Best/Worst Time to Buy New/Used Car

[woovic]

Does anyone know when is the best and worst time to buy a car. I heard someone said that the best time to buy a used sports car is right before winter when everyone is getting rid of them before the snow starts coming. Also heard that right before winter is the worst time to buy a SUV since everyone is looking for them at that time. To add to that, right before school starts, students need to sell their cars for tuition money. Any comments to add to that?

I also noticed that you can score some nice new car deals when dealers are trying to get rid of last years models with rebates, but I never figured out any co-relation with time of the year. Anyone got any theories behind that?

[R!zz0]

I bought mine in winter...Then again you can't drive a muscle car in winter. If i would have bought it in summer, i'm sure i would have payed couple grand more. I would say winter.

[_wrx_]

i bought my car in the begining of winter.

[carzcraz]

I purchased my S2000 in mid May and managed to get close to $4000 off the asking price.

This involved a two-day negotiation though.

[freshprince]

best time to buy is in winter - because nobody else is, you can get a good price as many people are desparate to sell. Though it sometimes makes the test drive a little more tricky.

[me&you]

Best time to buy should also consider what's on the market. $$$-wise, winter is best and more specifically, I'd say the 4 weeks between mid-Jan and mid-Feb.

But you also have to remember, you're not going to have the best selection then...

[craigcd]

Yup

After Xmas is the best time to buy and the worst time to sell.

Anything like a sports car or street bike will be cheaper in the fall, most people are desperate to sell.

[whiskas]

If you're looking for a cheap car, the end of summer is the worst since all the students are out looking for a ride to get the to school and back. Winter is best for almost all kinds of cars.

[Redlyne_mr2]

Best time to buy a new car is end of summer when dealers have all their previous year inventory on sale and theyre trying to move it to make room for the new model year cars coming in. Keep in mind youre stuck with buying only what they have in stock, no possibility on doing special orders.

[rc2002]

You have to setllte for what's in stock on the lot. And keep in mind that when you buy last year's model, even though the car is brand new and even though you've saved thousands, the car will be considered another year used and will be worth less.

If you keep your eyes open, you can find deals all year round. You can save a lot by finding out the dealer invoice on the car before purchasing it. You can go through places like carcostcanada for that.

[Slashin_]

sports car = winter
suv,car=after new year

assuming all new cars,from dealerships
dealers cant sell sport cars when snow hits....
after new year is when everyone is ouyt of money for christmas,so salesmen are often pretty hurt for sales
at my dealership i sit around for 2 hrs a day in service department,and salesmen always come up to get us to have smokes cause there so dead


used car = anytime of year,you just have to look and have an up to date bargain finder,and check auto trader,and/or beyond of course
bargains are everywhere just have to check more often,but i do notcie winter month people cant sell many cars,cause its to damn cold to inspect car

[gp36912]

i dunno, in the used car market the prices goes up and down as they want. my sister was looking at a z3 in the summer and it was 23gs, now its sitting at 26gs minimum for a higher milage one.

[trikypenguin]

i bought mine in the winter

[jdmXSI]

I would agree normally that one of the best times to buy are in winter, But with Calgarys market. Dealers are still rockin' out record #'s. The only reason i say that is i am in sales in the car biz.


I would honestley say, if a dealer is motivated to sell cars! Anytime is the best time to get the best deal!

[BigMass]

Originally posted by jdmXSI
I would agree normally that one of the best times to buy are in winter, But with Calgarys market. Dealers are still rockin' out record #'s. The only reason i say that is i am in sales in the car biz.


I would honestley say, if a dealer is motivated to sell cars! Anytime is the best time to get the best deal!

new cars yes. The used car market in Calgary is currently dead

[SiR_lyfe]

i got mine in winter too, i think there are better deals since ppl are willing just to sell and make the sale because of few buyers. jsut my opinion

[arian_ma]

I'd say it depends on what car.
Like someone else said if you are patient you can find good deals all year round.
I saved $6000 on my car by buying it in the middle of winter. Though it does hurt a lot walking by it in the garage everyday knowing that I REALLY REALLY shouldn't drive with all those rocks out, hence why I havn't moved my car in 3 weeks.

[BoS_DC2]

I bought my car in the winter and managed to save a few hundreds. Don't you just love desperate sellers?

[me&you]

Originally posted by BoS_DC2
I bought my car in the winter and managed to save a few hundreds. Don't you just love desperate sellers?

I would hardly say a few hundreds equates to a desperate seller.

Additionally, if you waited all summer for a deal on the car in the winter, wouldn't having the car to drive on dry, warm summer days been worth a lot more than a few hundred dollars?

I don't know your situation, or what car you were referring to, but sometimes I just don't get this logic.

For example, I've have a friend who was ecstatic that he bought a Boxster in Nov and saved a ton (more like a couple thousand). He wanted the car since the previous spring, but thought it would be worth it to wait until winter "to get a deal". All that really happened was he watched everyone else enjoy their sports cars the previous summer and had a car that has to sit in the garage for 6 months*. Really, he didn't save anything because the "deal" he got mostly relfects depreciation and he incurred a cost (interest/time) while getting no benifit for the first 6 months of his ownership...


*No one say anything about being able to drive the car in the winter; that's not the point...

[hjr]

so then, the best time to sell is spring or summer? which is better?