Best Car Deals – Introduction
Until a short few years ago, the best way to get a great car deal was … to work hard for it.
What we mean is that you would have to know the best time of day/month/year to buy, know your invoice prices and holdbacks, and know how to skillfully negotiate prices — and be prepared to go into long stressful haggling sessions with dealer salespeople who would try every trick in the book to wear you down — not a pleasant experience.
Not that it still doesn’t happen. It’s even necessary in many cases. But the best car deals are not made that way. Car manufacturers, in these tough economic times, are hungry for your business and are willing to offer ready-made deals that were unheard of in the past. These are deals that buyers could not possibly negotiate for themselves — because dealers are not capable of making the kind of concessions that their deep-pockets parent car companies can make.
Car manufacturers announce new incentive programs almost every month. These are special limited-time deals in the form of customer rebates, “employee” pricing, low-interest loans, 0% APR loans, special leases, loyalty bonuses, “conquest” bonuses, military bonuses, and “hidden” factory-to-dealer cash. The deals are usually limited to certain selected models and styles in any given month. And there may be restrictions, credit requirements, or down payments to qualify.
Which Cars Offer the Best Deals?
TrueCar, an automotive industry research company, publishes a monthly report that shows sales trends and price movement for all automobile makes and models.
One of our favorite parts of the report is what the company calls “Price Flex Scores,” a measure of how flexible sales transaction prices have been over the past month. If a particular model car has a high “flexibility” score, it means customers have a better chance of getting a good deal than on a model with a lower flex score.
A high Price Flex Score can result from a number of factors, including all or some of the following: excessive number of unsold cars in stock, slow sales, high rebates, factory-to-dealer cash, and dealer willingness to negotiate.
Small cars with low dealer profit margins will have less room for price negotiation, and have low flexibility scores. Some luxury brands have high profit margins but are known for inflexible pricing to help maintain their premium status.
Car models that are being replaced with new versions typcially have high price flexibility, as do brands that are going out of business (e.g. Mercury and Saab).
Some of the cars that have the highest Price Flex Scores, according to TrueCar, are the following:
Should You Buy New or Used?
It wasn’t that long ago that making a money-saving choice between buying a brand new car and used car was a no-brainer.
Prior to 2009 used cars were relatively inexpensive, on average, based on a large supply fueled by trade-ins, lease returns, rental car replacements, and fleet turnover— all driven by a good economy.
Likewise, brand new cars were experiencing record sales with strong demand which kept new-car prices relatively high.
Then the economy changed and the automobile business changed with it.
Simply put, used car prices increased because more people chose to keep their old cars and fewer people bought or leased new cars, which not only reduced the supply of trade-in and replacement vehicles but created a longer-term shortage of lease returns. A smaller supply of used cars, particularly newer used cars, makes for higher dealer wholesale prices, which results in higher retail prices and fewer choices for used-car buyers.
The poor economy had the opposite effect on new-car prices. Since people stopped or slowed down their new-car purchases and leases, prices on new vehicles dropped significantly, primarily as a result of heavy incentives offered by nearly all major car companies to help boost sales again. There have been “cash for clunker” programs, “employee pricing” schemes, cash-back rebates, factory-to-dealer cash, loyalty bonuses, 0% APR loan rates, $0 cash down, and special low-payment lease deals.
And since used car prices are high, new-car buyers are getting great prices on their trade-in vehicles. Low new-car prices combined with high trade-in prices makes for some incredible deals.
New car deals have never been better than now and the last couple of years. 2012 looks to be as good or better.
$99 Lease Deal on smart fortwo Car
You know those cute little smart fortwo cars from Smart USA, owned by Mercedes-Benz.
You know the ones — the ones that get all the attention, can park just about anywhere, have unique styling and colors, get 38 miles per gallon, offer a ton of cool options, are very safe, and have plenty of room for two people.
The company offers essentially four different models including a convertible (cabriolet) and a limited-availability all-electric model.
For the first time, there are some incredible deals on the smart fortwo cars, including a $99/month lease deal.
The special lease deal is for the lowest priced model, the 2012 smart pure coupe. The deal is $99/month for 36 months and $999 due at signing. Previous best deals were $159 to $169 month. This model comes with standard 5-speed automated manual transmission, eight air bags, stability control, and more.
