CarsDirect.com, a multi-brand online car buying service, has announced its April 2003 Best Bargains selections. The company says domestic manufacturers are responding to March's swelled inventories with a virtual flood of rebate and incentive programs, from cash-back offers to aggressive zero percent, 60-month financing. As a result, the idea of "buying American" may be an especially good choice for cost-conscious consumers during April, says the company.

The company further says the 2003 Chevrolet Corvette has rebates of up to $2,000 available. Sport utility vehicle enthusiasts can drive two Lincoln entries, the Aviator and Navigator, out of the showroom with up to $3,000 cash back. And, the country's third-best selling truck during March 2003 -- the Dodge Ram 1500 -- comes standard with up to $2,500 in rebates. Setting a new high water mark is the plush 2003 Lincoln Town Car, currently equipped with an all-time high $5,000 rebate offer.

While the company says domestic manufacturers are leading the savings charge, the majority of the import sector isn't idling. "We're seeing some of the Asian manufacturers, like Nissan, change their rebate and incentive tactics to reflect domestic trends," noted Joe Cashen, CarsDirect.com's director of pricing strategy. "Just this month, Nissan increased its cash back offer on certain models like the Frontier, Pathfinder and Xterra, while also giving consumers the choice to take a low finance rate for up to 60 months in lieu of the rebate. That's a response to the across-the-board cash back or low finance rate programs being offered on virtually every domestic SUV entry," said Cashen.

CarsDirect.com's pricing team is also noting a shift in regional incentive strategy. Toyota, for example, has significantly simplified its regional programs for all remaining 2002 and all new 2003 models. "Instead of complex tiers of savings that sometimes vary from zip code to zip code, now all qualified buyers who live in the northeast and mid-Atlantic regions can take advantage of the same 3.9 percent APR rate for up to 60 months," said Cashen.

While few import companies are matching General Motors' rebate and incentive offer, some -- like Volkswagen and Audi -- are featuring very low finance rates across all models. Others, like Honda, which had a relatively strong first quarter of sales, are only offering special financing on select vehicles, says the company.

Each month, CarsDirect.com's pricing team qualifies Best Bargain vehicles from a list of over 120,000 price configurations. Best Bargains choices include popular new cars, trucks and sport utility vehicles that currently offer the most attractive combination of national and regional manufacturer rebates and incentives, those that offer a historic low price point, or vehicles with prices that include other special programs.

To see rebates and incentives or up-front transaction prices for any of these Best Bargains, shoppers simply go to www.carsdirect.com, and click on the vehicle make and model of their choice.

About CarsDirect.com

Los Angeles-based CarsDirect.com (www.carsdirect.com) is a multi-brand online car buying service, providing new and used automobiles and related products and services, such as loan and lease financing and in-demand aftermarket products including extended warranties. CarsDirect.com offers visitors three car buying options: buying a new car online through the company's direct channel; being matched with a new car dealer of their choice via the CarsDirect Connect channel; or locating and purchasing a previously owned vehicle through the CarsDirect Used channel.