Cars aren't cheap. They're probably going to be one of the most expensive purchases you'll ever make apart from a house. As such, getting the best deal out of a new or even used car helps you reduce your high upfront costs. If you're looking for a great deal on a new or used vehicle, then you've come to the right article.When purchasing a car, there are plenty of factors you'll have to consider. Apart from design, practicality, reliability, and space, pricing will heavily dictate whether the car is worth it or not. Notice as well that prices are called "suggested" retail prices or MSRP, and that's because the prices announced by automakers assume that a customer can negotiate a deal or have room for discounts if it's a slow-selling vehicle.Now, some tactics to land a deal make sense, while others are purely anecdotal. For this article, we're going to reveal to you the tactics that actually work in order for you to get the most out of your new or used car purchase. Cars Have Become More Expensive Hyundai The primary motivator for anyone getting a great deal out of any car is that cars aren’t getting any cheaper. Here's why that's the case and also why it's getting harder in general to purchase a new car. People Paid Almost $50K On Average Genesis Dealership Lounge Area-1 According to the latest data from Kelley Blue Book, shoppers paid on average $49,275 for a new car, which is 3.5 percent higher than a year prior. This is also higher than the past two months, and the rate at which prices have increased has also accelerated. Don't think that used car prices aren't increasing, too, because you couldn't be more wrong in this aspect. Kelley Blue Book says that at $25,390 last March, this is slightly higher than the price from a month prior. Good luck looking for a sub-$15,000 used car, because this is in short supply.Now, higher new car payments would be fine if the average wage in America had also risen. Wages may have increased 3.6 percent year-over-year as of April, but taking inflation into account amid rising costs of necessities, the actual purchasing power from your hard-earned money has remained largely stagnant. Affordable Cars Are Getting Rarer Nissan 2025 was the final year of the sub-$20,000 new car when Nissan discontinued the Versa subcompact sedan. In other markets, the Versa is still alive and kicking, but the tariff situation has made the Mexican-made Versa unprofitable for Nissan in the United States. The Versa’s segment of subcompact sedans is known for a thin profit margin, which means that these cars should be sold in droves.Unfortunately, the market is also being driven by higher-income individuals. As new cars become more refined and more high-tech than before, it is mostly higher-income individuals who are benefiting, and this is pushing away buyers on the lower end of the segment. At worst, these buyers will end up taking out long-term loans whose high interest rates often make the cars twice as expensive. Longer-term loans are also a major contributor to rising vehicle prices. Here’s What You Can Do pixabay Unfortunately, as with everything in life, there are factors you can’t and can control. Market forces are beyond your control, but knowing when to buy and how to land a great deal are factors that are within your control. Some of these tips are gathered from US News, and so we’ve selected what works best and makes the most sense. Timing Is Key Toyota North America Did you know that there are certain months when car prices become more affordable? Holidays are often a great time to buy a new or used car as automakers take advantage of long weekends or seasons to help boost their sales. Some of those holidays include Labor Day weekend and Independence Day, just to name a few. But apart from holidays, the end of every month will give you a higher chance of scoring a deal as dealers aim to hit their sales quotas. The same goes for the end of a season—particularly in the fall, since this is when most automakers also announce their model year vehicle changes.Speaking of model year changes, it’s also great to determine when a vehicle is set to be fully redesigned. As more customers are eager to wait for the newer vehicle, automakers and dealers have become more aggressive in clearing their stock. Such is the case with the Lexus ES, wherein tempting discounts and lease deals were implemented, since a new generation ES is already headed to dealers as we speak. Buy A Car Before You Need It ML Chrysler/Jeep/Dodge But all of these timing tips will be moot if your purchasing timeline is too quick. What I mean is that purchasing a vehicle will be easier if you aren't rushing to buy one. That’s because you can time your vehicle purchase to coincide with when a discount or promo gets implemented, not to mention more wiggle room from salespersons to haggle since you’re not in a rush. Salespeople will take advantage of your rush to purchase a vehicle. When they know that they have the leverage, they'll tweak their marketing strategy to make you purchase right away as opposed to offering a discount.Furthermore, if you have a vehicle that needs to be sold or traded in, you’ll have enough time to evaluate it for possible repairs. The last thing you want out of your vehicle is for it to have a low resale value just because the vehicle has an easily repairable component. Vehicle Popularity Also Affects Prices Finally, the popularity and, thus, demand of a certain model also make it resistant to deals. Remember, high demand means a higher price. It’s the basic rule of supply and demand. Lesser To No Deals On Popular Models Toyota The best example of this is the newly redesigned Toyota RAV4, which almost everyone wants these days. It’ll be impossible for you to get a discount or a great lease offer on the RAV4, because Toyota has no reason to do so. In fact, with RAV4 demand outstripping supply, some dealers are even resorting to markups. Toyota even suggested that dealers, at one point, steer customers to slower-selling models like the Crown Signia, which might satisfy their needs.But if you’re considering something else other than a RAV4, you’ll have a higher chance of scoring a deal. Hyundai has ongoing promos for the Tucson, and that’s also the case for Kia’s Sportage. Depending on your preferences, the Tucson or Sportage may already be good enough for you—especially if all you need is a safe and sensible crossover SUV that takes you from A to B with no fuss and drama. The Same Case Applies to a Used Car, and Then Some Jody Only | TopSpeedThe same case of high demand and low supply also applies to used cars. This is why you’ll notice certain models have higher resale values than others, as this is dictated by their popularity among used car shoppers.However, unlike in a brand-new car, reliability now has a major role in determining a vehicle’s resale value. You're no longer dealing with a new car whose prices are dictated by the manufacturer's assurance that it's free from defects. Now, you’re dealing with how long it will last and how much useful life is left. Lastly, in relation to the reliability part, how easy a car is to maintain also dictates resale. These factors are where you’ll traditionally see Japanese brands have higher demand in the used market and thus, higher resale values, since their cars are known for both durability and ease of maintenance.