This is the lowest lease price we’ve ever seen for a 36 month lease on a brand-new car.
Best Mitsubishi Deals for January
Mitsubishi is currently offering great incentives on both 2012 and 2011 models.
These incentives come in the form of rebates, 0% APR loans, special lease deals, and loyalty rebates. All deals expire on January 31, 2012.
Let’s take a look at deals on 2012 models first.
2012 Mitsubishi Lancer – 0% APR loan rate for 36 months and $500 rebate for current Mitsubishi or Saturn customers
2012 Mitsubishi Lancer ES CVT – Special lease: $189/month, 24 months, $2388 due at signing
2012 Missubishi Lancer SE 2.5L AWC CVT – Special lease: $189/month, 24 months, $2388 due at signing
2012 Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback – 0% APR loan rate for 36 months and $500 loyalty rebate for current Mitsubishi or Saturn customers
2012 Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback ES CVT – Special lease: $196/month, 24 months, $2395 due at signing
2012 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution – 0% APR loan rate for 36 months
2012 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution GSR – Special lease: $349/month, 48 months, $3698 due at signing
2012 Mitsubishi Galant – $3500 factory rebate or 0% APR loan rate for up to 60 months
2012 Mitsubishi Eclipse Coupe - 0% APR loan rate for 36 months
2012 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder – 0% APR loan rate for 36 months
2012 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport – 0% APR loan rate for 36 months and $500 loyalty rebate for current Mitsubishi or Saturn customers
Where are the Best Car Deals?
Where are the best car deals for 2012?
Everywhere.
Nearly every car company is currently offering incentives of some kind. Deals are actually not hard to find if you know where to look.
Some of these deals are outstanding, some very good, and others only so-so.
Luxury Brands
High-end luxury car companies, such as Porsche, Audi, Land Rover, Jaguar, and Mercedes, don’t normally offer common incentives for fear of looking like a discount car brand. When they do, it’s in the form of “bonuses” or “allowances” but not “rebates.” Or it might be in the form of special leases, where the “discounting” is not so obvious.
For example, at the time of this writing, Mercedes is offering a number of very attractive lease deals across its model lines. They are also offering 1.9% APR loan deals but in these days of record-low finance rates, 1.9% is good but not really an outstanding deal, especially when it’s limited to 24-36 month loans. The lease deals are better.
Same for Infiniti, who is currently (January 2012) offering a number of very good lease deals (all $0 cash due at signing) on all 2012 models except hybrids, and 1.9% APR loans for up to 60 months (better than Mercedes). Depending on where you live, there may be deals on left-over 2011 models.
Audi currently has no incentives for January (at the time of this writing) but even those for December 2011 were not very interesting – a few mediocre lease deals in which they make the first month’s payment and waive the security deposit (who doesn’t). Not much to get excited about.
BMW actually has some outstanding lease deals going on at this time (see New BMW Lease Offers for January) and some factory-to-dealer cash on a few models that translate into purchase price discounts.
Acura offers good lease deals on one selected style within each of its model lines. These are of the $0-$0-$0 variety ($0 down, $0 first payment, $0 security deposit) and are genuinely good deals.
Lexus has no deals worth mentioning, except possibly on a few left-over last-year’s models, or certified used cars.
Land Rover has lease deals on the Ranger Rover Sport and LR4 that are only rated Good by LeaseGuide.com, as well as 1.9% APR loan rates for only 36 months. Nothing here to jump up and down about.
Where are the 0% APR Car Deals?
Cars sales are still recovering from pre-recession levels and car makers are offering some very attractive incentives, including 0%, no interest, loans, to help get things moving again.
Some manufacturers are also offering cash-back rebates but, as you may already know, you generally must choose between the rebates and the special low-interest (or zero interest) loans. You can’t take both.
Often, rebates are a better deal, especially if you need down payment money (rebates can be used as down payment cash). However, in many cases, you don’t have a choice when only a rebate, or only a low-interest loan is being offered. See our article, 0% APR Car Deals – Good Deal or Not? for more details.
