Monthly car sales ads help to identify the best time to buy

If you're in the market for a new car, looking at the numbers monthly car sales announced by the major automakers can often help to determine whether it would be better to buy now or wait a bit 'more for the best prices.

When there is strong consumer demand and car sales are lively, the prices remain strong. Without any hint of weakness exist, it is unlikely that we would see better deals because of an increase in incentives of the producer and / or dealer discounts (even if we see this sometimes on very slow-selling models).

When car sales are weak, look for added incentives and financing offers more attractive to move vehicles off the lots. This is a much better time to negotiate your deal much better.

We use the current market environment of the car (August/2007) as an example. Right now, I think we are probably not far from the biggest incentives and better financing deals. Retailers just have to start getting vehicles off the lot. Sales have been weak in recent months and vehicles are languishing on dealer lots ... some for many months.

Car sales in June were already weak. And in July, while not falling, have taken another significant blow. What's more, Toyota has also been the victim of a weak market.

Not only were the sales of vehicles, down from June, were also down from July last year. For example, Toyota was down 7% compared to July last year, Chrysler Group fell by 8%, Ford dropped 19% and GM was on a heavy 22%.

In our current economic environment, this kind of numbers they had to make the car quite nervous. And it is particularly serious because many 2008 models will be coming soon.

After identifying the general trend of sales, you can often get more specific details on individual models of monthly news announcements.

In passenger vehicles, for example, Chevrolet Impala sales was 20% compared to last year. The Ford Fusion was down 31% year over year. The Chrysler 300 sales were down 15% for the month. None of these models are heavily discounted at the time, but if sales continue to fall, the incentives are sure to rise.

Among pickup trucks, Chevrolet Silverado sales fell by 30% from '06 levels. It is also supported by substantial incentives, Dodge Ram sales are still down 10% from last July. The Ford F150 may not have a lot of incentives and sales were down 18% compared to last year.

Among SUVs, the Chevy Tahoe was running at below 12% per cent last July. The Ford Explorer was actually hit with sales down 23% year-to-date. The Dodge Durango has taken the biggest hit with sales down 50% in July from June and 26% from last July. And even Toyota 4runner sales decreased 29% from last July and 21% for the year.

I think the idea, when you're in the market for a new car, checking the latest sales data can help determine whether prices are likely to go lower. And the figures for individual models can indicate the more obvious failures and successes .......