If new - the best bet is to call your local dealers and talk to them. I'm aware of many dealers that haven't turned a unit in 3 weeks now, they need the business and likely will be willing to give you a great deal because they need a move inventory.
If used - I would wait until some of the auction houses re-open and try bidding on a car. If that's a little stressful (it can be) then I'd look at Carvana, Vroom and Shift (depending on your geographic region).
From there I'd look at local used car dealers - don't let them game you or try - Carvana/Vroom/Shift all recondition to a Lexus CPO (Certified Pre Owned) standard you just can't legally say that if you don't have the approval from the manufacturer (another weird quirk) - you should be able to find a like for like vehicle between Carvana/Vroom/Shift & a local dealer.
Whoever gives you the best deal take it, but both online and in-person dealers are marking down inventory.
If you can wait a few months, the prices will be lower with all those vehicles come off-lease.
Keep in mind that with Hertz filing for bankruptcy that other rental car companies aren't that far behind, so there could also be a massive influx from those folks needing to liquidate some assets.
I used to obsess about buying a car and thought dealers were the devil to be avoided. But once I got older and started working, I got over that; and my latest car purchase went something like this: 1. pick a car I wanted 2. look around online for what the dealer's price is (understood it's not accurate) 3. go into the dealer and tell them I want car X for $Y-300. 4. Let the dealer try to sell me the car on the lot that was the wrong trim and color, stick to the original car, accept $Y+200 for the price, then sign the paperwork and wait for the delivery. 5. Few months later, come in, sign more paperwork, drive away in new car.
The whole process was pretty pleasant, people were pleasant, the car was great, and now I still come over to get it serviced.
In retrospect they were a little too eager to accept my offer which was way below sticker, so I was probably off on their factory price, but I figure I'm fortunate that I can afford to not obsess about a +/- $1k and do better things with my life :)
I cannot recommend Costco’s auto program [1] enough for a buyer with your profile. Dealers with whom Costco works have been vetted by the Costco machine. Prices are pre-arranged based on your zip code/location, and they have a live help number if you need to start with, “which car should I get”.
I know three people who have bought a car through that program and they have nothing but praise for the experience.
Then any car salesman will happily sell you the perfect car for you that just so happens to make him the most in commission.
If you don't know what you want, or don't know anything about the make and model you're buying, you will be taken advantage of.
It's perfectly fine to walk in to a dealership and look around, touch and squeeze and sit in all their cars to figure out what you like. Take one for a test drive, or five. Don't commit to anything.
Before buying a car, you should ideally have picked out a specific car from a dealer's lot, with the specific make, model, trim, and options you want. Price that specific car on kbb.com or trucar.com so you know the average price range for it. This is the only way of knowing if a specific car's price is "good" or not, because you cannot trust the dealer on this.
If new - the best bet is to call your local dealers and talk to them. I'm aware of many dealers that haven't turned a unit in 3 weeks now, they need the business and likely will be willing to give you a great deal because they need a move inventory.
If used - I would wait until some of the auction houses re-open and try bidding on a car. If that's a little stressful (it can be) then I'd look at Carvana, Vroom and Shift (depending on your geographic region).
From there I'd look at local used car dealers - don't let them game you or try - Carvana/Vroom/Shift all recondition to a Lexus CPO (Certified Pre Owned) standard you just can't legally say that if you don't have the approval from the manufacturer (another weird quirk) - you should be able to find a like for like vehicle between Carvana/Vroom/Shift & a local dealer.
Whoever gives you the best deal take it, but both online and in-person dealers are marking down inventory.
If you can wait a few months, the prices will be lower with all those vehicles come off-lease.
Keep in mind that with Hertz filing for bankruptcy that other rental car companies aren't that far behind, so there could also be a massive influx from those folks needing to liquidate some assets.