WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Credit unions have known for a long time just how competitive their auto loan rates are compared to other lenders. A recent article in Consumer Reports helped spread that news. The Consumer Reports March 22nd article on auto financing options encouraged consumers to do the research when buying a new car and consider various auto financing options when making a purchase. For shoppers planning to finance their auto purchase, "the question remains: Which of the many deals available is truly the cheapest?" the article asks. To answer that question, Consumer Reports compared various auto-financing options using real prices, incentives, interest rates and leasing quotes as of January 2005. Rates at credit unions can be lower than those offered by banks or through standard dealer financing, the article states. "When exploring financing options, we suggest you start with a credit union.," the article advises. According to Callahan & Associates, as of Dec. 31, 2004 the national average interest rate on a credit union auto loan was 5.79%. The average new auto loan rate is 5.26%, and the average used auto loan interest rate is 6.33%.