buying
What is the best time to buy a used car from a dealership?
The short answer
The best time to buy a used car from a dealership is during the colder months, roughly November through March, with January standing out as the single strongest month for deals. Prices tend to bottom out between late December and late February, while summer months, especially June, run worse. Within any month, the final few days, and especially the end of a sales quarter, tend to bring bigger discounts.
Assumes: United States market · Applies to franchised used car dealerships, not private sales · National seasonal patterns, local inventory can vary
The short answer: winter, and the end of the month
Used car deals follow a seasonal pattern, and the data lines up across multiple sources. Cold weather months are consistently the cheapest, warm weather months are consistently the priciest, and within any month, the last few days tend to beat the middle of the month.
Why January leads the pack
An iSeeCars analysis of more than 40 million used car sales found January to be the single best month to buy, with 55.6% more deals than average. Demand drops after the holidays, tax refund season has not yet flooded lots with cash buyers, and dealers are still working to clear out inventory left over from the prior year.
The broader winter window
The advantage is not limited to January alone. Prices tend to fall between November and March, and typically bottom out somewhere between December 31 and February 28. On the other end, April through October are the weakest months to shop, with June standing out as the single worst month of the year, running about 22.8% fewer deals than average.
Why the end of the year also works
Consumer Reports points to the final months of the calendar year, roughly October through December, as a strong window as well. Dealers and automakers are pushing to move existing inventory to make room for the following model year, and that pressure tends to translate into better pricing for buyers.
Timing within the month matters too
Beyond picking the right month, picking the right day helps. Edmunds sales data shows that the last few days of any month tend to bring bigger discounts, since a dealer would often rather take a slightly smaller profit than miss a monthly sales goal. That effect is amplified at the end of a sales quarter, in March, June, September, and December, when quarterly targets are also on the line.
Putting it together
| January | Best single month, 55.6% more deals than average |
|---|---|
| November to March | Strong window overall, prices bottom out late December to late February |
| End of any month | Extra leverage as dealers chase monthly targets |
| End of quarter (Mar, Jun, Sep, Dec) | Extra leverage on top of month end pressure |
| April to October | Weakest window overall |
| June | Worst single month, about 22.8% fewer deals than average |
What this means if you cannot wait for winter
Not everyone can time a purchase around January. If you are shopping in the summer, your best move is to lean on the other lever that still works year round: shopping the last few days of the month, and especially the last few days of a sales quarter, when a dealer’s need to hit a number matters more than the calendar season.
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Next steps
If your timeline is flexible, aim for January, or at least the November through March window. If it is not, shift your focus from the season to the day, target the final few days of the month, and check whether that month also happens to close out a sales quarter.
Sources
- iSeeCars analysis of over 40 million used car sales, best a
- Consumer Reports guidance on when to buy a used car
- Edmunds analysis of the best time to buy a used car
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Independent publication: the author works at Honda of Greenville, but this isn't an official Honda of Greenville or Honda Motor Co. page, and neither reviews, approves, or pays for its content. Content is educational, not mechanical, legal, or financial advice. Verify safety-critical items with a qualified technician and recall status by VIN.