- Deals, discounts and December – the troika can be your best friend as you hunt for a new set of wheels.
Now may be a great time to buy the car that you have been eyeing all through the year. All new launches of 2024 are done and the end of the calendar year has once again brought out a slew of discounts and offers. As dealers look to clear existing inventories, expect more deals at the local (showroom) level too. And just in case you are worried about a 2024 registration, pause. It doesn’t really matter in the larger scheme of things. We explain.
The year 2024 has seen car launches galore with new as well as facelift models entering a market that has seen sales pace slow down when compared to the previous two years. The mass-market space has been buzzing as manufacturers continue to fight for your attention. While SUVs remain the strong flavour, smaller cars too have seen some degree of attention, especially from a rebounding rural market. So what is special about December?
Should I buy a car in December?
December each year sees companies and dealers offering deals and discounts. Essentially, this is to help clear existing stock and make room for fresh inventories in the new year. At present, FADA or Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations of India has said that automobile dealers have a high inventory levels of up to 68 days. This means that the need to clear the existing stocks is urgent. And this basically means possibility of great deals and discounts.
For the budget-conscious buyer, December is perhaps one of the best months to look for epic deals on new cars. Maruti Suzuki Alto K10, for example, has a cash discount of up to 45,000 this month. WagonR has a free kit with it that is worth 49,900 while the newest Swift has a cash discount of up to 50,000. Similar discounts can be had on car models from most other brands including Hyundai, Tata Motors, Nissan and others.
Also factor in that almost every manufacturer in the country has confirmed a price hike effective from January 1 which means buying today will make more sense for the wallet.
But what about registration date of previous year?
If you buy a car this month, it will be a 2024 model. If you buy the same car in January, it will be a 2025 model. So the second option may seem more feasible, right? Wrong.
Firstly, if you plan to keep a car with you for several years, the difference in the eventual resale value – say, eight to ten years later – would be negligible.
Secondly, the potential buyer usually checks the registration month apart from the model year as well. As such, it is unlikely he or she would pay substantially more for a January 2025 model as against a December 2024 model.
And if you factor in the discounts and offers available in December, buying a car in the month will make far more practical sense. Do assess these offers and discounts, and try to extract the best deals from the showrooms. If you feel you have an unmissable option, don’t miss it.
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First Published Date: 16 Dec 2024, 09:52 AM IST
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