Recent graduates shopping for a new car may be eligible for incentives offered by several automakers. The incentives are rarely advertised, unknown even to most dealers.

•Toyota offers a $400 rebate to recent graduates, and requires proof of graduation;
•Nissan offers a $500 rebate to recent graduates;
•Ford offers a $500 rebate to recent graduates, or students in the last half-year of school.

Incentives from other automakers take several forms, including lower rates and deferred payments. Each offer varies, so be sure not only to ask the dealer, but to get details directly from the automaker. Though incentives help, greater savings can be earned by doing your homework before setting foot in a dealership. — CAREY GREENBERG-BERGER

Some Automakers Offer Incentives to New College Grads [KABC]
(Photo: Justin Russell)

Update: Our resident car expert clarifies: “They do actually advertise these incentive deals — but they don’t advertise them in the mainstream. What they do is either buy lists from alumni organizations and do mailings to them, or they advertise in school newspapers, etc. Dealers in big college towns, for instance in East Lansing and Ann Arbor, MI, are well aware of the incentive programs and actively push them to young-looking folks who come in to buy.”

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