In Boston, 14 percent of drive time is spent in bumper-to-bumper traffic, giving the city a reputation for having the nation’s worst gridlock. Still, each day, Sharon Matthews makes the commute from her home in Cambridge, Massachusetts to her job at the Roxbury Division of the Boston Municipal Court.  

Matthews, who is a member OPEIU Local 6, helms the Court’s payroll, budget and procurement department. Along the way, she’s earned the trust of her colleagues, who also come to her with HR-related issues. She tries to get to as many union meetings as is possible for her, given her busy schedule.

“You never know what’s going to happen in my job,” says Matthews. “It’s something different every day.”

One day during her usual drive to work, her trusty Chevy Cavalier’s check engine light illuminated. It put Matthews in that conundrum every car owner faces: to repair or to replace?

“It required major exhaust and emissions systems work,” recounts Matthews. “That means it was going to be very expensive.”

Not only is Matthews a faithful OPEIU member, she’s also a dedicated Union Plus discount user. She remembered getting a piece of mail that highlighted the Union Plus Auto Buying service.

At the time, she wasn’t interested in buying a new car, but this incident jogged her memory. Matthews logged onto the Union Plus website and began seriously considering a new car purchase.

The Union Plus Auto Buying Service partners with price-comparison service TrueCar to let union members research pre-screened and certified dealers, see prices online, and get additional dealer discounts, in addition to offering rebates for union-made cars.

“I found a union-made car and a car dealership that was union friendly, went there and told them I was a union member,” Matthews recalls happily. “They gave me a discount on the spot. I got the cutest Chevrolet Sonic in blue. It’s easy to park on the city streets and it gets great mileage. I love driving it to work.”  

The Chevrolet Sonic Matthews purchased made her eligible for the Union Plus union-made green car** rebate that totals $200. Union Plus automatically sends rebate checks to members who purchase qualifying union-made vehicles, with no additional paperwork from the member.

“The savings were great,” says Matthews. “What I didn’t expect was the rebate I received in the mail for buying a union-made vehicle. I was in total shock.

“I can’t say enough good things about Union Plus,” she enthuses. “I already use their program for my cell phone. They save union members so much money and their benefits are great.”

To buy her car, Matthews did her research, explored inventory and searched for the body style of Chevrolet she wanted. She found three dealers in her area who had everything she needed, at the best available price. Matthews took her TrueCar savings certificate to the dealership of her choice and had a smooth, hassle-free experience.  

To find out more about the Union Plus Auto Buying Service and how it can help you, visit unionplus.org/autobuying.

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Between 7/1/17 and 9/30/17, the average estimated savings off MSRP presented by TrueCar Certified Dealers to users of TrueCar powered websites, based on users who configured virtual vehicles and who TrueCar identified as purchasing a new vehicle of the same make and model listed on the certificate from a Certified Dealer as of 10/31/2016, was $3,383. Your actual savings may vary based on multiple factors including the vehicle you select, region, dealer, and applicable vehicle specific manufacturer incentives which are subject to change. The Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price ("MSRP") is determined by the manufacturer, and may not reflect the price at which vehicles are generally sold in the dealer's trade area as not all vehicles are sold at MSRP. Each dealer sets its own pricing. Your actual purchase price is negotiated between you and the dealer. TrueCar does not sell or lease motor vehicles.

**EPA Green Car Make and Models Include:
  - Chevrolet — Bolt, Volt, Cruze***, and Sonic***
  - Chrysler — Pacifica Hybrid
  - Ford  — Focus 

*** Check the VIN number of these vehicles.  Some are assembled in Mexico and begin with the number 3.  These are not eligible for rebates.