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.
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
About The Author
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.Latest Weekly Car Buying Tips
March 2024
- Real Prices of Midsize SUVs Mar 28, 2024
- Which Cars Better to Lease or Buy Mar 28, 2024
- Nissan Rogue Special Deals Alert Mar 28, 2024
- Cheapest Luxury Lease Deals Mar 28, 2024
- New Cars with the Most Available Inventory Mar 21, 2024
- Best Car Deals by Category Mar 21, 2024
- Top 100 Cheapest New Cars for 2024 Mar 21, 2024
- Real Prices of Compact Cars Mar 21, 2024
- Top 100 Cheapest Lease Deals Mar 14, 2024
- Best Car Deals Around the Country Mar 14, 2024
- Cars With the Largest Rebates Mar 14, 2024
- Real Prices of Pickup Trucks Mar 14, 2024
- Best 0% Finance Deals March 2024 Mar 07, 2024
- Best Bang for Your Buck Lease Deals Mar 07, 2024
- Best Electric, Hybrid Lease Deals Mar 07, 2024
- Biggest Discounts on New Cars Mar 07, 2024
- Real Prices of New Compact SUVs Mar 07, 2024
February 2024
- Worst Cars to Lease Right Now Feb 29, 2024
- Price Comparison of Subcompact SUVs Feb 29, 2024
- Real Prices of Large SUVs Feb 22, 2024
- New Cars You Should Wait to Buy Feb 22, 2024
- Real Prices of Midsize Cars Feb 15, 2024
- Largest Hidden Dealer Rebates Feb 01, 2024