I'm looking at getting a 6 speed sometime soon. I thought maybe sometime this summer, getting an '05, waiting til some bills were paid off. I noticed the dealers still have '04s left now and $1500 rebates. Since this is the end of the model year, the cars are essentially a year old. Whats a year worth, or restated, how much does a dealer need to discount below invoice to make it worthwhile to buy the '04? What is the selling price difference between an '05 midyear and an '04 now? I'm in Houston, anybody have any info on the Houston market? Could I save some bucks by getting an '04 now rather than waiting a few months for an '05? It seems that since dealers already have plenty of inventory of '05s, they should be heavily discounted soon.

 

Check Edmunds.com & compare the used price for an '04 with what you're offered for a new '04. It'll be more but you'll have to decide how much being 1st owner, controlling the break-in, and knowing its not abused is worth.
'05s may not be discounted as much as usual since the factory fire is going to limit production for the year.
IMO, If you're keeping the car a long time and you can find an '04 you like, that's the way to go. If you run through cars quickly or have to have satellite radio, do an '05.