The coronavirus pandemic has managed to disrupt most facets of the U.S. economy, but that disruption may actually be beneficial to some consumers in the market for a new car.
U.S. News and World Report says there are Labor Day deals on the marketplace right now that are rarely seen in most normal years.
Jim Sharifi, managing editor for the autos section of U.S. News, said auto sales are down, which is a good thing for consumers.
“The bad news is when you look at vehicle sales year-over-year, they’re down,” Sharifi said. “Which is a great thing for a consumer if you’re looking to buy or lease.”
Some of the most popular car makes and models have very good financing and leasing options, Sharifi said.
For those who are concerned about going through the car-buying experience — from touring dealerships, to taking test drives with salesmen in the car with them — Sharifi said a lot of changes are being made to make the process safer.
“There’s been a big push to do a lot more with contactless delivery — doing a lot more online, having the vehicle delivered to your home, which is sort of taking that risk out of the equation,” he said.
The big decision with many of these deals is whether or not to lease the vehicle or buy it. Sharifi said there are benefits to both this season.
“A lot of buyers are motivated by monthly payment — specifically if you’re looking to lease, you want to keep that payment low,” Sharifi said. “And there are some really great options — some of them under $200 a month with monthly payment.”
WTOP’s Mike Murillo and U.S. News and World Report contributed to this report.
