New car deals on leftovers

With the 2009 models filling dealer lots, there are deals readily available on leftover 2008 vehicles – especially those that are being retired or redesigned. In “Driving a great, end-of-summer new car deal,” we looked at many facets of getting a great deal, covering benefits of buying now and employee pricing. But, we did not present standout deals on the orphaned 2008s.

We maintain a list of Best New Car Deals, representing good deals on good cars, with the requirement that all featured models have met our stringent criteria to be recommended. Understanding that many people purchase cars that are not recommended, we will broaden our scope for this blog post.

Warming up the leftovers
Closeout car deals can bring significant savings when compared with the sticker price, but remember that the vehicle will essentially depreciate a full year's worth once the new model hits showrooms. In some cases, the 2009s will be right there on the lot next to the discounted 2008s. And with these so-called orphans, the 2009 is redesigned, making that 2008 seem even more dated.

A 2008 leftover might not be such a good deal if you plan to sell or trade the car in just a couple of years. But long-distance drivers can spread their high annual mileage over more model years by purchasing a clearance model, possibly elevating resale value. If you plan to drive the car for more than five years, or until it wears out, a closeout deal can be a smart choice.

Current 2008 car deals
If you plan to shop in the next few days, there are a number of appealing deals available on outgoing models. Consumer Reports Auto Price Service assembled the list below to illustrate the possible savings. In most cases, the incentives apply to the full model line, though we focused on specific trims for space considerations. If you’re among the few who are currently in the market for a luxury hardtop roadster, there are some good deals to be had. The Cadillac XLR and Mercedes-Benz SLK350 did well in our testing, but we lack reliability data on the XLR and the SLK isn’t recommended due to reliability problems.

Make and model	Expires	MSRP	Invoice Price	Dealer Incentives?	Total Incentives Available	Bottom Line Price	Potential Savings Below MSRP
2008 Acura TL 3.2 Auto	9/30/2008	$33,725	$30,991	Yes	$4,512	Get the Bottom Line Price	15%+
2008 BMW Z4 Coupe 3.0si	10/31/2008	$40,700	$37,445	Yes	$3,000	Get the Bottom Line Price	10%+
2008 Ford F-150 XLT 4x4 SuperCrew 139-in	9/30/2008	$33,400	$30,180	No	$4,502	Get the Bottom Line Price	20%+
2008 Hyundai Sonata 2.4 GLS	9/30/2008	$17,670	$16,949	No	$3,339	Get the Bottom Line Price	15%+
2008 Hyundai Sonata 3.3 Auto GLS V6	9/30/2008	$21,120	$20,208	No	$3,404	Get the Bottom Line Price	15%+
2008 Mazda RX-8 2.6 Sport	9/30/2008	$26,435	$24,458	No	$4,029	Get the Bottom Line Price	20%+
2008 Infiniti FX 35 AWD	9/30/2008	$39,550	$36,354	Yes	$6,396	Get the Bottom Line Price	20%+
2008 Mazda Mazda6 2.3 I Sport Sedan	9/30/2008	$19,140	$17,687	No	$3,133	Get the Bottom Line Price	20%+
2008 Mazda Mazda6 3.0 S Sport Value Edition 5-Door	9/30/2008	$23,210	$21,431	No	$3,214	Get the Bottom Line Price	15%+
2008 Nissan Maxima 3.5 SL	9/30/2008	$30,880	$28,286	No	$4,566	Get the Bottom Line Price	20%+
2008 Cadillac XLR Alpine White Edition	9/30/2008	$81,855	$76,534	No	$3,456	Get the Bottom Line Price	5%+
2008 Mercedes SLK-Class SLK350	9/30/2008	$49,450	$45,989	Yes	$7,484	Get the Bottom Line Price	20%+

More detailed information is available in the new-car price reports, where the Consumer Reports Bottom Line Price reveals hidden dealer sales incentives and holdbacks, as well as customer rebates to give you a good starting point for your negotiations.

—Jeff Bartlett and Mike Dempsey