13 WTHR - Indianapolis News |Car dealers joining in holiday shopping deals

Car dealers joining in holiday shopping deals

Chris Proffitt/Eyewitness News

Indianapolis - While holiday shoppers are plotting their "Black Friday" strategies, automakers are also offering enticing deals to help bring buyers into the showroom.

General Motors is offering zero-percent financing on many of its models, a deal that may be gone next year. The fresh-from-bankruptcy automaker is offering the deals to move out its 2009 inventory. It's good enough for prospective buyers looking to save on a new car.

"If you're going to be able to get some money off a car I think, quality-wise, American cars have stepped up and that makes it worth a second look and the incentives might be able to do that," said Alan Kurasz.

All of GM's four surviving U.S. brands are offering incentives to get buyers into showrooms. The company is spending the most in the industry on incentives. General Motors says they're confident it can flush out its 2009 models by January.

It's not alone.

Ford, Honda, Toyota, BMW and Mercedes are offering financing deals and cash back on certain models, because analysts say that automakers built more cars in 2009 than customers were in a position to buy.

"Ford is just as aggressive as everybody. Even the imports are having to be very aggressive, because this is a very competitive world right now," said Chevrolet Dealer Bill Estes.

It may be a good time to buy, with dealers and industry analysts saying that cash-back rebates and interest-free financing are not likely to reappear in 2010.