End of Model-Year Sales

Normally, the month of September would be a good month to catch good deals on remaining 2005 car models. And in many cases, this still may be true. However, this year, things are a little different.

First, GM, Ford, and Chrysler are just coming off of extended "employee prices to the public" promotions that have been tremendously successful for them. These were prices that were far better than any typical end-of-model-year prices. The best prices for those brands have already happened -- they won't get any better.

The success of the programs left dealers with far fewer 2005 models than they would otherwise have. Therefore, for those who will have waited until after September 6 (when the promotions end), prices will be higher and selections will be limited. This also applies to most of the other automobile brands who also enjoyed increased sales of 2005 vehicles during the summer.

In some cases, 2005 models are already gone, especially in those cases where the 2006 versions of a particular car came out during the Spring or Summer of this year.

So, for those who traditionally wait until September to buy their new cars, this was the year to break the tradition. This is not your father's car buying world any longer.