When is the best time to buy a vehicle?

It’s all in the timing

When it comes to buying a vehicle, we all want a good deal. We see ads for this sale, but when is it really the best time to purchase a vehicle?

If you can be flexible about when you stop at the dealership, you’ll drastically increase your chances of driving off with a great price!

Here are 3 tips on timing when purchasing a new vehicle:

1. The day of the week affects your car’s cost. 

2. The end of the year has an impact on the price you pay. 

3. Holidays can mean sales to your advantage.

Day of the week

The Beatles sang, “8 days a week, I love you.” But will car price tags love you every day of the week? Not so much. Turns out, there are certain days that will love you more.

Advice? Shop early in the workweek; avoid weekends.

Mondays are best, followed by Tuesdays and Wednesdays. There aren’t as many people shopping. Salespeople have more time to negotiate.

It’s a numbers game of supply and demand. On Saturdays and Sundays a lot of people are looking to purchase a vehicle. If the salesperson is selling cars left and right at regular price, what incentive do they have to bring the price down for you? With so much to do, the salespeople won’t even have the time to negotiate down.

On the other hand, if you’re the only one at the dealership, you are going to be courted. Salespeople want to end the workday feeling like they accomplished something. It’s human nature!

TrueCar’s 2015 data show that buyers saved an average of 8.1 percent off MSRP (Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price) on Mondays, compared to Saturday (7.77 percent) or Sunday (7.49 percent). According to TrueCar, buyers can save an average of $300 by purchasing a car on Wednesday rather than Sunday.

So, take a personal day off of work to visit the dealer on a weekday. It’s worth it!

Turn just another manic Monday into a great day at Thelen Auto! Make it the day you bring home your new car with a low price tag! 

End of the year

Do you struggle to get to places on time? Plan to show up early, only to find yourself arriving late? Well, when it comes to buying a car, this could be an advantage! It pays (literally) to shop at the eleventh hour.

Being “fashionably late” could end up saving you money. Not at cocktail parties on New Year’s Eve, but at the negotiating table with your car dealer.

So … be late!

Shop at the near end of the month and at the end of the year. It’s to your advantage to purchase a car late in the month, and late in the year.

October, November, and December are ideal months to purchase a car. Dealers want to move unsold inventory off their lots, so as to carry as little inventory as possible into the new year.

Car dealerships have sales quotas: monthly, quarterly and yearly. All three of these sales goals come together late at the year’s end. In other words, the end of the year is a triple deadline. Talk about motivation for selling cars!

When dealers have quotas on their minds, you’re in a good position to negotiate!

Note that deadlines don’t always sync up with the calendar month, and often come a few days earlier. Shop for a car on the 26th to 28th day of the month. 

The holidays

The holidays are cause for celebration! Not just because it’s time off of work to spend with family and friends; It’s also a key window to get a great deal on buying or leasing a vehicle. Look for three-day weekends and especially days when there will be low traffic at the dealership.

Dealerships often offer holiday sales with rebates and special financing from automakers.

These holidays often offer deep discounts:

• Presidents Day: February offers the smallest discounts, but if you need a car around this time, make it Presidents Day!
• Memorial Day: Summer is typically an expensive time to buy a car, with the exception of Memorial Day. Next year’s models are introduced midyear, so dealers want to sell the cars to make way for new inventory. You’ll see the largest selection of outgoing models on Memorial Day.
• Fourth of July: A mix of incoming and outgoing current-year vehicles means a nice variety.
• Labor Day: This holiday offers selection and competitive prices. Not the deepest discounts, but it’s a tradeoff because you have greater selection.
• Black Friday: Black Friday means lower prices, but be warned that other people have the same idea and it gets busy. Dealerships are competing with Christmas shopping for your business. Black Friday is also the end of the model year, so outgoing models are often discounted.
• Between Christmas and New Year. The holidays put car buying on the backburner for most folks. Simultaneously, dealers are concerned with year-end sales goals. It’s a buyer’s market!
• New Year’s Eve: NYE is one of the best days to shop for a car by far. With monthly, quarterly, and yearly quotas to meet, a bonus could be on the line. Other salespeople want to wrap up deals so they can get to parties (you know, before the clock strikes Midnight!). Car buyers in 2015 saved 8.3 percent on New Year’s Eve, according to TrueCar.
• New Year’s Day: Buyers in 2015 saved 8.5 percent on New Year’s Day. Take advantage of low traffic; it usually makes salespeople more willing to make a deal. Note that manufacturers’ calendars don’t exactly match the yearly calendar. For example, in 2017, the sales month of December ended on January 2, 2018. So you might be able to enjoy your New Year’s Eve Party and New Years and then go shopping. Just don’t drink too much champagne! 

In sum: When is the ideal time to purchase a vehicle? 

• Mondays
• Tuesdays
• Wednesdays
• Presidents Day
• Memorial Day
• Fourth of July
• Labor Day
• Black Friday
• October
• November
• December
• End of model year
• End of the year
• End of the month
• End of the vehicle’s design cycle
• End of the car’s life cycle

The absolute best days for shopping are December 30 and 31.

In conclusion: Time your purchases for the best deals

They say that timing is everything … If you can play the waiting game and don’t have a particular make and model that is a “must have,” shop at one of these opportune times to save some money for a rainy day! 

Contact us

Call, email, or stop by Thelen Auto gro to buy a car today!

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