In Used Car Market?

[pj8708]

Article says available inventory of used cars has shrunk so prices will be rising. Recommends buying sooner than latter.

http://autos.aol.com/article/used-car-shopping-buy-sooner-rather-than-later/?icid=maing-grid10%7Chtmlws-main-bb%7Cdl10%7Csec1_lnk3%7C118310

[RX in NC]

Yep, I've noticed this myself over the past 30 days. During weak economic times in years past, particularly during the month of December, I've always been able to "steal" high-quality used vehicles by doing my research, staying firm, refusing to negotiate, and requiring the dealership to meet my terms (and not me meeting theirs). All three of our current vehicles were acquired that way with relative ease on my part (in December 2000, January 2007, and December 2008). But right now, dealers are not nearly as willing to allow me to "steal" the way I'm accustomed to doing. My wife came down with the fever for a low-mileage 2005 or 2006 Jaguar XK8 convertible back in early November. I've located two in our neck of the woods that met our criteria, battled the two different dealerships hard in my effort to "steal" them, and wound up walking away in both cases after doing a ton of research on both cars because the dealerships chose to stand their ground. Not many of these particular cars were built, so their exclusivity is definitely working against me. But I was still somewhat surprised that both dealerships decided to hold out for their full asking prices when I made reasonable offers for all cash with no trade-in....

Personally, I'm happy the way things have turned out. Our current fleet performs all of the jobs that we need the three very different vehicles to do, and an XK8 convertible would be a frivolous addition that she would enjoy driving during periods of good weather but I would be stuck maintaining at more time and expense to me. So we'll see how this saga eventually turns out. I don't think she'll be seeing an XK8 in the driveway with a big red bow on it come Christmas Eve as she hopes....

[LEX-SV]

Fine with me, in 2012 I plan to buy a new SUV.