 TITLE: How to Buy a Car During the COVID-19 Pandemic CONTENT: Now May Be a Good Time to Buy\n-----------------------------\nEven if dealerships in your area are doing business as usual, there are likely fewer people in the market to buy a car, especially considering over 30 million U.S. workers have filed unemployment claims since the coronavirus crisis began.\nThis lower demand means that you'll not only be more likely to find the model you want, but you may also find salespeople more motivated to negotiate on your terms to meet sales goals.\nAlso, due to interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve, you may be able to get a lower interest rate on your auto loan. Note, however, that some lenders are tightening credit criteria to reduce their exposure to risk, so you may need a higher credit score, more income and a bigger down payment than would have been required before the pandemic began.\nAlso, keep in mind that while there aren't currently any model shortages, many domestic and international car manufacturers have shut down or reduced production, so there may less inventory of new models later in the year. There will also likely be delays for the 2021 model year. END