re: Is it better to buy a vehicle from a dealer before New Years or after?

Not a gimmick at EOY. Manufacturers run customer cash incentives etc that dealers can pass on to the customer. Typically the programs end at the new year. In other words, it’s possible a dealer can give you a better deal today than they can on the same vehicle next week. It’s not them deciding to screw you all of the sudden because it’s a new year, they simply aren’t getting the same incentive offering from the manufacturer anymore. Of course this is all based on the incentive program rules and doesn’t necessarily apply to all vehicle types.