Here are some of the current car makes and models with 0% APR loan deals. Note that the 0% APR rate usually (but not always) only applies for shorter-term loans — 24, 36, or 48 month loans — and may not apply to all styles within a model line. Terms and conditions can vary by car company.
Following are some of the current 0% ARP loan deals for 2011 and 2012 vehicles.
- Buick Enclave (2011 and 2012)
- Buick LaCrosse (2011)
- Buick Lucerne (2011)
- Buick Regal (2011)
- Cadillac CTS (2011)
- Cadillac Escalade (2011)
- Cadillac SRX (2011)
- Chevrolet Avalanche (2011)
- Chevrolet Camero (2011)
- Chevrolet Colorado (2011)
- Chevrolet Corvette (2011)
- Chevrolet HHR (2011)
- Chevrolet Impala (2011 and 2012)
- Chevrolet Malibu (2011 and 2012)
- Chevrolet Silverado (2011)
- Chevrolet Suburban (2011)
- Chevrolet Tahoe (2011)
- Chevrolet Traverse (2011 and 2012)
- Chrysler 200 (2011 and 2012)
- Chrysler 300 and 300c (2011 and 2012)
- Chrysler Town & Country (2011 and 2012)
- Dodge Avenger (2012)
- Dodge Caliber (2012)
- Dodge Challenger (2012)
- Dodge Charger (2012)
- Dodge Durango (2011 and 2012)
- Dodge Grand Caravan minivan (2012)
Car of the Year for Only $179/Month
The Hyundai Elantra was just voted North American Car of the Year at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
Fifty independent auto journalists voted on a number of finalists including not only the Hyundai Elantra but also the Volkswagen Passat and Ford Focus.
This award is like winning an Oscar in the movie business and is significant because the voters are people who really know cars and review them day in and day out.
Hyundai has created a solid reputation for building cars with innovative styling, quality, reliability, safety, and luxury at affordable prices. The award-winning Elantra is no exception.
Special Low-Payment Lease Deal on 2012 Hyundai Elantra – Car of the Year
The best news for automotive consumers is that Hyundai is currently offering the 2012 Elantra GLS with auto transmission at only $179/month with a special lease deal that is good through January, until January 31, 2012.
The deal is based on a reduced capitalized cost (lease price), low money factor (finance rate), and a high lease-end residual value. It is a 36 month lease with 36K miles allowance. It requires a $1820 down payment and $179 first month’s payment, both due at lease signing along with any local taxes and official fees.
LeaseGuide.com has evaluated this deal and gives it a Lease Value Score of 79, which rates as Excellent on a 5-level scale of Poor/Average/Good/Excellent/Outstanding. This is a deal well worth considering and a deal that a customer could not negotiate for themselves.
Hyundai is currently offering other special lease deals on the following vehicles:
$0 Zero Down Car Leases Are Back
January 2012 has a number of car makes and models with special lease deals being offered with no money down.
That’s $0 due at lease signing — not even the first month’s payment.
Honda and Acura lead the pack with no-money-down leases, followed by Cadillac.
Honda and Acura actually offer their leases both ways — with a down payment, which makes for a lower monthly payment, and without a down payment.
Actually, almost any car lease can be had with or without a down payment, but you may not be able to get special promotional deals without money down unless the deal specifically makes that offer. All the promotional deals listed below do make the offer.
Making no down payment doesn’t change the value of the deal. However, since you are not pre-paying some of your financed lease amount, your payments will be a bit higher.
All these lease deals allow 10,000 miles per year with the exception of those from Honda and Infiniti which allow 12,000 per year.
Honda and Acura incentives expire on February 29, 2012. All others expire on January 31, 2012.
Here are all the current (January 2012) $0 down lease deals, listed in alphabetical order:
Interesting Cadillac Leases for January
Cadillac normally offers a few good lease deals every month, which is now true again for January and February 2012. The deals expire on February 29.
Cadillac’s lease deals are interesting in that they are a bit wishy-washy on details. For example, Cadillac states that “dealer sets own price” and “example [of the deal] based on survey” and “lease-end purchase price [residual value] set at time of lease signing” and “your payments may vary.” Normally, when a car company offers special leases, it provides all the specifics and detailed figures in the small print accompanying the advertisement. Not so with Cadillac this month.
