When is the better time to buy a NEW car, end of December or end of January?

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Phokus

Lifer
Nov 20, 1999
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So yeah, just wondering, end of december, i figure car salesmen are trying fill year end quotas, but end of january i figure is probably more dead. Wonder when i have more desperate sales people trying to sell and get incentives from the manufacturers. I'm looking for a Honda Accord (or Subaru Legacy) if that makes a difference.
 

smitbret

Diamond Member
Jul 27, 2006
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So yeah, just wondering, end of december, i figure car salesmen are trying fill year end quotas, but end of january i figure is probably more dead. Wonder when i have more desperate sales people trying to sell and get incentives from the manufacturers. I'm looking for a Honda Accord (or Subaru Legacy) if that makes a difference.

That old rule of thumb is pretty much dead.

Salespeople don't set the prices, anyway. They're just the messengers. It won't make any difference if you are shopping for a used vehicle.

If you are considering new, there may be a slight chance that you get a better deal at the end of December when the dealers are chasing Quarterly and Annual kickbacks from the manufacturer. You'll have to be in the right time and place, though. If the dealer has already met manufacturer projections then they don't have any extra incentive to get that extra one or two. If they are so far off that there is no way they will meet them, then they have no incentive that way, either. You have to find that dealer that just needs 2 or 3 new of whatever you want to buy on the last day or two of the reporting period.
 

Phokus

Lifer
Nov 20, 1999
22,994
779
126
That old rule of thumb is pretty much dead.

Salespeople don't set the prices, anyway. They're just the messengers. It won't make any difference if you are shopping for a used vehicle.

If you are considering new, there may be a slight chance that you get a better deal at the end of December when the dealers are chasing Quarterly and Annual kickbacks from the manufacturer. You'll have to be in the right time and place, though. If the dealer has already met manufacturer projections then they don't have any extra incentive to get that extra one or two. If they are so far off that there is no way they will meet them, then they have no incentive that way, either. You have to find that dealer that just needs 2 or 3 new of whatever you want to buy on the last day or two of the reporting period.

Guess i'll have to email 20 or 30 dealers :p thanks
 

jagec

Lifer
Apr 30, 2004
24,442
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We bought a Legacy in September of this year. Subaru is having trouble keeping up with demand, and so discounts are slim. We paid pretty much exactly what Truecar estimated.
 

GagHalfrunt

Lifer
Apr 19, 2001
25,284
1,997
126
For popular cars that sell well you only have so-much leverage. It's a lot easier to get deals on cars that are tougher to sell, the dealer doesn't have a lot of incentive to deeply discount a popular model that he can sell for a higher price inside a week. That being said, right before Christmas is a decent time to buy as most people are shopping for anything except cars. It's a plus if you're in the north and the weather is bad, most people don't go car shopping if it's snowing or really cold. But there's no way to be sure. You're just as likely to walk into a dealer that has made all its sales quotas and doesn't need to deal.

Instead of trusting to luck, do your homework. The more prepared you are, the better your bargaining position. Know the prices and get some online quotes so you have a current frame of reference. The key to getting a good deal is knowing exactly what is really a good deal and what only seems like a good deal. That comes from knowledge, not timing.
 
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Charmonium

Lifer
May 15, 2015
10,245
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That old rule of thumb is pretty much dead. Salespeople don't set the prices, anyway. They're just the messengers. It won't make any difference if you are shopping for a used vehicle.
What about trade-ins? Does the sales staff have any flexibility regarding what they give you for your trade-in?
 
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