Purchasing a vehicle and doing so at the right time is important if you want to enjoy additional savings. You can catch the auto dealer at the appropriate time and enjoy thousands of dollars in saving on a vehicle purchase transaction. Most people say that the best time is at the end of the year. This is when the auto dealers discount their vehicles in order to meet their yearly sales objectives. Although, there is no guarantee that you will score big with the dealer at this time, it is important to try. However, not all purchasers can wait that long, especially when you are relying on a vehicle to commute and your vehicle has mechanical issues. Fortunately, though, if you are a smart auto shopper, you will be able to obtain great deals throughout the year, utilizing the same reasoning that drives the end of year discounted prices.
The Dealer Representative
The first thing you need to understand is how auto dealers run their business, especially when they are desperate to get rid of inventory. Almost all new car dealer representatives are commission paid, whether from a portion of the sales price or a flat rate for each vehicle. Each auto dealer work has to reach a specific goal each month and each year. For that reason, at the end of the year, buyers can take advantage of this. Even when the auto dealer is enjoying strong sales for eleven months out of the year, they still push sales reps to go over their goals for the last month. However, most auto dealer reps work hard to ensure that shoppers are turned into buyers throughout the year. Buyers can take advantage of the representative’s short term goals to sell more vehicles by offering attractive deals to the buyers.
The Right Timing
Timing means a lot when you are looking to purchase a new car. The auto dealership environment is aggressive and by the end of the day, sales reps want to go home and if they haven’t make a sale all day, you could be the next buyer to get the discount and savings that will be offered, just to get that sale. The best time, then, is to go to the dealership when it is almost closing time. Once you show that you are a serious buyer, the sales rep will accommodate your negotiations. So, to close your deal, choose the time carefully. While everyone is going home, you can seal that deal, forcing the sales rep to make concessions to your negotiated price.
The Monthly Cycle
You can use the same timing technique to go to the dealership at the end of the month or the end of the quarter. The idea is to go to the auto dealership when the sales rep was to hit his or her sale plateau for a bigger commission for that particular month or quarter. The monthly dealership cycle will do nothing else, but benefit you. If the sales representative is just a little away from reaching his or her sales goal, you may strike it big to get better financing terms and conditions. You will end up getting great value for your buck.
Past and Current Models
Another time of the year to go to an auto dealership to buy a new car is early fall or late summer. This is usually when new model vehicles are added to the inventory. Usually, the dealer may have the previous car model and year in their inventory. It is at that time that you will finance a new vehicle for a previous model instead of the new model. You shouldn’t expect to get the same deal with a new model that you would with the previous model.
Purchasing a vehicle at the close of the calendar year is by far the best strategy to reap the desired savings. However, you may still have to be a good negotiator.