We will show you the currently offered Cadillac lease deals, all of which are excellent deals and well worth considering. However, you may find that when you visit your local Cadillac dealer, you may not be able to get exactly the same deal. In that case, you can evaluate the deal, or any lease deal, using this Car Lease Calculator from LeaseGuide.com. It’ll tell you just how good, or bad, the deal is.
Here are the latest Cadillac special lease deals, already evaluated and rated by LeaseGuide.com.
New BMW Lease Offers for January – Excellent
BMW, unlike other luxury car brands, offers terrific lease deals nearly every month, even better than most non-luxury brands. January 2012 is no exception.
There are 55 different BMW models with special promotional lease deals this month. Five of those are 2011 models, which are the best of all the excellent deals, and the remainder are 2012 models.
All the 2011 model lease deals listed below have been rated Outstanding by LeaseGuide.com on a 5-category scale of Poor/Average/Good/Excellent/Outstanding.
All the 2012 model lease deals listed below have been rated Excellent. This high rating also applies to nearly all the other BMW leases that we haven’t listed.
All deals are for 36 months (except where noted) and 30K miles allowance (except where noted). This translates to only 833 miles per month. If you drive more miles than the allowance, you’ll pay at the rate of $0.20-$0.25 per mile. Before you apply for one of these leases, make sure you can live with the relatively low mileage allowance. These deals expire on January 31, 2012.
With each deal, at lease signing, you’ll pay a down payment, the first monthly payment, and a $750 lease acquisition fee (a standard non-negotiable fee with all car leases). In some cases, the down payment is offset by an allowance or credit (aka, rebate) that totally or partially covers the down payment.
The 2011 BMW models with special leases are as follows:
New Toyota Leases for January 2012
Toyota is currently offering a number of excellent lease deals for January 2012. The deals expire on January 31. We show you the latest lease deals below.
Just so that you know, and as we’ve explained before, Toyota’s monthly car deals can vary by region of the country due to the way the company uses different distributors and finance companies. For example, if you live in the Southeast U.S., all Toyota dealers in that area get their cars through Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC in Jacksonville, Florida. If you apply for a loan or lease at a dealership, the distributor’s finance company, Southeast Toyota Finance (SETF), handles it. And all monthly incentives come from SETF, not directly from Toyota.
Therefore, when we discuss Toyota new-car incentives, our job is made a bit more difficult by the fact that these regional variations exist. However, since all the incentives originate with the Toyota parent company, the variations that come about through different distributors are generally limited to slight differences in monthly payment, down payment requirement, lease term (months), and vehicle style.
For example, in New York a specific lease offer might be $269/month for 36 months, while in Florida the same vehicle might have an offer for $259/month for 39 months. These deals usually evaluate essentially the same. If one is evaluated to be good deal, then the other is a good deal too. It’s just the details that are different, usually not the deal itself.
So with that in mind we now present the current Toyota lease deals for January 2012. All deals are for 39 months, have a 46,800 miles allowance (very generous!), and require $1999 down payment, plus first month’s payment.
Last Great Deals on Saab Cars
Saab
You either love them or your hate them. It’s the way it has always been.
If you love them and want a bargain of a lifetime, now is the time to buy. Prices on brand new Saab cars are the lowest they have ever been — and will ever be in the future.
So, what’s happening and why are these cars such great bargains all of a sudden?
You may or may not know that the Saab company, which has tetered on bankruptcy a number of times and has bounced around between different owners, is finally closing its doors. Unless a near-miracle occurs sometime soon, Saab is stopping production and support immediately. The company and its car brand will cease to exist.
However, there are Saab dealers all over the United States that still have new Saab vehicles on their lots. These vehicles must be sold. Dealers are making unbelievable deals on these cars — at great loss to themselves — to get rid of them and not get stuck with them.
Is there a catch?
January 2012 Car Deals
We always write this kind of article every month — just before the beginning of a new month — because we know our readers are interested in what kind of new car deals are going to be offered next month — in this case, January 2012.
Unfortunately, car manufacturers don’t even tell their dealers about new special deals and incentives until shortly after the beginning of the new month, after any previous incentive programs have expired.
In this case, all current incentive programs from all car companies end on January 3, 2012. That means dealers, and all of us, won’t know about any new programs until a day, or two, or three after January 3.
