I think September is usually when the next year's models begin to arrive. It varies by make. .

Dealers often start holding "clear the lot" sales for slow moving or excess inventory soon to be prior year models, though new, in the late Spring.

Yes, but the car in question is next year's model. Hard to imagine it would be considered excess inventory. At least it's hard for me to imagine. I admit I don't know much about new car buying or selling.

Oh, I misunderstood. Maybe it's to attract foot traffic, or a model they don't expect customer interest in.

Car dealerships are an interesting business. A portion of it is finance arbitrage. Inventory is financed and the quicker cars can leave the lot, the more money is made (through reduced interest costs). Plus, it's a razor and blades business too. Even when customers don't all use dealer service departments on an ongoing basis, many do and those who don't will visit for warranty work. More money can be made with services than with selling cars, and you don't have a service customer for a car that's sitting on the lot unsold.

I once purchased "next years" model in August! They took my offer. Then a week before Christmas, this one is obvious, they took $20K off the price and accepted my offer for what was going to be LAST YEAR'S model in 2 weeks. They have a HUGE mark up! As long as they're making a profit...and like Elmer said...getting a customer that comes back for service work...WIN WIN.

With the UAW possibly going on strike soon it does seem odd that they'd reduce the sales price now. Possibly many reasons though.

The dealership's operations have no direct link to the manufacturer and its relationship with the unionized work force. Unless you're suggesting that the reduced price resulted from incentives provided to the dealer, which I'd think at the beginning of a model year would be unlikely.

I went test-driving this weekend and heard that the '24s were out; I think this timing has been the norm for some time.

Alisande, I think I have figured out a new source of my back/hip pain in test-drives: a gas pedal slightly (1") too far to the left and not enough space to the right side of it for my knee to fall slightly. When I did pt for my back with the most wonderful therapist, her first question for my particular pain was, "Do you sit like a lady?" Meaning, with knees together. This puts strain on the back in an unnatural way. I don't know how to find this kind of a spec online, so I guess I'll just have to keep on test-driving various cars. What a time-sucker!! How I wish there were a small SUV without a console (or a very narrow one,) and less bolstering of the seats. I don't think this is possible anymore, due to the addition of a full-on computer in most cars now.

I was surprised to learn how little commission a car salesman makes on a sale. The dealer wants *volume*.

Are these '24 models 'on sale' combustion engines or electrics?

Sjerin, I just got in my car (the 2011 Outback--I haven't replaced it yet), and I see what you mean. Fortunately, the gas pedal is in the right spot, and my knee can drop a little. Also fortunately, I don't think I've sat like a lady since I left boarding school. lol

Have you tried a Volvo? I haven't, but I've read consumer reviews that mention how comfortable they are. Ditto the Outback Onyx Edition, which I'm test-driving tomorrow. I'll report back!

Chisue, it wasn't electric. I keep hearing that nobody's buying the electric cars . . . I wonder if that's true.

In CA 22% of new car sales are electric.

Ford brings out its next year models starting in June.

Thanks, jakkom, your comment stimulated me to look around a bit for myself.

Here's an LA Times article from last month - EV sales in the most recent quarter were 1 in 4 and California accounts for 34% of EV sales in the US. So, there does seem to be a regional component. Interesting too when considering that our the very high electricity rates prevailing in most of the state unfortunately rival those in other high cost areas.

Sales of electric vehicles

Ditto Elmer on all the Teslas etc. around here—they seem to be the new Prius.

Alisande, its nice that you know what I’m talking about! i have also heard the Volvos are supposed to be comfortable but am reluctant to go in that direction due to their repair record. It’ll be good to hear what you think of the Outback. I almost bought a Forester until i realized it was making me hurt. I spent a lot of time online to try to figure out whether a cushion (and which one,) could fill in the highly bolstered seat enough to matter, but there’s no way of knowing for sure since they frown on any more than a 20-minute test drive. Good luck!

" all the Teslas etc. around here—they seem to be the new Prius "

You're right. I completely get this comment while others might not.

For many years the Prius was the most popular car in the state, selling more individual cars than any other model - counting both cars and trucks - in California. That's without considering the siblings, other Toyota hybrids like Camry and Lexus models. They were and still are everywhere and, like EVs now, the California market represented something over 1/3 of all Prius cars sold in the US.

