The Auto Writer

Back on December 11, 2007, I posted an article titled, “Car Shoppers to Embrace Year End Bargains?” in a bid to focus on all of the year-end specials for 2007. I mentioned quite a few of the offerings awaiting consumers and was pleasantly surprised to learn just how many people read that article. It seems that a lot of people were looking for a bargain and came across the story to learn what I had to share.

The Special Deals Ended On January 2

The automakers ended their special deals yesterday, January 2, 2008, leaving buyers who missed the sale out in the cold. Or are they? Yes, the year-end promotions are over, but there is reason to believe that additional special buys are awaiting consumers if they know where to look. Please keep reading for some tips on how to get some great bargains on your next new car, truck, van or SUV.

Plummeting Sales Means Your Business Is Coveted — Sales figures for 2007 are not yet final, but one thing about the past year is known: it was likely the worst year for selling cars since 1998. The accounting books on the 2007 selling season will be closed when this day ends and the story is bleak: sales dropped by hundreds of thousands of vehicles over 2006. For 2008, the trend is expected to continue with further declines — this means that the automakers are in a mood to make a deal in a bid to move cars and keep assembly lines busy.

Certain Models Are Harder To Move — Up until recently, you couldn’t find a discount on a Toyota. Thanks to the Japanese automaker’s entry into the gas-guzzling large SUV and pickup truck arena, even the popular Sequoia and Tundra are hard to move. Billed as the truck that is “changing it all” the Tundra is likely to command discounts of as much as $5000 per model for the remainder of the 2008 model year. Ford, Chevy, GMC and Dodge have all slashed the prices on their big trucks, forcing Toyota to follow suit. No, you won’t always see the discount in a national ad, but your local dealer has been given incentives to push each Tundra out the door. You’ll want to make sure that you get your piece of that pie too!

There Are Still Some 2007 Models On Dealer Lots — Back during the early 1980s when Chrysler was barely breathing, I remember visiting one dealer lot and seeing unsold “new” cars which were almost two years old. Chrysler made too many 1981 Newports and with the 1983 models set to come out, this dealer had plenty of 1982 and a handful of 1981 models left over; dealers just couldn’t get rid of these cars!

Although you may prefer a 2008 vehicle, you can be certain that a great deal on a 2007 left over awaits you. Just don’t be satisfied with the $2500 cash back offer — you should be able to add several hundred to perhaps several thousand dollars to that discount. Negotiate aggressively as the discounts are available to those who ask!

The Economical Woes Beyond The Drop In Sales

Contributing factors to the automotive downturn include a sour housing market, global competition, and uncertainty about the coming presidential election. Low income consumers are virtually shut out of the market, while many middle class families are taking a wait and see approach to buying a new vehicle. The rich, of course, can afford whatever they want and they’ll pay cash for their wheels too!

It Should Make For An Interesting Year

GM and Toyota are also locked in a battle to be named the world’s number one automaker, a position General Motors has held for decades. Toyota may still overtake GM, but the General isn’t rolling over and playing dead. Hot new models including the Cadillac CTS, Chevrolet Malibu, and the Pontiac G8 aren’t likely to be discounted all that much, but you could find yourself getting a good deal on a trade-in no matter what GM model you buy. Look for Toyota to be equally generous in what will be a buyer’s market for 2008.

The biggest winner in a buyer’s market is the savvy consumer. Do your homework first to find out what discounts are available to you and then go to your local automotive showroom expecting to negotiate hard. Settling for what appears to be a generous discount of $2500 on select models could cost you hundreds, even thousands of dollars in additional discounts — don’t expect your dealer to readily share the incentives he receives from the automaker unless you ask and insist on your share of the incentive.