However ……. we’ve been around long enough to be able to anticipate the gist of what’s coming with these programs. It’s all based on how a car company’s sales have been going (slow = more incentives), how competitve it needs to be to gain market share, how many of its vehicles are in inventory that must be sold, and how much money the company is willing to risk to gain sales.
So what does this mean for January 2012?
First of all, car companies and dealers still have plenty of left-over 2011 models that must be sold. They can’t sell 2011 models if the price is the same as newer 2012 models. So there will be many excellent incentives on 2011 models, including rebates, factory to dealer cash, low interest rates, and special lease deals.
New Way to Get the Best Car Deals
SEE THE EXACT PRICE YOU SHOULD PAY FOR YOUR NEW CAR
A new company has come along that has the potential to greatly improve and simplify the way we buy cars now and in the future.
The company helps answer the question “What should I pay for my new car?” based on what dealers pay for the car and what other customers are paying for the same car.
If you know a dealer’s cost (invoice price) for a car, the MSRP (sticker price), and what other people in your area are paying for that car, on average, you then know how much you should pay.
If you could then get a written price guarantee backed by local dealers stating they will sell you the car for even less than that price, often less than invoice, it’s even better. You can then be certain that you’re getting about the best deal you could hope for — without the usual haggling and stressful game-playing.
TrueCaris the company we’re talking about here. It hasn’t been around very long but has already established a good reputation for itself in the automobile industry. It’s data and pricing information is often referenced in automotive trade papers and car magazines.
More than just providing free car pricing information like many other sites, TrueCaralso gives you a haggle-free, guaranteed price quote on brand new cars from dealers in your area. The price quotes are typically much less than average prices being paid by customers — and usually less than dealer invoice price.
How does it work?
Outlook – 2012 Car Deals
We don’t have a crystal ball to foresee the future but we know from experience much of what to expect regarding 2012 car deals.
Unless dramatic changes happen to our economy (which is not likely), we see 2012 being much like 2011 for automotive consumers.
Here are some of the things that we see occuring in 2012:
- Honda and Toyota will finally return to full production after the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan. They’ve lost business, market share, and some loyal customers. They will want it all back, and will offer some of the best incentives in the industry to help make it happen. We don’t know exactly when this will occur but expect it no later than mid-year 2012.
- As soon as Honda and Toyota begin their aggressive incentive programs, other car manufacturers will have to compete with their own programs. In this sense, an incentive war will be of great benefit to consumers. Good deals will be everywhere.
- Expect to see Hyundai and Kia make a big play for market share in 2012. New incentive programs and new styling will help make it happen.
- American car makers such as Ford, Chrysler, and General Motors have been taking advantage of the lull during 2011 with an excellent combination of rebates, factory-to-dealer cash, and 0% APR loans. It has been a good year to buy an American made car. We expect 2012 will be just as good if not better.
- Used car prices will remain high in 2012, as they have during 2011. The price gap between new cars and used cars has narrowed considerably. This makes new cars even better deals, especially when we consider that trade-in prices are also higher.
Year-End Lease Deals on Scion
Scion is, as you probably already know, is the young and cool child-brand of parent, Toyota.
Toyota created the brand specifically for a young and young-at-heart customer set, with fresh new styling and features, but retaining the value and reliability that the company has been famous for.
For December, Scion is offering a number of special special lease deals on selected styles of each of its models (except the brand new Scion IQ not yet available in all parts of the U.S.), including both 2011 and 2012 models.
All these deals are for 36 months, 36,000 miles allowance, and vehicles with automatic transmissions. All require a down payment of only $650 and first month’s payment, due at lease signing.
The deals end on January 3, 2012.
Following are the current Scion lease deals:
2011 Scion xB – $219/month, $869 due at signing (Rated 75 – Excellent)
2011 Scion xB Release Series – $239/month, $889 due at signing (Rated 85 – Excellent)
2012 Scion xB – $237/month, $887 due at signing (Rated 70 – Good)
2011 Scion xD – $209/month, $859 due at signing (Rated 73 – Good)
2011 Scion xD Release Series – $229/month, $879 due at signing (Rated 81 – Excellent)
Car Brand – Does It Matter?
