Everyone likes a good deal. This is especially true when looking to buy a new car. Cars are expensive, and the entire buying process is lengthy, but if you’re able to save money, it makes the long hours at the dealership worth it. If you’re a planner like me, you want to time it just right so buying a new car not only fits into your busy schedule, but also fits your budget easily. It seems as though we’re all on a budget these days. It just makes sense to want to save money where you can.
Is there a best time to buy a new car? Surely, there are better times than others when you’re looking to drive home in a shiny new car that has the beautiful new car smell. Experts say that there are definitely times when buying a new car is a great idea. Let’s check out which times of the year are most likely to yield results when it comes to saving money. Here are four of those scenarios.
End of the Year
As you can probably guess, the end of the year is a fantastic time to buy a new car, not just because you’ve hinted to your spouse that a new car is on your Christmas list, but also because this is one of the major times when dealerships have incentives. In many ways, it’s out with the old and in with the new at the end of the calendar year. The previous year’s models are quickly being replaced by the next model year, which means savings. For instance, 2025 models will be more likely to be lower in price toward the end of November and December as dealerships are preparing to make way for 2026 models that are steadily arriving on the lot.
The end of the year is also time for the car sales staff to leave their mark, vying for a spot on the wall as Salesperson of the Year. My brother has worked for a Toyota dealership for years, and he can attest to this. It’s a cutthroat world in the car sales business, and if you’re struggling to hit your numbers, the end of the year can be where you make up for the months that weren’t so great. Not only that, but you also have the holidays, which not only bring shoppers looking to impress their special someone with the perfect gift, but also more incentives and savings on highly desired models.
Holiday Deals
The good news is that there are other holidays throughout the year that we celebrate in various ways, and prompt dealerships to offer specials. President’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day are all holidays that dealerships capitalize on, offering specials and deals to draw shoppers to their lots. Many of the holidays also fall on long weekends, which means many shoppers are off work and have some extra time on their hands to stop by and “just take a look” at what a dealership has to offer.
Many of these holidays also fall during the nice part of the year when the weather is warm and the sun is shining, making it even easier to stop by and browse a dealership’s selection while getting some sun in the process. No one likes to trample through snow and ice when searching for a new car, let alone take a test drive and risk running into a ditch and scratching the paint. Taking advantage of a holiday deal and enjoying the weather is a win-win situation, which is why dealerships offer many sales during these times.
New Model Releases
Automakers are always coming up with new ways to captivate their fans. It seems that with each model year released, there’s something new to draw drivers in. If you’re searching for a new car, you want to enjoy the latest and greatest a certain automaker has to offer, so it just makes sense that shopping once a new model has been released will allow you to enjoy extra savings on the previous models being phased out. Remember, 2025 models are still armed with outstanding tech, modern designs, and incredible features. To take advantage of these models for a lower price, shopping when a new model is being released is the time to save.
When can you time your purchase perfectly for a new model’s release? Is there a time when every brand releases its new offerings into the wild? This depends heavily on the automaker. A new model release can actually happen any time during the calendar year. If everyone released their new models at the same time, the market would be full of new vehicles that would get lost in the sea of endless options.
Many automakers will release their new models once production is complete. Some wait until closer to the end of the year, and some prefer a spring or summer release. Some all-wheel drive vehicles are released at the beginning of the year when wintery weather is hitting many parts of the country in full force, showing off how all-wheel drive can help enhance safety and stability during inclement weather. In the end, it’s helpful to stay updated on a model that interests you to see when the new lineup is being released so that you can swoop in and take advantage of a deal on a previous year’s model that the dealership wants to get rid of.
End of the Month or Quarter
As I mentioned earlier, the car sales industry is quite competitive, and everyone at the dealership wants to hit their sales goals. Their livelihood depends on it. The car sales staff has a goal to hit at the end of the month and the sales quarter. If someone is close to hitting that goal but has a little more work to do, they’re more likely to see what deals they can get for you in order to make a sale. You probably won’t be able to negotiate too much at the beginning of the month when the sales staff has all the time in the world to make a sale, but when it comes close to the end of the month, or better yet, the end of the quarter, this is when some will be more easily influenced to check for a deal with the finance department.
If you want to drive home in a new car for a great price, the good news is that you have plenty of times during the year when this is possible. Many drivers feel as though the end of the year is too hectic. Between the holidays and wrapping up work projects, stopping by the dealership to embark on the car-buying process just seems to be too much. They may want to wait until Memorial Day, when things have slowed down, or even just a random time of the year when they have some extra time at the end of the month. This works in the automotive industry because deals are available throughout the entire calendar year. You just need to know exactly when to go to be able to take advantage of the best price and the best selection to ensure that you’re driving off the lot in the right vehicle for you.
