Category: FAQs

Buying and selling cars has drastically changed over the past decade. The worldwide pressure of going green has incentivized the auto industry to invest more heavily in electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing. With some manufacturers moving to all EV production, and some EV makers taking a new approach to selling their vehicles, traditional car dealerships are facing new challenges.

A handful of vehicle manufacturers have made it a goal to change production to only Electric Vehicles within the next decade or two. General Motors is one of them. They plan to be all EV by the year 2035. Volvo also made the commitment to go fully green by 2030. Other companies, like Ford, do not expect to be rid of gas-powered vehicles in their lines until 2040. These industry changes don’t just affect vehicle manufacturers. Companies like FedEx and Uber are also having internal discussions about how quickly to adopt EV technology and

Your credit score significantly affects your ability to finance major purchases. The credit scoring system is attended to assign risk to borrowers and predict their ability to pay their debts. In general, the more credit that you have, like loans or a credit card debt, the lower your credit score will be – at least if you have a history of not paying it back. On the other hand, having debt and making payments on time can help improve your credit score.

Credit scores are a complex topic, and a bad one can prevent or complicate the process of buying things like homes, renting apartments or even buying a car. You can purchase a vehicle with a low credit score, but the annual percentage rate (APR) of the loan you get might be high.

APR is the yearly interest you will be accruing on the money you borrow. You can determine your monthly interest rate

Shopping online is preferred by many. You don’t even have to leave your couch to buy anything from clothing to cleaning products. Online car buying has also been increasing in popularity. You can browse millions of cars online from all around the world, but unlike clothing, books or gadgets, cars are big, expensive investments.

Car shopping can be challenging. You might want a reliable, budget-friendly model, or maybe even a vehicle that’s sporty and filled with the latest features. Finding the right one is frequently easier said than done. 

The internet allows you to browse a wide variety of models without having to drive anywhere or spend any time in a dealership. Browsing online can save time and reduce the effort normally required for such a big purchase. You might even enjoy looking at several cars without the hassle of a car salesman. 

Even people who aren’t going to purchase a vehicle online tend to

We’ve been using the tagline “Where Your Job Is Your Credit” since 1988, when it was first incorporated into our jingle. The slogan has both literal meaning and a lot of additional implications built in.

To understand the importance our slogan, it’s first necessary to understand how most auto dealerships and financing companies determine whether you qualify for an auto loan.

Generally, most dealerships will use your credit score to determine whether you qualify for vehicle financing. Your credit score will also be the main factor influencing the interest rates you’re eligible to receive.

There are a lot of people who simply don’t qualify for an auto loan under that system. People with less than perfect credit might technically qualify for some loans, but they will be charged extraordinarily high interest rates.

Under that system, a lot of people in Baltimore, Washington D.C. and throughout Maryland simply can’t get a pre-owned vehicle.

There are several reasons why selling your vehicle to a local dealership is a better, more convenient option for most car sellers in Baltimore, Washington D.C. and Maryland:

• It’s straightforward and nearby
• You might have an existing relationship with the dealership
• You don’t have to deal with the logistics of selling a car online
• You’ll be working with a registered business that use properly secured transactions

It’s not in any dealership’s interest to take advantage of people selling their cars. Local dealerships have a reputation to uphold, and they want you to come back to them the next time you want to buy or sell a vehicle.

If a dealership takes advantage of you, treats you poorly or gives you a bad deal, they are essentially losing a customer forever. That customer could also tell their friends about a dealership’s bad behavior or vent about their treatment online. Any dealership that wants to maintain a

Yes – at least at Easterns Automotive Group. You can sell us your car for cash without buying a different one from our lot. Whether a dealership will buy your vehicle outright – and what they’re willing to pay – is highly dependent on the dealership.

Some dealerships may be less likely to take some vehicles. A dealership that just sells sports cars or luxury brands may not be at all interested in purchasing a 2005 Toyota Camry or a 2003 Jeep, even if your vehicle still has a lot of miles left in it.

At Easterns Automotive, we’re not brand, year or model elitists. Even if your car has problems, we may still be able to work something out so you can at least get some cash or at the very least credit towards a new vehicle.

Car owners in Baltimore, Washington D.C. or anywhere in Maryland that want to sell their car, truck

When seriously considering purchasing a vehicle, there are a lot more factors to consider than just the model, make and color that you want. What drives the automotive industry is value.

It’s a good idea to consider depreciation when shopping a used car dealership for a pre-owned vehicle. Most Americans want a car that is going to last and hold its value. The pursuit of long-lasting value has resulted in a shift towards reliability in the auto industry in recent years. 

iSeeCars.com regularly tracks vehicle resales to determine which best retain their value. Sports utility vehicles and trucks are currently holding their value best. That’s not a huge surprise considering big trucks and SUVs have long been associated with the American way of life. Many drivers have traded in their four-door sedans for midsize and large SUVs.

The main type of vehicle missing from most of the top 10 lowest depreciation lists are hybrid vehicles

People born in the ‘80s or earlier can still remember a time when people had to look in the yellow pages, call a business or drive somewhere to learn more about products. Love it or hate it, the internet has completely changed the way people live their lives and shop.

The stigma associated with buying a used car was built over the latter half of the 20th century. People told jokes about “lemons” and used car salesmen that were often false or exaggerated, even then.

The internet has gone a long way towards dispelling those tropes.

You don’t necessarily have to buy a car online to take advantage of safer used car dealership shopping experiences. Online inventories, pre-owned certifications and a nearly limitless supply of information has made online research and vehicle purchases from used car dealerships an easy choice for many car shoppers.

Concerns about reliability are certainly not exclusive to used

We haven’t quite made it to flying cars like The Jetsons, but we do at least have electric cars. They are environmentally friendly, energy-efficient and typically require less maintenance. States, the federal government and manufacturers are also incentivizing the purchase of electric vehicles with rebates and tax credits. Purchasing an electric car can save you money and save the planet. 

Maryland is one of 10 states that participates in the Zero Emissions Vehicles (ZEV) program. The ZEV program aims to reduce harmful emissions by requiring automakers to meet certain electric and hybrid vehicle production and sales quotas based on the number of non-electric cars they sell.

In addition to ZEV, Maryland’s Department of Transportation and the state’s Energy Administration have partnered to encourage residents to purchase electric vehicles (EVs). Their efforts have culminated in multiple current and future incentives for those who do purchase an EV. 

Electric car buyers

Being in the market to buy a new car can be overwhelming, especially with all the ways to buy a car these days. The internet has made the new and used car market easily accessible to all, but the debate is still ongoing about purchasing a car with 0 miles versus 30,000 miles.

The truth is that buying a car is personal, so the real question is, what is better for you? Most car buyers are focused on value; that is why at Eastern Automotive, we believe buying a used vehicle tends to be the better choice for shoppers.

If you are trying to decide if you should buy a used car or a brand-new car, here are some factors to consider.

What is depreciation? It is the reduction of value over time. The rate of depreciation on brand-new vehicles tends to be accelerated. A new car can depreciate