Looking to the Road Ahead: The Real Reasons Drivers Are Waiting Until 2022 To Buy New Cars

Buying a new car in 2021 was an unusual experience. If car shoppers could find new vehicles, they often found that dealerships would not negotiate, as they expected buyers to pay the total sticker price because of vehicle scarcity. With shipping delays for computer chips and other components, new car buyers had to act fast to get the latest models.

Here are a few other changes headed towards the car industry at full speed.

The future of car buying

Car buyers can expect the prices of used cars to remain high and the challenges of finding new vehicles to stay. Many car buyers have turned to used cars from online sellers, necessitating the use of car shipping companies, like Guardian Auto Transport, that will transport their new purchase across several state lines. Despite this additional expense, buying online looks like a new standard fixture of the automotive industry.

The Internet connects private sellers as well as dealerships to potential buyers, and the increased demand for vehicles has caused a sharp spike in the cost of both new and used cars. Though this price hike is global, Internet purchases offer more versatility than traditional car lots.

These and other changes are just a few of the reasons why buyers are waiting until 2022 to hop behind a new wheel.

Inventory is expected to increase

Car buyers are waiting until 2022 because they expect the new vehicle inventories to increase. Some car models have been easy to find this past year. Other models are sitting on manufacturer lots waiting for semiconductors and other parts to arrive from overseas. As the trickle of new cars becomes a steady flow, car buyers expect to negotiate for lower prices.

Manufacturers should offer incentives again

With so few cars in their inventory, manufacturers and dealerships stopped offering incentives like low-interest rates and cash-back bonuses. As more cars arrive at dealerships, buyers expect the popular discounts will come again.

Updated and upgraded models should arrive in 2022

Car manufacturers usually release their new models in the fall before the calendar year changes. For example, the fresh 2021 models debuted in the fall of 2020, but that wasn’t the case in 2021. Therefore, car buyers expect to see new models arrive soon. Drivers who want the latest technology are choosing to wait until the new models hit the lots.

Buyers can’t get the vehicles they want

With so few models on the dealership lots, drivers aren’t getting the models they want. The lack of choice forces buyers to wait until 2022 when more models with more options arrive on dealer lots.

Car buyers are watching their favorite dealerships to see what vehicles are on the way. If the vehicle meets consumers’ needs, they put deposits on vehicles to buy when they arrive on the lot. Buyers have figured out this preorder model is the way to secure the models they want without competing against other buyers.

Buyers are waiting for the economy to improve

Many buyers are waiting to see what happens with the economy. New cars are expensive, and it can be a gamble to enter into a long-term car loan when work is uncertain.

Wrap up

Consumers are still buying new cars, but many are waiting to see what happens with the semiconductor shortage and other shipping issues. These consumers are also waiting to see if they can get good deals and the newest models with the latest infotainment and safety features. Only time will tell if the road to car ownership will be smoother in 2022.