Cold-Cash Fliptops
Chilly weather can heat up deals for prized convertibles
Impulse buying, this isn’t: purchasing a car in the dead of winter to ride around with the roof down.
Sure, some drivers may actually enjoy frozen appendages and a massive case of windburn. And there are people who live in the narrow sliver of the country that stays warm all year round. Good for them.
For the rest of the us, including South Carolina at least so far this winter, it would seem counterproductive.
But there’s a flip side. Purchasing or leasing a convertible when it’s cold outside can lead to substantial savings by the time warmer temperatures roll in, according to Miami-based LeaseTrader.com.
The car leasing website said that soft-top vehicles list for 10 percent less in December that they do in the typically hotter-weather months of May and June.
Shoppers who lease can work out deals where they can drive open-roofed cars during the peak sun and fun times and then turn the vehicles in as the weather turns brisk.
“You can search for a convertible in December with only 10 months remaining so that you’re done with the contract when summer is over,” said Sergio Stiberman, chief executive and founder of LeaseTrader.com.
Among recent deals via LeaseTrader.com are a BMW Z4 Roadster listed on the website for $299 a month and a Mini Cooper convertible that was re-leased for $249 a month.
The company said winter is a good time to shop for convertibles because some sellers wait too late in the fall to unload their car and offer extra cash to try to work out a sale in the cold-weather months.
According to LeaseTrader.com, incentives are offered in more than 90 percent of convertible transactions during the winter.
A portion of the activity involves shoppers in warm-weather climates such as southern California, Arizona or south Florida.
But they aren’t the only ones searching for a convertible in winter, the website said.
Drivers don’t mind keeping the top up until late spring knowing they got a great deal on a classic summertime car, according to LeaseTrader.com, founded in 1998 to match car shoppers with individuals looking to escape their auto leases.
For more information, visit www.LeaseTrader.com.
Popular winter destinations for ragtops: Milwaukee, New York, Chicago, Indianapolis, Portland, Pittsburgh, Boston.
Most popular convertibles to lease: BMW 328, Mercedes S Class, Mazda Miata, Mini Cooper, BMW Z4. (All of the brands and models can be found at car dealerships in the Charleston area.)
Source: LeaseTrader.com
Reach Jim Parker at 937-5542 or jparker@postandcourier.com
This story posted by LeaseTrader.com, the automotive service company that lets people transfer out of their Car Leases early. If you're looking to swap a lease or transfer out of your car lease, please visit www.leasetrader.com