Car companies have begun providing aggressive incentives for consumers worried about financial security, such as GMC's offer to make up to 12 months of payments on a newly purchased vehicle should the customer lose his or her income in the year after the sale. Or even that added incentive to buy thanks to the Hyundai Assurance plan in which Hyundai will actually let the customer return the vehicle in the even of certain life altering circumstances such as a job loss.



Certainly, lower prices and peace-of-mind guarantees are driving more consumers to car lots all around Central Illinois, but with Peoria auto pricing at one of the lowest relative points in years, local car buyers sometimes forget the many other benefits of purchasing from a Peoria dealership.

While the amount of sales tax car buyers shell out is determined by the auto's registration city and county, the community which benefits from the sales tax income is the community in which the vehicle was purchased.

Keeping tax dollars in Peoria may not be on every shopper's mind when entering an out-of-town mall or car dealership over a Peoria dealership or mall, but the benefits the city receives from sales tax revenue improve the community greatly. And just as residents struggle to makes ends meet, the city of Peoria does as well, meaning tax revenue becomes even more vital. Tax dollars are used for public improvements, such as road repair. If vehicles purchased outside of the community use Peoria's roadways, the city will be forced to keep them in repair without the benefit of the full potential of sales tax revenue. By purchasing from a Peoria car dealer, residents can be assured they have done their part to contribute to the local economy.

Another common concern on consumers? minds today is curbing the effects climate change, a matter intimately related to the car industry. Developing better fuel-efficient vehicles and reducing time spent on roads are major steps in minimizing the carbon footprint one leaves behind. Shopping at a nearby Peoria dealership ensures minimal vehicle emissions and uses less fuel, important factors in reducing both the nation's dependence on oil and impact on the environment. Many people may consider the impact of two or three trips to other cities a minor economic and environmental impact for such a large purchase. However, with a wide selection of vehicles locally, each mile travelled could be considered unnecessary, meaning that 150 ? 300 miles or road travel could have been avoided altogether. Avoiding that amount of driving would save between 6 and 13 gallons of gas. As the average American consumes 446 gallons of gasoline each year, eliminating a few unnecessary out-of-town trips each year could reduce a person's fuel consumption by 10 percent or more.

Peoria car dealers, like dealers in other areas, have a broad selection of fuel efficient vehicles from which to choose, so there is little argument to venture outside of the city for gas-saving vehicles. With Peoria auto pricing in line with the values found at other Central Illinois dealerships and the benefits to both the local economy and surrounding environment, consumers seem to have an easy choice about where to purchase their new cars.