According to Fortune magazine, the best day to buy a new car in the upcoming weeks is April 12. This is "the Monday before taxes are due, according to a new study. Since shoppers will be preoccupied and feeling poor, dealers will be eager to make a deal so they can move some inventory."

This gives you plenty of time to search for cars on CarLocate, contact dealers to ask questions, and decide on the one that you want!

This article mentions that there are four models that you are likely to see great deals on: the Hyundai Sonata, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Jeep Commander, and Chevy Cobalt as dealers make room for new models.

As usual, it is likely that you will be able to find many deals on used vehicles any day of the year!

In an article that CNN Money recently posted, they spoke of what to do and what not to do online when shopping for a new car.

We were fond of this article for a few good reasons:

1. People like to shop... and we at CarLocate encourage it!
2. Most people don't want to be pelted with too many e-mails.
   

Now you see, we took these points into consideration back when CarLocate.com was merely a twinkle in our eye. CNN Money pointed out that on some sites, when you request to get a quote on a car that you are likely to get "dozens of e-mails from car dealers"... This is where CarLocate.com differs from those other sites that simply take your personal information and pass it out like it is Halloween candy. When you use CarLocate.com, you will only be in touch with the dealer that YOU TOUCH BASE WITH! So, if you see a car that you are interested in (or even several), you can fill out a form on CarLocate or call that dealer directly and they are the ONLY ones that get your info.

If your car shopping experience isn't complete once you contact a dealer, this is where CNN Money says to take what you learned from the first touch point and to call up other dealers. Again, nothing wrong there! Feel free to contact dealers that you find on CarLocate that are in your area until you find that exact car that fits your needs and style! That only seems smart, right?

"Smart Car Shopping".... That rings a bell.....

A few months back, Car and Driver magazine wrote an article about the best cars that you can buy for under $20k. (While they gave a slight shout-out to another Web site, perhaps they would have done some of their article research on CarLocate.com had it been around at that time.) In their list, they included mostly used cars but even new cars that are available in that price range made the list! While some of the cars on the list may be considered gas guzzlers, each definitely has a fun factor that is top of mind for many car shoppers. If you want to read a bit more about what Car and Driver had to say about each and what to look for, check out their article.

To find one of these cars at a dealer near you, check out the search features on CarLocate! Be advised that some of the cars on this list are a bit uncommon, and even Car and Driver stated that finding some of these for under $20k is doable, but you may have to hunt. Lucky for you, CarLocate makes that hunt easy!

2010 Mazda 3 - Many new ones can be found for under 20 grand. Practical, fun to drive, and obviously... a new car! Sedan or hatchback, manual or automatic... there are many choices to suit your needs.

2009 Mini Cooper - Another gem... very customizable to fit any personal quirks and they still stand out in a crowd despite the number of them on the roads. Keep an eye out for the many used ones as well!

1999 - 2000 BMW M Coupe - 007 with a twist. This one definitely stands out even among its fellow German cars. It's like a reverse mullet... a party of power in the front but with a very functional and spatious (for a small car) back.

2006 - 2008 Chevrolet Trailblazer SS - Imagine GM taking engines that were supposed to go into a Corvette and accidentally dropping them into your mom's SUV. The result... Trailblazer SS, only completely intentional.

2000 - 2006 Honda S2000 - Many people seek the earlier models, although all years provide a car that is a blast to drive at a lower price tag than many other sports cars.

2004 - 2008 Mazda RX-8 - The rotary returns! While it differs enough from the RX-7, it is still a great sports car that leaves enough in your wallet to buy the gas to keep it moving.

2001 - 2002 Mercedes-Benz CL600 - Mercedes, V-12, need we say more? You may not be able to run to your local parts store for all of your typical maintenance needs, but any Mercedes-Benz dealer would keep one of these babies on the road for you. 

2003 - 2005 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII - Arguably one of the best "bang for your buck" performance cars. Dealerships can help you make sure you aren't buying one that has already been beaten up on.

2004 - 2006 Pontiac GTO - Another "big engine car" from GM. While the return of the classic GTO was short-lived, this one can lay some rubber.

1997 - 1999 Porsche Boxter - What first comes to mind when someone says Porsche? "Sports Car", right? And people love their Porsches, right? You know you want one!