As most of you know, just by looking at any of your used car dealerships that the prices of different types of vehicles fluctuate. During times of high gas prices all of the large vehicles such as pickup trucks have been discounted while the compacts and hatchbacks have been marked up. If you’re in the market for a truck it’s the perfect time but if you’re looking for a compact it might be rough.

There are ways that we can take advantage of these economic situations though. If you’ve currently got a compact vehicle it might be the perfect time to sell (to a private seller of course.) If you try to trade your vehicle in you’ll probably get what they used to be worth so stay away from the dealers for selling. After your sale, once you have some cash in your hand, go ahead and browse the dealerships. You’ll find that you’ve got a ton of bartering power with cash instead of a trade in. Also, don’t disclose exactly how much cash you have available (keep some tricks in the bag.)

If you’ve considered getting a slightly larger vehicle like a cross-over this would be the best situation. The 6 and 8-cylinder vehicles are extremely cheap! Don’t get yourself into it unless you know you can afford the gas, for now. As we all know, gas prices typically go back down after a few months.

This plan is not 100% fool proof but it can help save you thousands of dollars on your next car purchase. Think  smart and play your cars right and you’ll come out with a great deal on a new vehicle.