"The dealership's operations have no direct link to the manufacturer and its relationship with the unionized work force. Unless you're suggesting that the reduced price resulted from incentives provided to the dealer, which I'd think at the beginning of a model year would be unlikely "

No I was coming at it from a supply & demand angle. If the automakers go on strike for an extended period of time then 2024 models will be in short supply. Having a sale on 2024 now then perhaps the dealership has confidence that the Union will strike a deal, or perhaps the dealership is overstocked right now, or any number of reasons. It wasn't that long ago where the "chip" shortage monkey wrenched the autos supply & demand, a UAW strike may do the same.

If there could be a strike and impending short supplies, wouldn't dealers be better off holding on to cars they have? Prices rise (and discounts disappear) when a good's supply is constricted and there are shortages.

“…all the Teslas etc. around here—they seem to be the new Prius.”

It’s pretty amazing how many we see here in SoCal. DH and I are constantly saying, ”There’s another one.” Our neighbors just bought two…one white, one black. The other day I started counting Teslas on my way home from the market that’s less than a mile from home and got 8.

It figures that electric cars would be popular in CA, and less popular in rural PA. I remember my daughter coming home from her first trip to California some years ago and telling me about the Prius taxis. More recently, I've heard there are very few charging stations around here.

Sjerin, did we talk about the Mazda CX-5? I read so many glowing reviews that I seriously considered one, but decided I needed something more rugged. I live on a dirt road, and drive on many paved roads that are rough and poorly maintained.

Also, I saw a beautiful 2023 Kia Sportage Hybrid in a parking lot, and chatted a bit with the owner. He was thrilled with it.

What will I find to talk about when I finally stop researching cars and buy one??

"If there could be a strike and impending short supplies, wouldn't dealers be better off holding on to cars they have? Prices rise (and discounts disappear) when a good's supply is constricted and there are shortages. "

Well yes, that was my original point.

Sorry, vg, I see now I got it turned around.

A few days ago I took a quick look at Kias, Mazdas and Toyotas, without a test drive. There are very few sales people and being an older woman wandering around didn't help. At the Kia dealership I just looked into the small suv window I saw and could tell the seat was narrow and smashed up against the console. I went into the Mazda dealership and sat in two sizes of suvs, feeling they were both possibilities as there was extra knee room available due to the design. (I realized the reason this is so important to me is that my right leg and foot turn out a bit, causing pain when it is forced straight.) I sat in a Toyota Venza (crossover?) and thought it wasn't too bad--some of them have a cutout in the console in the knee area. I know I need to do testdrives but they are a pain in the patootie! I hate "the song and dance."

Yeah, when I bought my current Outback nine years ago, I hated the whole car shopping thing. I didn't expect this; I actually thought I'd enjoy getting to try all the different cars. I'm a car person. But it was no fun.

All the Mazda SUVs get great reviews. I hope one will be a good fit for you. My right foot turns out a bit too. Years ago a chiropractor specializing in kinesiology corrected this with some gentle manipulation of a muscle in my hip. It really was quite amazing. But she moved out of the area, and my turnout eventually returned.

I didn't get to drive the Outback Onyx XT on Tuesday as planned. That will happen tomorrow. Report to follow. :-)

Why are you restricting your hunting to SUVs? Seats/passenger spaces/ride and comfort are different between "sedans" and SUVs, even small ones. I understand having specific objectives and requirements, maybe you should consider widening your search.

For what it's worth, I learned long ago that my body type - wide upper body, shorter legs - wasn't well suited for Japanese cars. I'll extend that now to Korean cars - I'm often not comfortable in these cars. There's no denying how reliable many are and the value for money they provide but they're just not comfortable for me. Better than they used to be but they seem more comfortable for people with small body types than with larger ones.

For me, European cars are always more comfortable and that's what we've had for most of our adult years. Independent of brand, though we've had Volvos, MBZs, BMWs, etc. I've owned VWs off and on over the years too and have never encountered one that was not comfortable or adjustable enough to be comfortable.

Good luck.

Elmer, it's an individual thing, of course. I live in a region where winters can be harsh, and for the past several decades I drove an SUV in the winter and a sedan in the warmer months. For me, that was ideal. But this year I decided to sell one and trade in the other, so I had to choose. The comfort of a sedan was tempting, but with the condition of many of our roads--especially in winter--I felt I needed the ground clearance of an SUV, as well as the cargo space and the relative ease of getting in and out of it.

Yes of course, Alisande. Sorry I was unclear. My comment was for sjerin who, for as much as is known, could be my next-door neighbor. Also a Bay Area denizen.

You've described the incliment weather and unpaved roads you have, that's a very different story from what most people face. Just for my curiosity, how often is the cargo space of a large vehicle useful for you?

Just for my curiosity, how often is the cargo space of a large vehicle useful for you?

