Though according to NADA Used Car Guide’s analysis, new-vehicle incentives and rebates, as well as declining prices on used vehicles, are helping boost auto sales this summer, it seems consumers are not quite as willing to put out the big bucks for a used vehicle as values continue to falter.

Kbb.com explained that “luxury vehicles have suffered at auction as consumers have been less willing to pay premium prices for a used vehicle as values drop 7 to 10 percent from one year ago, surpassing the average industry decline of 5.4 percent.”

And as used values continue to spiral downward, “luxury vehicles have underperformed the market by a significant margin due to their high price point,” Alec Gutierrez senior market analyst, automotive nsights at Kelley Blue Book.

Also contributing to the lack of interest in used luxury vehicles is the “attractive” finance and lease deals OEMs are currently offering on many new high-volume luxury vehicles.

Kbb.com offered these examples: “BMW currently is offering the 328i coupe for $359 month on a 36-month lease, while Mercedes-Benz is running a similar promotion for the C-Class at $369 per month on a 24-month lease.”

And the battle to turn consumers’ eyes back towards luxury vehicles may be a problem for those specializing in new luxury units, as well.

“In addition to competitive new-vehicle pricing swaying luxury buyers, the improved quality and amenities offered in most mainstream vehicles also are motivating buyers away from the entry-level luxury segment,” KBB officials noted.

“Consumers today may be inclined to consider a loaded Hyundai Sonata or Toyota Camry rather than an Audi A4 or BMW 3-Series due to the more attractive price point and comparable feature set,” they continued.

Another factor in the dwindling popoularity of luxury vehicles is, of course, “stagnant” economic growth.

“With economic growth still stagnant and unemployment stuck above 8 percent, we likely will find more and more buyers opting to purchase fully loaded standard sedans versus their premium priced luxury counterparts,” the company concluded.

NADA: New-Vehicle Incentives, Dropping Used-Car prices ‘Boost’ Sales

And in recent news from NADA UCG, the organization also cited new-vehicle incentives, as well as dropping used vehicles prices as contributing to high auto sales during the last few months of the season.

"The end of summer is typically a good time of the year to shop for new and used vehicles," said Jonathan Banks, senior analyst with NADA UCG. 

"Dealers and manufacturers are offering incentives and rebates to sell remaining inventory at dealerships and to make room for new model year vehicles arriving this fall," Banks added.

And just how much are these used units dropping in price?

According to NADA UCG,  average retail-prices for used cars and light trucks up to 5-years-old experienced the greatest monthly decline this year, dropping 3.8 percent this month.

And the organization expects the decline won’t stop there.

"Over the next few months, we expect to see an acceleration in the decline of used-vehicle prices that usually begins as the summer season winds down," said Banks, in the August edition of Guidelines , a monthly report that analyzes trends and pricing information on both the new- and used-vehicle markets.

"New-vehicle incentives and discounts are another seasonal factor that typically results in used-vehicle price declines in late August and September," he added.

And what’s in the cards for the coming season?

NADA UCG predicts that used-vehicle prices on average will drop between 3 percent and 3.5 percent in September.

“In monetary terms, a used car worth $12,000 today will drop by more than $400 by the end of the third quarter,” officials added.

But even though prices are spiraling downward, NADA UCG’s Banks noted that “prices are still at historically high levels”

"While steady price declines are making many late-model used vehicles more affordable to purchase, it’s important to note that higher-than-average trade-in values are still providing consumers with built-in equity to get better deals on either a new or used car or truck," he concluded.