer better financing deals. Deals can be especially sweet – including some offers of no interest and no down payment – for new car buyers with good credit.

Some of the deals consumers will find include*:

• GMAC Financial Services is offering zero percent interest loans and discounted leases for certain GM and Chrysler cars financed through GMAC.
• GMAC is offering a $499/month, 39-month lease on the Cadillac CTS with $1,000 down.
• Honda Motor Co. has several leasing offers, including a $0 down, 36-month lease on a 2010 Honda Civic LX with payments of $159/month.
• The BMW “spring drive” event offers consumers a $2,500 discount on certain models.
• Lexus also has a 36-month lease deal for the Lexus IS, with the first month’s payment waived and $359/month for the remainder.

In addition, the news continues to be good for consumers with top- and middle-tier credit scores as average loan interest rates continue to fall. For those with weaker credit scores, fewer consumers are being denied outright for auto loans.

Read the full article on The Wall Street Journal Web site.

Related information on CarLocate.com: Tips for Buying and Financing a Car |
Finance Calculator | Shop for a New Car

*See your local new car dealer for complete details on each of these offers.