Are New Cars Ever Really on Sale?

In the past few months the car companies have been burning a lot of cash and media time advertising their “Toyotathons”, “Red Tag Events”, ”Employee Pricing Plus “, and “Loyalty Incentives”, trying desperately to inspire bargain hunters to buy a new car.  Sometimes these car commercials interrupt a stimulating TV interview of some Deputy Assistant Undersecretary of Bailout Funding (former job title:  printing press operator).   When the car commercials do get my attention, I watch and listen intently to see or hear exactly what vehicle is on sale and what the precise terms of the sale are.  You may wonder why I would do that, given that I don’t buy new cars.  The reason is that I am still waiting for an automobile manufacturer to come right out and explicitly say that a certain car is “on sale.”   I hear about “sales events” and “special pricing” but never “sales.”  Why is that? Read more