New month, new deals.
Just as surely as the monthly sales numbers tumble in at the beginning of each new month, so does a cascade of new sales sweeteners and incentives.
This month? Well, January's new cars sales were up a mediocre six per cent or so (over an absolutely dismal 2009). Thus, manufacturers in many cases have slapped on some interesting deals to run through February.
This week we chronicle four interesting ones, including one that could be worth as much as $15,000 off the price of a big, luxurious new sedan.
We're also highlighting up to $2,500 off the price of one of Canada's most popular cars, based on the latest February pricing updates from www.carcostcanada.com.
Here are the details:
2010 Acura CSX Manual, Tech Package: This exclusive-to-Canada Acura, of course, is a luxurious version of the Honda Civic. It is a very nice compact car with lots of high-end standard features.
This Acura is rarely discounted in any big way. But there it is this month - a non-stackable factory-to-dealer rebate. Non-stackable means it cannot be combined with other offers.
So, in essence this is a discount for buyers who pay cash or finance the deal elsewhere. Oh, and one other point: in this case, the $1,500 is applied to the after-tax amount.
Nonetheless, in negotiating a deal, all buyers are eligible to combine the $1,500 rebate with a potential dealer discount we estimate could be as much as $1,000. Thus, the final price cut could run as high as $2,500 for buyers who drive a hard bargain.
MSRP: $27,490.
Freight, dealer prep and air conditioning tax, green levy: $1,495
Dealer discount (estimated): $1,000
Taxable subtotal: $27,985.
Total price with 8 per cent PST and 5 per cent GST: $31,623.05.
Factory-to-dealer rebate: $1,500
Final price: $30,123.05
2010 Toyota Venza V-6 AWD: Unless you've been living in a sensory deprivation tank, you'll know that Toyota has been battling with recall issues that have really stunned everyone. So it's not surprising that Toyota Canada this week came out with a new $1,000 incentive on just about everything in the lineup.
On the Venza crossover wagon the $1,000 factory-to-consumer rebate is called a "Loyalty Bonus." It can be "stacked" or combined with other Toyota offers - such as 3.9 per cent financing over four years. Finally, the $1,000 is applied to the after-tax amount, which naturally has tax implications - you will pay more tax than you would if the bonus came before tax, reducing the taxable total.
MSRP: $32,100.
Freight, dealer prep and air conditioning tax: $1,695
Dealer discount (estimated): $1,590
Taxable subtotal: $32,190
Total price with 8 per cent PST and 5 per cent GST: $36,374.70
Loyalty Bonus: $1,000 (factory-to-buyer rebate)
Final price with all awards: $35,374.70
2010 Mazda3 GX Auto: Here we have Canada's third best-selling car. The Mazda3 is sharp-looking, entertaining to drive and well-equipped.
Mazda has slapped on a $2,000 rebate and it should be possible to negotiate a $500 dealer discount. So a $2,500 potential price cut on a sub-$20,000 car. Not bad. And the rebate is applied to the before-tax amount.
However, the rebate cannot be combined with 0.0 financing rate for five years. But if you opt for financing, Mazda will allow you to skip payments for the first 90 days.
MSRP: $17,195.
Freight, dealer prep and air conditioning tax: $1,495
Dealer discount (estimated): $500
Factory to dealer rebate: $2,000
Taxable subtotal: $16,190
Total price with 8 per cent PST and 5 per cent GST: $18,294.20
2010 Mercedes-Benz S-Class 4.5L V-8 4Matic: This is the big gun Mercedes, the top-of-the-line flagship sedan. Buyers able to take advantage of all the rebate and discounts could chop as much as $15,000 of the price.
A big $10,000 factory-to-dealer rebate is applied to the before-tax amount on cash purchases, but it cannot be combined with other Mercedes offers. However, that still leaves buyers free to negotiate a dealer discount - which we estimate at as much as $5,000.
MSRP: $108,000.
Freight, dealer prep and air conditioning tax: $2095
Dealer discount (estimated): $5,000
Factory to dealer rebate: $10,000
Taxable subtotal: $95,095
Total price with 8 per cent PST and 5 per cent GST: $107,457.40.
Pricing information source: www.carcostcanada.com.