Best End of Year Deals on New Cars
December is the best time of year to buy a new car - especially if you know which models have the biggest discounts.
Each year, Consumer Reports releases a list of the best end-of-year deals on new vehicles.
To be eligible for the list, each model has to meet Consumer Reports' criteria to be recommended. This means they have to score well in testing, have an average or better reliability, and perform well in crash tests.
The list includes both 2011 and 2012 models which have average discounts of 15 to 20% off MSRP. But since you're a RealCarTips.com reader, average isn't good enough so you should negotiate even further.
Some of the models such as the Chevrolet Traverse, Honda Pilot, Lincoln MKZ, and Mazda6 have been sitting on dealer lots over 100 days and are ripe for negotiation.
| Make & model | Expires | MSRP | Invoice price | Customer rebate | Dealer incentive | Below MSRP |
| 2011 Cadillac DTS |
1/3/12 | 52,845 | 49,989 | No | Yes | 20%+ |
| 2011 Chevrolet Avalanche |
1/3/12 | 43,405 | 40,433 | Yes | No | 20%+ |
| 2012 Chevrolet Malibu | 1/3/12 | 24,115 | 22,947 | Yes | Yes | 20%+ |
| 2011 Buick Lucerne |
1/3/12 | 45,225 | 43,447 | Yes | No | 15%+ |
| 2011 Chevrolet Corvette |
1/3/12 | 54,995 | 50,131 | Yes | No | 15%+ |
| 2011 Chevrolet Suburban |
1/3/12 | 57,530 | 53,569 | Yes | No | 15%+ |
| 2011 Chevrolet Traverse | 1/3/12 | 34,820 | 33,120 | Yes | No | 15%+ |
| 2011 Dodge Durango |
1/3/12 | 36,270 | 34,361 | No | Yes | 15%+ |
| 2012 Ford Escape | 1/3/12 | 27,445 | 25,640 | Yes | No | 15%+ |
| 2011 Ford F-150 | 1/3/12 | 37,820 | 34,387 | Yes | No | 15%+ |
| 2012 Ford Mustang | 1/3/12 | 34,505 | 31,854 | Yes | No | 15%+ |
| 2012 Ford Taurus | 1/3/12 | 32,950 | 30,420 | Yes | No | 15%+ |
| 2011 GMC Yukon XL | 1/3/12 | 50,365 | 46,906 | Yes | No | 15%+ |
| 2011 Honda Accord | 1/3/12 | 23,950 | 21,791 | No | Yes | 15%+ |
| 2011 Honda Pilot | 1/3/12 | 36,680 | 33,298 | No | Yes | 15%+ |
| 2011 Lexus ES 350 | 1/3/12 | 37,600 | 34,174 | No | Yes | 15%+ |
| 2011 Lexus IS 250 | 1/3/12 | 35,340 | 31,894 | No | Yes | 15%+ |
| 2011 Lexus LS 460 | 1/3/12 | 73,550 | 65,556 | No | Yes | 15%+ |
| 2012 Mazda6 | 1/3/12 | 22,035 | 20,430 | No | Yes | 15%+ |
| 2011 Nissan Altima | 1/3/12 | 23,330 | 21,919 | Yes | No | 15%+ |
| 2012 Nissan Maxima | 1/3/12 | 35,310 | 32,401 | Yes | No | 15%+ |
| 2011 Nissan Murano | 1/3/12 | 38,810 | 35,805 | Yes | No | 15%+ |
My Recommendation for Car Shoppers
TrueCar, Edmunds, and 1-800 Car Show are the quickest way to see the lowest car prices in your area. These sites show you no-haggle prices from dealers closest to you - and the deals are usually really good. This should be the first step you take when negotiating your car price. Follow this up with my checklist to make sure you squeeze out every last bit of savings.California Residents - Important:
There is a new online car buying service called Roadster, available only to California residents, which I highly recommend you try - especially if you hate the stress of haggling with a car salesman. They provide an expert concierge who negotiates the price of the car and delivers it to your home with zero hassle - you never have to interact with a dealership. Here is my in-depth review of Roadster and why I recommend it.- Gregg Fidan
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About: Gregg Fidan
Gregg Fidan + is the founder of RealCarTips. After being ripped off on his first car purchase, he devoted several years to figuring out the best ways to avoid scams and negotiate the best car deals. He has written hundreds of articles on the subject of car buying and taught thousands of car shoppers how to get the best deals.
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