Which Leftover Models Should You Buy?
If you wait too long, there may not be any remaining with the colors or options you desire - or worse, there may not be any left at all. If you buy too soon, you won't maximize savings, since dealers aren't as desperate to sell. The time of year also matters. If the leftover models dwindle down well before the end of the year, there's less pressure on dealers to sell, since they know they won't have much trouble selling the remaining ones.
This week, I gathered data to show you which leftover models currently have the best potential for steep discounts while also having enough remaining inventory to choose from. I gathered data from nationwide classified listings, and calculated how many days inventory each model had remaining based on last month's sales figures along with the ratio of remaining 2012 models. (There's a bit of guesswork here, so consider these numbers ball-park figures)
To see what kind of deals are available on these leftovers, use the RydeShopper.
Vehicle | 2012 Units Available | 2013 Units Available | Total Units | September Total Sales | 2012 Ratio | Daily Units Sold * | Days Remaining |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2012 Chevrolet Malibu | 3,041 | 32,703 | 35,744 | 11,188 | 9% | 32 | 96 |
2012 Chevrolet Traverse | 16,613 | 0 | 16,613 | 5,687 | 100% | 190 | 88 |
2012 GMC Acadia | 13,472 | 0 | 13,472 | 6,159 | 100% | 205 | 66 |
2012 Nissan Pathfinder | 6,294 | 0 | 6,294 | 3,205 | 100% | 107 | 59 |
2012 Ford Mustang | 725 | 7,858 | 8,583 | 4,439 | 8% | 12 | 58 |
2012 Toyota Avalon | 2,417 | 0 | 2,417 | 1,571 | 100% | 52 | 46 |
2012 Nissan Altima | 3,881 | 24,552 | 28,433 | 24,448 | 14% | 111 | 35 |
2012 Honda Accord | 11,971 | 19,948 | 31,919 | 29,182 | 38% | 365 | 33 |
2012 Chevrolet Impala | 7,372 | 6,567 | 13,939 | 15,259 | 53% | 269 | 27 |
2012 Hyundai Santa Fe | 851 | 5,881 | 6,732 | 7,378 | 13% | 31 | 27 |
2012 Ford Fusion | 5,033 | 5,297 | 10,330 | 12,300 | 49% | 200 | 25 |
2012 Ford Escape | 501 | 15,454 | 15,955 | 23,148 | 3% | 24 | 21 |
2012 Lexus ES 350 | 950 | 3,001 | 3,951 | 6,553 | 24% | 53 | 18 |
According to the numbers above, the 2012 Chevrolet Malibu has 96 days worth of inventory remaining, the highest of the bunch, while the 2012 Lexus ES 350 has only 18 days remaining. These figures are based off of last month's sales figures. Keep in mind this doesn't mean it will take exactly 96 days for the leftover Malibus to run out. Typically, as leftover models dwindle, it becomes harder to sell off the remaining batch due to unpopular color and option choices, so you can expect that some leftovers will still be available well into 2013.
3 Steps Every Car Buyer Needs to Take to Save Maximum Money
The key to getting the best deal is to gather price or lease bids from as many local dealers as possible. Then shop that best price around until no one can beat it. Here are the steps:Step 1 Get Prices From My Trusted Network
Select the vehicle you're interested in to see if there are local dealers in my network who will provide you with their best upfront price. You will get direct access to an internet sales manager who you can further negotiate with online (no need to visit dealership).Step 2 Get Prices From TrueCar / CarsDirect
TrueCar, and CarsDirect are my top 2 online price quote recommendations. These services show you pre-negotiated prices from dealers closest to you - and the deals are usually pretty decent. But remember, you can still negotiate further.Step 3 Complete my Checklist
Follow this up with my checklist to make sure you squeeze out every last bit of savings.- Gregg Fidan

Each week, I'll keep you up-to-date on the latest car deals and news that might affect your purchase. This includes...
- Best Rebates, Incentives, and Lease Deals
- Latest Car Buying Scams and Tricks
- The Best & Worst Time to Buy a Car
- Which Cars You Should Avoid
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