Many car buyers simply want a vehicle that gets them from Point A to Point B and don’t care about the brand or what company makes it. After all, isn’t one brand of car pretty much like another?
To others, vehicle brand is very important — although maybe not for the right reasons.
What are the best car brands?
Let’s take a look at some of the reasons why you might want to take care in selecting your car brand. It’s simply not true that all are alike.
Value
The old adage “you get what you pay for” is not the same today for the automobile market as it was, say, 25 years ago. In those days, an inexpensive car would probably get you poor reliability, poor quality, few safety features, and minimal creature comforts. For more money, you could get more luxury and creature comforts and possibly a little more in the way of improved reliability, quality, or safety.
Today, the car you get for your money is light-years ahead of those of 25 years ago with significant improvements in quality, reliability, safety features, comfort, construction materials, paint, fit-and-finish quality, rust protection, engine technology, fuel efficiency, emissions control, sound systems, navigation systems, and luxury features. The lowest priced cars today are far better than the most expensive cars of yesterday.
Today, different car brands are more alike than they are different. A Honda Pilot Touring at $39,000 is not so much different than a Land Rover Range Rover at $79,000 — same quality, same features, same technology, same safety, similar styling, most luxury features same, same reliability (actually, the Land Rover brand is rated by Consumer Reports as having much poorer long-term quality than less expensive Honda).
Stated a little differently, there may be a difference in perceived value between a Honda (or other moderately priced brands) and a Land Rover (or other expensive luxury vehicles) but very little, if any, difference in actual value. The incorrect notion that more money gets you a better car has been successfully propagated by high-end car makers using slick advertising.
Special Toyota Leases for December
Toyota is now offering a number of special car leases for December, particularly on 2011 models.
These deals come from Toyota or from a Toyota distributor, depending on where you live. Because the lease deals have different origins, the details of each deal might differ from those we give you here. In some cases, the specific model and style might be slightly different, or it might be the monthly payment or amount due at signing.
Here are the most recent Toyota special leases, all of which expire on January 3, 2012. All are for 39 months, 39,000 miles. The cash due at signing includes a down payment and first month’s payment.
2011 Toyota Avalon – $359/month, $2358 due at signing
2011 Toyota Camry – $199/month, $2599 due at signing
2012 Toyota Camry – $229/month, $2228 due at signing
2011 Toyota Corolla – $149/month, $2148 due at signing
2011 Toyota Highlander – $309/month, $2308 due at signing
2012 Toyota Highlander – $269/month, $2268 due at signing
2011 Toyota Prius – $249/month, $2248 due at signing
2011 Toyota RAV4 – $209/month, $2208 due at signing
Best Chevrolet Deals for December
Chevrolet is currently offering a number of attractive new-car deals for December 2011, just in time for Christmas.
The deals come in the form of special leases and 0% APR loans on selected 2012 models (and some 2011 models). All deals expire on January 3, 2012. All the leases being offered are $0 due-at-signing leases, meaning there no down payment, no security deposit, and no first month’s payment – sign and drive.
Following are the latest Chevrolet incentives:
2012 Chevrolet Cruze LS (manual transmission) – Special lease: $199/month, 39 months, 39,000 miles
2012 Chevrolet Malibu LS - Special lease: $229/month, 39 months, 39,000 miles
2012 Chevrolet Traverse LS - Special lease: $299/month, 39 months, 39,000 miles
The above leases have been evaluated by LeaseGuide.com using the Lease Value Calculator. All of the deals have rated as Excellent or Outstanding. Specifically, the Traverse lease scores a 96 which rates Outstanding. The Malibu scores a 94 which is also Outstanding. The Cruze deal scores a bit lower at 83 but still rates as Excellent.
Lowest Insurance Rates Make Best Car Deals
Many people buy new cars and only look at the price or monthly payment. However, overall cost of ownership also depends on other factors such as fuel economy, reliability (how frequently repairs are needed), cost of repairs, cost of scheduled maintenance, annual taxes — and auto insurance cost.
After monthly payments, auto insurance is the most costly ongoing expense of driving a car.
We all know that we are required to have auto insurance on our cars to comply with state financial responsibility laws and, if we have a loan or lease, to meet finance company requirements.
