IF YOU'RE IN THE

market for a new car, now is the time to hit the lots. Auto dealerships are scrambling to make room for 2007 models, which will be delivered in September and October. Manufacturers are willing to pitch in, offering discounts and incentives to get those 2006 models moving. Last week, for example, Chrysler announced it would offer employee prices a discount of about 10 percent on most 2006 models. Consumers can garner additional savings through cash back or

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Other manufacturers will soon follow suit, predicts Jack Nerad, executive editorial director for Kelley Blue Book. "I'd keep my eyes open for another week or so," he says.

As manufacturer incentives increase, selection for those '06 models decreases dramatically, says Jesse Toprak, senior analyst for Edmunds.com. "If you wait until September, you may be able to get a few hundred dollars more in incentives," he says. "But you may not be able to get the car you want."

Before you head out to the dealership, hit the web. Some incentives are regional, and others namely dealer cash (a discount manufacturers provide to dealers to help market the car and secure a sale) aren't advertised. Fortunately, both Edmunds and Kelley Blue Book dig up every last incentive (advertised or not), and let you search for them by zip code. And they can be well worth your time. For example, through July 31, the Mercedes-Benz S600 has a generous $12,000 in dealer cash. That's a discount of nearly 10% off the $128,000 MSRP.

Ready to save? We've collected a sampling of available incentives: