The Best Time to Buy a Car

Keep an eye out for "aged inventory," which refers to any inventory that has remained unsold for a period of time.

The best times to buy a car are Black Friday, Black Friday Weekend, Christmas Eve, Memorial Day, Memorial Day Weekend, New Year's Day, New Year's Eve, end of the first quarter, end of the second quarter, end of the third quarter, end of the fourth quarter, and end of year.

Wait until end of the third quarter

The next best time to buy a car is during end of the third quarter on Tuesday, September 24th.

Why? Cars are often on sale at the end of the third quarter because dealerships and manufacturers aim to meet their annual sales targets by offering discounts and promotions to attract customers.

Buy September 24th

How often are Cars on sale?

Cars are almost never on sale—about 10% of the year, or an average of 1-in-10.1 days.

almost never on sale

10%

of year on sale

sale periods

sale days

Best places to buy a car

Check prices at Carvana

Best months to buy a car

The best months to buy a car are January, March, May, June, September, November, and December.

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Jan

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Dec

Best holidays to buy a car

The best holidays to buy a car are Christmas Eve, Memorial Day, New Year's Day, and New Year's Eve.

When are Cars on sale?

Content continues below

Tayler Riouff

Managing Editor

FAQ

Let's recap by answering some key questions:

When is the best time to buy a car?

Why Black Friday is a good time to buy a car:

Cars are typically on sale during Black Friday due to the high demand during the holiday season and the desire for retailers to attract more customers with competitive deals.

Why Black Friday Weekend is a good time to buy a car:

Cars are typically on sale during Black Friday Weekend due to the high demand during the holiday season and the desire for retailers to attract more customers with competitive deals.

Why Christmas Eve is a good time to buy a car:

Cars are often put on sale during Christmas Eve because it is a popular time for people to purchase expensive gifts, and car dealerships want to take advantage of the holiday shopping season.

Why end of the first quarter is a good time to buy a car:

Cars are often on sale at the end of the first quarter because dealerships and manufacturers aim to meet their annual sales targets by offering discounts and promotions to attract customers.

Why end of the second quarter is a good time to buy a car:

Cars are often on sale at the end of the second quarter because dealerships and manufacturers aim to meet their annual sales targets by offering discounts and promotions to attract customers.

Why end of the third quarter is a good time to buy a car:

Cars are often on sale at the end of the third quarter because dealerships and manufacturers aim to meet their annual sales targets by offering discounts and promotions to attract customers.

Why end of the fourth quarter is a good time to buy a car:

Cars are often on sale at the end of the fourth quarter because dealerships and manufacturers aim to meet their annual sales targets by offering discounts and promotions to attract customers.

Why end of year is a good time to buy a car:

Cars are often put on sale during the end of the year because dealerships are trying to meet their sales quotas, which incentivizes them to offer discounts and promotions in order to sell more vehicles before the new year.

Why Memorial Day is a good time to buy a car:

Most workers are off on Memorial Day, so car dealers want to take advantage of the three-day weekend by offering great deals.

Why Memorial Day Weekend is a good time to buy a car:

Most workers are off on Memorial Day, so car dealers want to take advantage of the three-day weekend by offering great deals.

Why New Year's Day is a good time to buy a car:

Cars are often on sale during New Year's Day as retailers try to capitalize on the holiday shopping season and meet sales quotas.

Why New Year's Eve is a good time to buy a car:

Cars are often on sale during New Year's Eve as retailers try to capitalize on the holiday shopping season and meet sales quotas.

How often are cars on sale?

Cars are almost never on sale, approximately 36 days each year, spanning 12 distinct sale periods—that's 10% of the year.

What are the best months to buy a car?

The best months to buy cars are January, March, May, June, September, November, and December.

What are the best holidays to buy a car?

The best holidays to buy a car are Christmas Eve, Memorial Day, New Year's Day, and New Year's Eve.

Why Christmas Eve is a good holiday to buy a car:

Cars are often put on sale during Christmas Eve because it is a popular time for people to purchase expensive gifts, and car dealerships want to take advantage of the holiday shopping season.