What Is the Best Month to Buy a Car?
A new car is a major investment and knowing certain facts can make the difference between a good deal and a great deal. The most important factor in purchasing a car is timing; knowing what month is the best to purchase your new car can save you hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars without any additional work.
Other People Are Reading
-
Time Frame
-
New year models for cars come out in September or October of the previous year. For example, the 2009 car models come out in September or October 2008. Though some models may come out slightly earlier and some models come out slightly later, these two months are usually considered the best month to get a new car.
Considerations
-
When purchasing a new car in the fall, it is best to look at the previous years' models first. Typically, auto dealerships have already placed their orders for the new models and may have to make room for incoming cars. Hence, they will be more willing to make a deal on the car merely to get it off the lot.
Additionally, going to the dealer at the end of September, October, or even the end of August can put you in a better bargaining position: the dealer doesn't know how many cars he will be selling, but he knows how much room they will need. -
Size
-
Dealers of different sizes may offer different deals depending upon the size of their lot. For instance, a dealer with a large, spacious lot may have enough room to absorb the extra inventory in September and October while smaller dealerships may not. This can work to your advantage as the need to move inventory is a motivating factor in making better deals for the customer.
This is not to say that larger dealerships might not be willing to make a deal; they may have ordered far more cars than they can handle so it might pay to check these places out as well during your fall shopping tour.
Potential
-
Typically, you should go to the dealer at the end of September or October for another reason; sales quotas. Each salesman operates on commission and he has to fulfill a certain number of quotas in order to continue to be employed at the dealership,
If a salesman consistently sells less than the quota, he is not an asset to the dealership and may find himself unemployed.
Even if there are no "desperate" salesmen, there are awards, incentives, and bragging rights that go along with being a top seller that can make even the most well-off salesman a little more anxious to sell cars at the end of the month.
Misconceptions
-
There is the misconception that going to a dealership in fall is a guarantee of a better price: this is a bad mistake to make. Only by doing your homework can you expect to make a better deal.
Going car shopping in September or October, however, will increase the odds of you receiving a better deal, better terms, or even some extras such as free oil changes or other incentives.
-
