June 26, 2007
Shoppers looking to buy a new car, truck, or SUV this July 4th holiday would do well to check Consumer Reports newly expanded online list of Best New Car Deals.
The Independence Day holiday is one of the biggest car-shopping periods of the year, and CR research shows current rebates and incentives can mean big consumer savings off sticker prices (MSRP).
Two of the biggest deals offer potential savings of up to 30 percent off the sticker price of a Jeep Liberty Sport 4WD, and up to 29 percent off a fun-to-drive Ford Focus ZX4 SES sedan.
Not all the savings are obvious to consumers. For example, Acura is offering a $3,500 incentive to dealers on the 2007 Acura RL with Navigation. Because dealer incentives are not typically communicated to consumers, this luxury sedan has more negotiation room than it may appear.
The Consumer Reports Bottom Line Price factors such hidden dealer incentives and holdbacks, in addition to rebates and invoice price, to identify a good starting point for your negotiations. Right now on the RL, the Bottom Line Price shows a total potential savings of up to $9,188.
CR experts warn, however, that a great price isn't necessarily a good deal if the vehicle doesn't measure up.
That is why each vehicle on the Consumer Reports' Best New Car Deals list has received the organization's coveted Recommended rating. To be recommended, a vehicle must have performed well in testing, received average or better reliability ratings, and performed well in government or insurance industry crash and rollover tests, if tested.
