4 Best Times To Purchase A Used Car

If you are in need of a used car at a great price, it helps to know when to look for a used car. There are certain times of the year when it makes more sense to purchase a used vehicle.

Right After a Big Holiday Weekend Sale

If you are looking to purchase a new car, a big holiday weekend where dealerships are pushing sales, especially summer holidays, can be a great time to get a deal on new cars for sale. If you are looking to purchase a used car, though, the best time to hit up the dealerships is right after a big holiday weekend sale. After a big sale, the dealership is going to have lots of extra cars on hand from trade-ins. Many dealerships will either fix up these vehicles, or ship them off to an auto auction. However, if you are willing to take one of these vehicles off their hands, you can save them some real money. You can often get a deeply discounted vehicle if you hit up major dealerships that had big sales over holiday weekends to get a good value on a used trade-in.

End of the Month & End of the Quarter

Most dealerships still pay their employees based on commissions and their ability to meet quotas. Many dealerships offer bonuses if salespeople are able to meet their quota by the end of the month, or if they exceed their quota.

Salespeople have to meet their goals either by the end of the month or the end of the quarter. The end of the quarter falls at the end of March, June, September, and December.

At the end of the month or the end of the quarter is the best time to visit a dealership. This is a great time to go to the dealership and try to get a deal that is favorable to what you can afford. The dealership may be more willing to work on financing terms, reduce the price of the vehicle, or offer you additional add-ons and benefits, such as a warranty, at no extra cost.

During the Off-Season

One of the best times to get a car is during the off-season for that car when demand is lower. Demand for convertibles and sports cars is highest in the summer, and lowest in the winter, making it easy to get good deal on these types of cars during the winter. Four-wheel drive vehicles are more popular during the winter, making summer time a great time to get a deal on a four-wheel drive vehicle.

Think about when the vehicle you want is most in-demand, and try to get it in an opposite time of the year.

During the Winter

Finally, a great time of the year to get a good deal on a car is wintertime, especially if you live somewhere that doesn't have mild winters. When it is cold, rainy, icy or even snowy outside, people do not want to be walking around used car lots looking at vehicles. That means salespeople are struggling to meet their goals and make commission during one of the most expensive times of the year.

Due to low demand, you can often get a better deal on a vehicle during the winter months.

If you want to get a good deal on a used car, and you don't need one right away, wait to get one when you can get a good deal. Try to get a vehicle that was traded in after a big holiday sales weekend, such as Labor Day or Memorial Day. Shop at the end of the month, when dealers are trying to reach their quotes. Look for vehicles out of season to score a good deal. Hit-up the used car lots during the winter, when there is less demand from sellers, but dealerships are still trying to make sales. These are four good times to purchase a used car.