Not as often as it used to be. When I was younger and gardening more seriously, I appreciated being able to bring home all sorts of things in the cargo area. But even this summer, when I bought a couple of outdoor chairs, I was glad to drop the back seats, pop in the chairs, and not have to ask a family member to pick them up for me with a truck. Knowing I can handle it myself is valuable to me.

The Outback, by the way, is described as mid-size. My previous SUVs, Jeep Grand Cherokees and a Toyota 4Runner, were larger.

Elmer, my issue is a life-long issue with my back; lower sedans are more difficult to exit than suvs. I don't like the idea of driving a large car by my lonesome without a reason as I'm contributing to climate change, but I don't trust there are enough charging stations where needed to get an all-electric. So I hope to find a small suv (dh has a little bigger one,) that doesn't hurt me. :) I had my heart set on a Forester but those darned highly-bolstered seats just won't be tolerable to me. To be honest here, we can manage more of a "luxury" brand but I'd prefer not to buy one unless I have to. Yes, that sounds very snobby. I adore my CR-V and am loathe to give it up!

Makes sense, what's comfortable is a very individual and personal matter. For me, also with a wonky lumbar area, I do best with my legs at as close to a 90 degree angle at the knee as possible. A greater angle starts to pull at my back. I do it. by raising the seat to a high position (up to the point but just short of where my head hits the headliner and can get out the door), raising the back of the seat so that it's close to parallel to the ground rather than slanted down toward the back of the car, putting the backrest as close to vertical as possible. To raise the seat I usually also need to angle the steering wheel to a high position and telescope it close to the dashboard.

Good luck to all to find what works. for you.

FWIW, my sister, who had one until recently, told me the state of CA gave incentives early on for people to buy Prius cars by allowing free parking. Is that stlll a thing? Aren't Prius hybrid only, not EVs?

And not sure how accurate the info is now, but This American Life did an episode at a car dealer some years ago. It was a really interesting look behind the scenes.

And did you check the manufacturer's price yet for the car that was on sale? Dealers play around with prices so much, often offering less than MSRP, but after all is said and done, with fees, add-ons and whatnot, it can go up beyond the advertised price. It seems negotiating might be the only way to actually get a good deal, and not everyone excels at that.

I don't remember but I did a search. At one time hybrids got stickers allowing a single occupant driver to use the rush hour HOV lanes. That was limited to a certain amout for each brand, the same now for all-electric cars. The Prius quota was long ago met. Also, apparently in Los Angeles they were allowed to park at meters for free. That ended in 2009.

Plug in hybrids (Prius has long made one, BMW and some others do too) qualify as electric cars for the HOV sticker but again, there's a quota per brand.

Out of curiosity, my wife decided to try a Prius (reacting to how popular they were at the time). Maybe 10 years ago. We sold it after about a year because she didn't like it. Poor visibility (short her couldn't see either front fender, tall me couldn't either), trunk space was limited, handling and ride were disappointing, uncomfortable seats (low seats as per my earlier comment), and boring performance. It got good milage but so too do other cars.

California adopted a rule requiring electric cars after 2035 and apparently a number of states have followed the example.

Sjerin, the Onyx XT was very comfortable. So comfortable, in fact, that I bought it! I hadn't planned to buy a brand new car, but I've learned never to say never. I had a lovely trip home; it drives like a dream. There was a Forester in the showroom, and I'm thinking now that I should have sat in it just to see if that was comfortable for me too. If it had been, that would mean I'm pretty useless to you as a tester of car seats. LOL

When I was a kid, the new cars for the next year always came out in the fall.

That's awesome, Alisande! I'm so glad you found a car you love, that suits your needs. I wish I could drive a sedan but pushing to a standing position from a lower seat can be a little painful for me. Don't worry about not sitting in the Forester--we all have different issues and what works for one doesn't for another, and vice versa!

My friend was trying to talk me into the idea of having a seat worked on by a car upholstery company but I balk at that as I'm afraid it would void the warranty and or make the car less safe if the seat isn't reinstalled correctly. Has anyone done this before?

I continue to drag my feet... but I'm very happy for you!

Congrats on the new car! That's awesome news!

Thank you, Sjerin and Jakkom!

Sjerin, I think we talked about the Mazda CX-50 earlier in the year. At that time I seriously considered it until I read the wretched reviews about its uncomfortable driver's seat. That was the 2023 model; presumably Mazda corrected that flaw in the 2024. I'm guessing you sat in the CX-3 (or possibly 30) and the CX-5 or 9. If you didn't try the CX-50, maybe that's a possibility. I really like the look of it.

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