The Best Time to Buy a Used Car
The best time to buy a used car is between Thanksgiving and the first week of January.Used car prices tend to go through a predictable cycle in which they peak during the summer months followed by a downward slope hitting rock bottom around January 10th.
Prices tend to shoot back up quickly through February.
The difference in prices between August and January can be as much as 5%.
This is according to statistics compiled by Kelly Blue Book and CarGurus.com.
They examined past price trends on more than 12 million used cars since 2010.
One reason why used car prices bottom near the end of the year is because fewer people are shopping for a used car during the end of year holiday season.
Another is because used cars technically become one year older on January 1st which affects buyer's perceptions of the vehicle's worth.
Timing your used car purchase can potentially save you $800 on a typical $16,000 vehicle.
Each week, I'll keep you up-to-date on the latest car deals and news that might affect your purchase. This includes...
- Best Rebates, Incentives, and Lease Deals
- Latest Car Buying Scams and Tricks
- The Best & Worst Time to Buy a Car
- Which Cars You Should Avoid
About The Author
Gregg Fidan is the founder of RealCarTips. After being ripped off on his first car purchase, he devoted several years to figuring out the best ways to avoid scams and negotiate
the best car deals. He has written hundreds of articles on the subject of car buying and taught thousands of car shoppers how to get the best deals.
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