CARFCO

Overall, it has been a great season for automakers and auto dealers alike as many are feeling the relief of a great comeback from the lows of the recession. If you are thinking of a new car or truck and are wondering what’s making the list of top vehicles, here is a little help.

Remaining at the top of Canada’s list, yet again is the Ford F-150. It has been deemed as Canada’s best-selling truck for quite awhile now and that is not expected to change any time soon. With more than 27,500 sold as of June, the basic Ford F-150 can be had for a very reasonable $24, 599.

Chevrolet has done well with its top selling Chevrolet Silverado / GM Sierra with more than 24,600 sold to the middle of the year. In addition to their best sellers, some General Motor’s models are currently offering up to $8,000 in cash credits.

Dodge still offers Canada’s favourite family vehicle with their Dodge Caravan. This vehicle offers a lot of interior room as well as $3,500 of a lower base price compared to the larger Grand Caravan’s MSRP. They have sold 18,518 of these units as of June and are hoping to see its popularity continue well into the future.

As of June, 17,198 Mazda 3 Mazdaspeeds have been sold, and with a 60-day interest free offer from Mazda, it makes an affordable car even more affordable at $32.995. You can chose from their 263 horsepower or the 148 horsepower model.

The Honda Civic sees themselves in fifth place with 17,095 of their cars sold as of June. Their 0.9 per cent financing or 2.5 per cent leasing rates also made their Checkered Flag Event very popular.

Dodge is offering $8.250 in ‘consumer cash’ for each of the Dodge Rams it sells making it a number six seller in Canada with 16,319 vehicles out the door. The Toyota Corolla follows closely with 13,059 of their cars being sold while Ford holds eighth place selling 11,391 of their Escape models starting at $24,499.

Hyundai takes the cake offering a very attractive 60-months of zero per cent financing on their Elantra sedans which start at under $12,000 and their Elantra Touring model, which starts at $21,899.

Whether you’re in the market for new or used, getting a new vehicle can be very exciting. Doing some research to be sure you are choosing the right make and model is essential and informing yourself of any deals that are available to car buyers is just smart.

If you are considering a new car purchase, there are a few bartering secrets that you should know to get the best deal you can.

When looking at the sticker price on a car, the MSRP or manufacturer’s suggested retail price, is the price the dealer would like for the car. It’s not necessarily the price they expect to get for it. If you can get a few hundred dollars off that price, you probably have gotten a deal. The dealer never pays the MSRP. They have special dealer cost prices that they are charged. If you’re curious about what a dealer actually pays for a car you’re interested in, you can find out by getting a membership at carcostcanada.com or you can try asking the dealer directly (if they’re honest enough to provide you with that information).

Dealers make their money from extended warranties, seat protectors, rust proofing and paint and especially from financing, not from the price of the car. If you have a pushy dealer who insists on any of these extras, now you know why.

Dealers also have what is called a hold-back incentive. This is an amount of money paid by the manufacturer to the dealer for overhead to keep the car. Of course, the longer the car remains in the window, the less the hold-back incentive. This is designed to motivate dealers to sell cars fast. If you are able to find out how long that particular vehicle has been sitting on the lot, you may be able to use this leverage to get a better deal.

When shopping for a car, it’s good to keep in mind that popular vehicles, or vehicles that are in high demand, will cost you more. Unless you’re buying used, you may want to opt out of the extended warranty as well. It’s a fact that nowadays with so many lease options, most people do not own their cars as long as the warranties last. Major parts such as the driveline, engine and transmission are all covered by the manufacturer, usually for between five and eight years. As well, most warranties have too many exceptions, exclusions and deductibles.

Remember when buying a car, it’s the sales person’s job to get you to purchase the vehicle for the MSRP. Do your research on the vehicle beforehand to find out if there are any special incentives, discounts, or rebates that the dealer has not been completely upfront about. Read the “Auto” section of the newspaper and search online for any deals that might bring down the price of your new vehicle. The few hours of research you do will be well worth it.

With domestic automakers like Chevrolet offering a $3,000 cash-back incentive on their Chevy Cobalt coup and Toyota’s zero per cent financing offer, now may seem like a great time to buy a car. However, considering the constant rise in gas prices and Toyota’s recent nine million-car recall, maybe now is not a good time to buy. For those of you who are still considering a purchase and are on your way to the dealership, there are a few things you should know before making any decisions.

First of all, many of these cash-back incentives only apply if you are using dealer financing. You should do as much financial research as possible before accepting their financing offer. Also, as a consumer, you stand a better chance of getting a deal at the end of the month instead of at the beginning.

Here are a few words of professional advice from established companies to help consumers avoid car-buying mistakes. The most common error for people buying a vehicle is buying one that they think they may eventually need instead of buying a car that is suitable for their current needs. An example is a couple that thinks they will have children someday, so they buy a large SUV now. Another example of an inappropriate purchase is someone who wants to own a boat one day and today, they buy a new full-sized pickup truck.

Not only are these people spending a lot more money on fuel than they need to, they have purchased vehicles that simply do not serve their current needs. Instead, they could be driving smaller, more economic vehicles. It’s easy enough to upgrade when the time is right.

Another very common car-buying mistake is to buy at the beginning of the year when the new models are released. During the first few months of the year, dealers have all year to meet sales goals and clear their inventory, so a deal is less likely. However, at the end of the year, dealers want to clear out the older, less desirable models and make room for new inventory.

It also pays to know the market. Using resources such as Kelley Blue Book, Cars.com, AutoTrader and NADA Guides can prove to be invaluable. They can provide a working knowledge of the street value of the car you are considering. This will help arm you with additional information on what you can afford and how much you should be paying when you do find the car you want. It also helps to have a list of what you’re looking for in a new car to avoiding being vulnerable and falling for an impulse purchase.