Insurance laws are in place to make sure we are financially able to pay for damages and injuries that we might cause in accidents for which we are at fault. Banks and finance companies want to make sure they get paid if you damage or destroy a car for which you have a loan or lease. Insurance protects us from financial disaster, even if we think we’ll never need it.
Since insurance is such a large part of the expense of driving a car, insurance rates can make the difference between a good car deal and not-so-good deal. Insurance rates on different automobile makes and models can vary by thousands of dollars. Ideally, we want to choose a car with not only a good price and monthly payment, but also a good low insurance rate.
So, what are the cars with the lowest auto insurance rates?
December Dealer Cash for Good Deals
Most car manufacturers have already released many 2012 models but still have leftover 2011 models (and some 2010 models) that must be sold.
To help dealers sell 2011 inventory, the car companies offer limited-time “marketing support” factory-to-dealer cash on selected car models and styles. Dealers typically use the cash to provide price discounts to customers. The more cash, the larger the discount.
By knowing which cars currently have the largest factory-to-dealer cash incentives, we can know where to find the best deals.
Let’s take a look at the best factory-to-dealer incentives for December 2011:
2011 Infiniti EX, G Convertible, G Coupe, G Sedan – up to $2000
2011 Infiniti FX – up to $3000
2011 Infiniti M37 – up to $4000
2011 Infiniti M56 – up to $5000
2011 BMW 3-Series – up to $1500
2011 BMW 7-Series – up to $10,000
2011 BMW Alpina B7 – up to $10,000
Best December Car Rebates
December has always been a good sales month for new cars and car companies compete for customers’ attention with attractive rebates and other incentives.
There are a number of good rebates being offered now, until 1/3/2012, that are worth considering.
As you might expect, some — but not all — of the largest rebates are on “leftover” 2011 models. However, considering that there are very few, if any, differences between most 2011 and 2012 models, the 2011s make great buys.
Let’s take a look at some of the best customer rebates currently being offered:
2011 Acura RL and ZDX – $2000
2011 BMW 335d – $3500
2011 BMW 760 – $10,000
2011 BMW Alpina B7 – $10,000
2011 Buick Lacrosse – $3000
2012 Buick Lacrosse – $3825
2011 Buick Lucerne – $4000
2011 Buick Regal – $3000
December Car Deals
As many of you already know, car manufacturers don’t announce new car deals and incentives until the old incentives expire.
Fortunately, a number of car makers announced deals at the beginning of November that are good through December 2011. At the time of this writing, we expect to know about deals from all the car companies during the first week of December.
General Motors (Chevrolet, Buick, Cadillac, GMC) in particular has a number of good $0-down lease deals on selected models good until 1/3/2012. Actually, it’s even better; it’s zero cash due at lease signing — sign and drive — which means no down payment, no security deposit, and no first month’s payment — on most but not all of the lease deals. There are also a few 0% APR loan deals.
Of the companies who have already announced new-car incentives that we’ve previously discussed on this web site are:
Best Dealer Cash on Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep Products
Most Chrysler Corp. (Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep) new 2012 models are already out but dealers still have left-over 2011 models that must be sold in clearance sales.
To help dealers sell surplus 2011 inventory, Chrysler is currently giving dealers “hidden” factory-to-dealer cash for each 2011 vehicle sold. Dealers can use this cash almost any way they choose but most of it goes back to customers in the form of big price discounts. This money is sometimes called, “marketing support.”
Chrysler’s current (November 2011) dealer cash offerings are the largest in the industry and apply to nearly every 2011 model vehicle. Furthermore, each of the vehicles also has a $1000 “conquest” bonus rebate which applies if a customer has at least one non-Chrysler vehicle in his household. It doesn’t have to be a trade-in.
What this means is that customers who are in the market for a Chrysler, Dodge, or Jeep have an opportunity to get one of the best deals of the year out there right now in these “clearance” sales. These are all good deals because there are relatively minor differences between most 2011 and 2012 models.
Let’s take a look at the Chrysler factory-to-dealer cash offers available in November. By the way, if there are still significant numbers of 2011 vehicles still available in December and January, expect these incentives to continue into those months, but supplies and selections may be more limited.