Edmunds.com Deals of the Week

Disruptions stemming from the March 11 earthquake in Japan are threatening to throw car dealer inventories into short supply, making this summer's auto market susceptible to high prices and low incentives. To avoid this unfriendly consumer environment, Edmunds urges car buyers to follow any one of these five tips:

1. Wait until the fall or winter to make your new car purchase. If you don't need a new car right now, the smartest play is to wait until later in the year when production is back to normal and carmakers have more flexibility with incentives.
2. Extend your car lease past this summer. If your lease is scheduled to expire this summer, work with your lessor to extend the current lease.
3. Finish up someone else's lease. Companies like LeaseTrader.com specialize in matching consumers who want out of their leases with consumers who are interested picking up a short-term lease.
4. Shop around and negotiate. Patient consumers who look hard enough will be able to find the right deal on a new car this summer, even if the vehicle isn't their first or second choice. But identifying a good deal is only the first step. Edmunds shows you how to be in a better position to save even more money at the bargaining table in "Negotiating 101".
5. Don't assume used cars will be the better deal. Edmunds research indicates that buying a used car won't provide salvation from inflated prices. Today's used car prices are significantly higher than in the past; a record number of models have earned a place on Edmunds list of one-year old used cars that are essentially as expensive as new cars at http://www.edmunds.com/car-news/new-vs-used-car-buying.html.

For consumers who have no other option than to buy or lease a new car this summer, Edmunds is there to help. Every week Edmunds updates this page with the most attractive new car deals on the market within each segment. So whether you're looking for a compact car, sports car, or an SUV, we'll help you identify the best incentive offers to save you the most money.

THIS WEEK'S DEALS
Date Posted 05-09-2011 — Incentives can vary by region and/or vehicle style. Click a checkmark to see specific incentive or rebate details.