we have good news and bad news. Here's the bad: April isn't
the best month to go car shopping. Over the past three years, National Pecan
Month (yes, really) ranked among the three leanest months of the year for
per-car incentives, according to Autodata Corp. New Car Deals have moved past the winter sales drought, but the
sell-off for the next model year is still months away — so a lot of bargain
hunters may leave the showroom feeling a bit April foolish. Oh, and the
"CHIPS" reboot apparently stinks. That's the other bad news. But
here's the good news: Incentives are still on fire. New-car sales slid 1.7
percent in March, by Automotive News' tally, and that was despite incentives
totaling $3,563 per car, per Autodata. That's up $453, or 14.6 percent, over
March 2016, and it marks the seventh consecutive month of double-digit
increases for discounts. April might be a weak month from recent history, but
the current discount train doesn't seem to be stopping anytime soon. Hop aboard
and find yourself a deal. Related: Is a Certified Pre-Owned Car Right for You?
2017 Ford Focus
Manufacturer image
Ford Focus
How much can I save? A lot. Focus sales
fell 22.5 percent in March even though run-of-the-mill 2017 versions averaged
48 to 52 days on dealer lots — on par with the month's 55-day average for all
2017 models. From now until June 21, factory rebates range from $250 to $3,500
on the Focus, according to Automotive News. That's a wide range, but we audited
ZIP codes in five major cities and found most trim levels have posted rebates
in the higher range. Some of the rebates require approved financing through
Ford's credit arm, however, so read the fine print. Note, too, that the savings
may come at a price: The Focus blends solid handling with impressive ride
quality, but poor reliability and limited collision-avoidance tech have stung
the current generation. What about discount financing? Qualified shoppers can
get rates as low as zero percent. Are these deals also on the Focus ST and RS?
Not so much. In most areas we searched, the ST had some rebates — though not as
much as other trims .
Comments
Post a Comment