Top Cash-Back Car Deals

Hannah Elliott,01.09.09, 12:20 PM EST

Battered dealers this month are offering unheard-of buyer incentives.

The retail industry isn't the only one luring shoppers withhefty discounts. Battered car dealers this month are offeringunheard-of cash-back deals--in some cases up to 30% off the MSRP.

Detroit'sBig Three in particular are offering buyers thousands of dollars incash, including $8,000 in total rebates to qualified buyers of Chevrolet's Tahoe and Suburban models. Those who buy a 2009 Mercedes CLK get $6,000 cash back. Drive off with a 2008 Saturn Vue XE and pocket $3,750. To expedite the sales process, cash-back incentives are usually applied directly to the purchase price.

n short, there has never been a better time to buy a new car.

In Depth: Top Cash-Back Car Deals

But don't get too comfortable with all that green. Automakers--notably Chrysler and General Motors (nyse: GM - news - people )--willlikely put the brakes on their incentive offerings this spring as the$17.4 billion rescue package begins to lessen their financial strain.

"Thesedeals won't be as plentiful going forward, as lots of the '08 stockwill be done in '09," says Jessica Caldwell, manager of pricing andindustry analysis for auto data source Edmunds.com. "There probablywon't be a time as good as this. Things will plateau, and there willstill be a lot of deals available, but it's going to look a little lessrosy."

Behind the Numbers
To find the best cash-back deals available, we used data from Edmundsand Cars.com, a Web site that provides auto advice. We sifted throughincentives offered on thousands of 2008 and 2009 models and thenselected vehicles with a high ratio between the amount of cash offeredand the vehicle's MSRP. A cautionary word: Incentive programs vary byregion and state, and many expire quickly.

Dealerincentives from manufacturers to dealerships reduce a dealer's cost ofbuying the car from the factory and are offered on a regional basis togenerate sales on specific models. Customer incentives involvecash-back rebates, low-interest financing or other perks offereddirectly to buyers.

Amazon

If you are looking for jewelry or watches for that someone special, Amazon.com is the place to go beginning Black Friday. On Dec. 1 the site will have a one-day watch sale, with up to 65% off. And from Dec. 1 through Dec. 14 you can receive an extra 25% off Invicta watches at checkout. Starting on Cyber Monday, Amazon will have its "30 Days of Diamond Deal." Day No. 1 will feature a 14k white gold diamond winking emoticon disk necklace for $79.99.

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© AP Photo/Vincent Yu Esprit The women's contemporary apparel retailer will be offering 25% off entire purchases made online (excluding outlet styles) on Cyber Monday. Pick up some new winter items, like the batwing sweater, or order a dress for your holiday parties. Related Stories Sneak Peek: 15 Black Friday Bargains Unique Ways To Cut Back

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© AP Photo/Richard Drew BCBG On Cyber Monday, BCBG will offer free shipping on all orders, as well as up to 50% off items across the site, www.bcbg.com. Related Stories Sneak Peek: 15 Black Friday Bargains Unique Ways To Cut Back

Best Buy

Best Buy will be celebrating the kick-off of the holiday season with its "Black Friday VIP Contest." In the country's top 25 markets, customers were asked to submit stories explaining why Black Friday is important to their family. The winners, announced the week of Nov. 24, will be picked up in limos and given $1,000 Best Buy gift cards. Winners will be granted access to Best Buy stores at 4:30 a.m. on Friday the 27th, a half hour before stores officially open.

www.bestbuy.com

Target

Target.com will be hosting its biggest free-shipping event ever this holiday season. From Nov. 30 to Dec. 13, more than 60,000 items will qualify for free shipping. Guests can also get a sneak peak at Black Friday deals as of 2 a.m. Thanksgiving, online at Target.com/weeklyad.

Toys ‘R’ Us

Toys "R" Us is targeting bargain shoppers with its 150 "doorbuster" deals from 5 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 27. On Thanksgiving Day, Toys "R" Us will distribute a 24-page circular announcing the more-than-100 doorbusters being offered throughout the holiday weekend. If that's not soon enough, beginning Wednesday, November 26, the company will present a midnight sneak peek at more than 50 unadvertised Mystery Doorbuster deals on www.Toysrus.com.

Bed Bath & Beyond

Bed Bath & Beyond stores will be offering 20 percent off on entire purchases from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Nov. 28. The deal includes in-store purchases only. Free standard shipping on all orders over $100 will be available online only at www.bedbathandbeyond.com from Nov. 21 to Dec. 16.

