Timing Your Car Shopping

The year is getting nearer to the end. And although your focus might be on falling leaves, comfort foods, and holiday shopping – the fall / winter season is one of the best times to purchase a vehicle. 

Here are a few factors to keep in mind when trying to get the best price on a car. 

Time of Year

First, using the sales quotas of the sales representative will be one of your best tools in getting your car. Sales quotas can break down into three separate categories; monthly, quarterly, and yearly. If you use this as a factor, best practices dictate to buy a car later in the year and at the latter part of the month. 

If quotas need to be met, car salesmen might be more pliable with their pricing on vehicles. According to Edmunds, the most discounted months are October through December. This happens to coincide with what is generally seen as the new model-year car releases. When new models hit the dealer floor, the less expensive the older models are.

Time of Week

The second thing to keep in mind is that individual attention can mean better deals. While this isn’t the rule, if there is heavy traffic going through a dealership, it could make it very difficult to talk a salesperson down from a sticker price. Shopping in the early part of the week, like Monday or Tuesday, will offer you better opportunity to have that personalized conversation, hopefully securing that better deal.

Holiday Shopping

The third thing to keep in mind are holiday sales. This is a mixed blessing. Obviously, sales create lower prices, but they also create more traffic. More traffic won’t simply mean less attention from sales reps; more cars are potentially being snatched up, as well. The most common is Black Friday. Just keep in mind the insanity that day often entails.

Also, keep in mind New Year’s Eve. That could be the end of the end of the end of quotas for a salesperson. So, if it’s possible, stop by your local dealership and see what kind of deal you can get. 

Above all, do your research, and check in with dealers every now and then to monitor deals. And, don’t forget to have fun getting your new vehicle!

How DuGood Can Help

You’ve got some great strategies in your tool kit – so what’s next?  No matter where you’re at in your auto buying journey, DuGood has some great resources to help!

• FREE Auto Buying Guide – Feel like you need to do some research? Our free guide walks you through the process step by step.
• EZ Auto Buying – Research and compare vehicles. Check out the inventory at local dealers.
• Meet our Lending Team – Call or email our lending experts. They’re happy to help with any questions you might have!