Kiran C

• Kiran C
• Aug 11, 2025
• Car Advice

Buying a car is a sizable investment, and the timing makes a tremendous difference in what you fund. Seasonal buy deals and dealership sales cycles can save you thousands of dollars, and knowing when to shop can capitalize on these deals. This guide will discuss the best times of the year to buy a car, which also includes ways to take advantage of the good deal, and get your money's worth.

Why Timing Matters When Buying a Car

Like most businesses, car dealerships work on cycles that they revolve around supply and demand and sales goals. This cycle will dictate how pricing, trade-in value, and offers are made. If you understand the process, this enables you to use that knowledge to benefit you. Whether you are buying a new car or used car, if you know what works best, you will maximize your savings, and get the best deal for you.

Timing Trends

There are optimal times to purchase in the year and depending on the time of season each part of the year has its advantages. The following prime times are some great times to buy.

End of the Year

From late November through December is usually going to be the best time of the year to purchase a car, and you may ask why? Dealers and manufacturers are trying to hit year-end sales goals, and you will be able to receive better discounts, financing deals, and rebates. Look for the following things:

• Black Friday: Many dealership sales which promote better deals after Thanksgiving and on Black Friday.

• Clearance Events: During this month dealers are trying to discount outdated models to make way for next year's models.

End of Month

Salespeople are often bound to monthly quotas. When dealers near the end of the month, they sometimes become more flexible to close deals or to make their sales quotas. Thus, you may be able to secure better trade-in values or lower prices.

Model Rollouts

When manufacturers unveil new models, it is generally in late summer or early fall. It is especially advantageous to shop for previous model vehicles during the months of August through October. Last year's models are still available on the lot, and dealers are making deep discounts to make room for the new car inventory to arrive.

Winter Months

During the winter months of January and February, sales of cars tend to slow down due to the cold weather and the effects of the holidays. Depending on when your visit occurs, you may also stumble onto some additional deals simply because there are fewer shoppers. Remember, dealerships want to make room for the new inventory, and surplussed last year's inventories are still available.

Holiday Promotions

Store-marketing promotions that surround certain holidays can also be fruitful opportunities to locate deals. Here are the best holidays to mark your calendar for:

• Presidents' Day: Usually one of the first discounts starting out the new year.

• Memorial Day: Beginning of the summer promotions.

• 4th of July: Mid-year car sale promotions on new and used cars.

• Labor Day: Sales promotions right before new model year vehicles start hitting the lots.

• Black Friday: A big shopping day for popular U.S. retailers with lots of promotions to move end-of-year inventory.

Financial Considerations for Smart Car Buying

When shopping for a vehicle, time isn't the only consideration; your finances are also a major consideration. Here are some important financial considerations:

Understand Your Budget

Before you step on a lot, you should know how much you can spend, not just on monthly payments, but insurance, maintenance, and total vehicle ownership costs. You can even use a total car cost calculator to help you out and prevent you from buying more than you can afford.

Get Your Financing Before You Buy a Car

Make sure to apply for pre-approval with any bank or credit union that you are considering using to get your loan. You will want to be aware of the total loan terms, length of the loan, interest rates, etc., before you step on the lot. This will now give you negotiating power at the dealership and make sure you're not stuck with higher interest financing.

When to Trade In

If you are trading in a used car, be aware of the market value of your car. Trade in at the right time—during peak demand for used cars. Generally, this is during the spring and summer months.

Manufacturer Rebate and Promotions

Stay alert for any manufacturer rebates, zero percent APR offers, and cash back programs. All of these can significantly help you lower the total cost of your purchase.

Take Action: Save Your Own Money

• Do your homework: You can search online to compare prices. Check automotive experts for their ratings on your desired make and model; look for customer experiences as well.

• Shop during the week: Dealing with aggressive fast-talking salespeople can be difficult. Dealerships will typically be less busy during the week; they know you are there to shop, but it will give you more time to negotiate your best deal.

• Test-drive early: Start looking now, and work in advance of key sales events so you will know when the prices do drop you will be ready to negotiate.

• Negotiate past the sticker price: Remember, you are not just haggling on the sticker price, you can also try to haggle on all of the extras like car warranties or service packages plus on the trade value.

Summary of the Best Times to Buy a Car

If you are going to take advantage of how to save money on your next vehicle, be sure timing is on your side. You don’t need to be an expert, but as long as you follow the guidelines below, you could easily save yourself some serious cash off the total cost of your vehicle.

• End of Year: The best time of year to buy a car is typically November and December. This is great for deals since dealerships will usually have minimum quotas to meet and also clear their lots of prior years' models.

• End of Month: During the end of the month is also good for price negotiation since the sales staff will be trying to make their monthly goals.

• End of Quarter: The end of the quarter is similar to the end of the month; it’s a great time for price negotiations since the sales teams at the dealership are trying to meet their quarterly goals.

• Model Rollouts: When new models are rolled out in late summer and early fall, dealerships typically offer discounts in their own way since they try to increase inventory space for the next model year.

• Holidays: Try holiday shopping for some reasonable offers. The key dates from our experience have been Memorial Day, Labor Day, and Black Friday.

• Winter Slump: January and February can lead to some deals due to slower sales activity in these months.

If you had spent your time and leveraged the information I reviewed in this article, and you shop smart, you will have a very efficient car-buying process. Do not rush; just work on planning your purchase around these periods of time, get into a nice new car, and drive away satisfied knowing that you calculated and completed the best possible deal on your vehicle.