Cold weather may make a car lot the last place you want to spend your time, but if you've been thinking about getting a new ride, the coming weeks often bring a perfect car-buying storm for deal hunters.
"As the new calendar year approaches, dealerships are trying to meet year-end sales quotas that could reduce fees and taxes on year-end inventory," according to the experts at TrueCar, an automotive pricing and information website for new- and used-car buyers and dealers.
Even better for bargain hunters, sales staff are usually vying not only for end-of-month and end-of-quarter sales quotas, they're also trying to meet year-end sales targets to trigger holiday bonuses.
Plus, with the calendar getting ready to flip, dealers are all the more eager to make room for incoming 2015 models, which started hitting the lots a few months ago, before all those 2014 models start looking like used vehicles.
Of course, outgoing models may be in short supply as the year ends, says TrueCar, so your selection may be limited. "But manufacturers quite frequently offer additional sales incentives on lingering models, bringing their prices down even further."
Even when sales are strong through November, "dealers push in December to meet or exceed their goals," according to the experts at Autotrader, who also recommend going late in the day to get a better deal.
"New-car shoppers can often negotiate strong deals during late hours, provided the salesperson thinks he or she is dealing with a serious buyer. Staying late to close a deal doesn't change the fact that everyone's ready to go home, so the dealer may make concessions to speed up the negotiation," Autotrader says.
If you've decided now is the time to buy, of course the big question becomes what car to get. A great place to start is USAA's 2014 "Best Value" list.
Published in the most recent edition of USAA Magazine, the insurance wizards and number crunchers use a proprietary scoring model to evaluate factors including safety, cost and reliability.
Meanwhile, USAA's "Top 10 for Teens" taps those vehicles that also get top marks in reliability and safety, as well as reasonable insurance costs. With each vehicle on the teen list under $26,000 sticker, it could just as easily be called "Top 10 List for Young, Single Troops."
USAA's top picks:
- Coupe: 2014 Chevrolet Spark: Recognized by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety as a Top Safety Pick, its affordability and fuel economy made it a top pick.
- Small sedan: 2014 Toyota Prius: Earning high marks for fuel economy and its superior safety rating.
- Midsize sedan: 2014 Toyota Camry: Despite its competitive category, it conquered again this year, earning points for reliability and resale value.
- Midsize luxury: 2014 Lincoln MKZ: Topping its category for a second year, the MKZ offers fuel efficiency and superior safety, earning a 2014 Top Safety Pick+ award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
- Large luxury: 2014 Volvo S80: A Top Safety Pick+, the S80 also gets the nod for its top-notch reliability and fuel efficiency.
- Small SUV: 2014 Mazda CX-5: Outscoring the competition on affordability and reliability, CX-5 also has lower than average insurance premiums and a Top Safety Pick+ status.
- Midsize SUV: 2014 Toyota Highlander: With the highest safety ratings in its class, the Highlander also gets high grades for reliability.
- Midsize luxury SUV: 2014 Acura MDX: Combining good scores on value and reliability, the MDX also gets a Top Safety Pick+ award.
- Station wagon: 2014 Mazda3 Hatchback: Mixing a reasonable price, reliability and outstanding safety status.
- Minivan: 2014 Honda Odyssey: Making its first appearance on USAA's Best Value list, the Odyssey pairs competitive pricing and superior safety.
- Top 10 for Teens: Chevrolet Spark, Honda Civic Sedan, Honda Civic Coupe, Mazda Mazda3 Hatchback, Toyota Prius, Nissan Altima, Toyota Camry, Dodge Dart, Mazda Mazda6, Mazda CX-5.
