How to Get the Best SUV Deal Right Now

Now’s a great time to bargain hunt for nearly any vehicle, but the surge in gas prices this summer coupled with the growing stigma of owning an SUV has left a more sizeable glut of SUVs on sales floors across the country.

“Automakers are anxious to get rid of their 2008 model vehicles.” Unless you’re ordering something special or buying a limited edition vehicle, you can negotiate anything that’s on the sales floor, says Jon Linkov, managing auto editor at Consumer Reports. “It’s definitely a good time to shop.”

Here's what SUV shoppers need to know:

Negotiating Tips
To start, bargain up from the invoice price, says Linkov, who recently scored a SUV deal paying just 2.5% above the invoice price.

Finance as little of the vehicle as possible. Putting down at least 15% to 20% raises your bargaining power.

And if you don’t like all the back-and-forth face-to-face time, another method of negotiating is to haggle over email. Visit the sales section of the dealership web site to find the “contact us” email address. Email three dealers and ask them for their best price on a particular make and model.

“Tell them you have cash," says Linkov, who uses this tactic when anonymously buying cars for Consumer Reports. "Be very straightforward. Tell them that you’re buying this week,”

In general, 2008 SUV models will be easiest to bid down than 2009 versions. “There are plenty of very good late-model SUVs with powerful 6 cylinder engines,” says Linkov.

Getting Bang For Your Buck
The biggest SUVs offer some of the steepest discounts, but that’s not always the smartest purchase, since those are the vehicles that get the worst mileage. So if that deep-discounted Jeep Grand Cherokee or Ford Explorer V8 (Stock Quote: F) is calling out your name, think twice, since you’ll be paying more for it at the pump.