Sears

Sears' Early Black Friday deals include:
Kenmore Stylite Retraxx vacuum—sale: $79.99, save $50.
Craftsman ½ chain drive garage door opener—sale: $99.99, save: $40.
Craftsman Professional 20v Lithium Ion Drill—sale: $199.99, save: $200.
Craftsman 5-drawer tool center—sale: $79.99, save: $90.

J.C. Penney

J.C. Penney will be offering early doorbuster deals from 4 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Black Friday, including: a My Sports Gaming System for $38.88; a 2GB mp3 video and music player for $28.88; half carat T.W. diamond necklace or bracelet for $79.99 each; and one-third carat T.W. diamond earrings for $99.99 per pair.

Deals on apparel include Worthington tops for $11.99 and Worthington jackets for $23.99; juniors' Arizona sweaters for $15.99; men's St. John's Bay mocknecks and turtlenecks for $6.99 and St. John's Bay fleece for $14.99; entire stock of young men's Arizona original; loose, relaxed, and basic bootcut jeans for $11.99; Arizona thermal knit tops for $9.99; and boys' Arizona authentic jeans for $9.99.

Deals on home appliances and goods include $14.98 each for a cook's griddle; 6-quart slow cooker; coffeemaker; 2-slice toaster; hand mixer or 3-in-1 grill/waffle/sandwich maker; $2.99 for the classic towel; $8.88 for bed pillow twin-packs; $18.99 for any size fleece blanket; and $38.88 for a Protocol® Portsmouth 5-piece luggage set.

Wal-Mart

Wal-Mart will be open at 5 a.m. on Black Friday. Stores will offer a variety of deals on toys, Christmas decorations, and video games. Special deals can be found by entering local zip codes at www.walmart.com/localad.

Office Depot

Office Depot is looking to make its technology gifts appeal to the whole family. Deals can be found on an assortment of items, including: the GE Digital PhotoPhone; HP Touchsmart All-in-One Desktop PC; Hewlett Packard C6380 Wireless Printer; Garmin nuvi 255W; Microsoft Arc Mouse; officially-licensed NFL and Collegiate team chairs; Ativa "Jelly" Flash Drive; and AT&T's Go Phone.

Gap

Gap will be offering a buy-one-get-one-free sweater promotion that begins Nov. 27. Starting on Saturday, Nov. 29, Gap shoppers can buy any item and receive 50 percent off on any other item of equal or lesser value. Select Gap stores will be open Thanksgiving Day.

Old Navy

Old Navy stores will open at 5 a.m. on Black Friday. The first customers to purchase goods worth $20 or more will get a Samsung Pebble MP3 Player. Old Navy will also be offering a "Gas Giveaway." Each time shoppers use a Gap, Old Navy, or Banana Republic card to make a purchase at an Old Navy store, they will automatically qualify for a chance to win free gasoline for a year.

Lowe's

Lowe's is offering a number of deals from Nov. 28 to Dec. 1, accessible at http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=pg&p=Promos/BlackFriday.html/. Featured items include a Haier 18-bottle wine chiller for $99.99; 10 percent off all Kobalt Tool Storage items; and a Black & Decker 24-Volt, 4-Piece, Cordless Combo Kit for $59.97—originally $159.

Kmart

Kmart will be offering several electronics deals on Black Friday. These include a 50 percent discount on Guitar Hero 3: Legends of Rock (priced at $49.99, down from $89.99); Element 2GB Touch MP3 Player (originally priced at $69.99, down to $39.99); and a Tom Tom Global Positioning System, down 49 percent, to $99.99.

IKEA

The Swedish retailer will be offering special deals on some of their most popular products over the Thanksgiving weekend. On Friday, the company will be reducing the price of its most popular bed, the Malm, from $199 to $99. Saturday's special offer is on the Mala child's easel, down from $24.99 to $9.99. Sunday's deal is for the Mysa Vete down comforter, priced at $49.99, reduced from $79.99 to $129.99, depending on size. On all three mornings, the retailer will serve breakfast until 10:30 a.m.

Kohl's

Kohl's will be open from 4 a.m. until midnight on the Friday after Thanksgiving and will be offering Early Bird Deals until 1 p.m. Early Bird discounts include 50 percent off on the entire stock of toys; 40 to 50 percent off on all women's designer brands (including Simply Vera by Vera Wang, the ELLE Contemporary Collection, and daisy fuentes); and a high-definition video camera value pack, including 2GB SD card, tripod, rechargeable batteries, cable, and pouch. The video camera pack, new at Kohl's, will be priced at $99.99, down from $199.99.