Are you thinking about purchasing a used car in 2025? Unfortunately, prices are still hovering around multi-year highs. According to recent sales data from Edmonds, the average used car price is 31% higher than it was five years ago. This means when purchasing a used car, it’s crucial to understand when you’re most likely to get a great deal and when you should wait to buy your next car.
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Historically, the demand for both new and used cars is low during the winter months. There are a couple of reasons for this.
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Most people don’t want to test drive cars when the weather is less than ideal.
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People are more focused on spending money for the holidays and less on a new or used car.
This decreased demand usually means more incentives are offered by manufacturer and dealerships. However, as the weather starts to get warm, car buyer habits start to change.
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Typically when spring comes and the weather starts getting warmer, the demand for cars pick up. This increased demand means fewer deals are being offered.
iSeeCars recently published a report looking into the worst times to purchase a used car based on more than 34 million used car sales in 2023 and 2024. The data showed that the following times of year were the worst months and holidays based on the percentage chance of being able to take advantage of sale pricing.
|
Time of Year |
Percent Fewer Deals Than Average |
|
Father’s Day |
-33.1% |
|
July 4th |
-31.1% |
|
June |
-30.4% |
|
Junteenth |
-30.0% |
|
Memorial Day |
-28.0% |
|
May |
-27.8% |
|
Mother’s Day |
-27.4% |
|
July |
-22.5% |
|
April |
-16.8% |
|
August |
-8.5% |
The new car market in the summer can also impact the used car market. Because new models are typically released in late summer or early fall, a lot of car buyers looking for new cars are willing to hold off a couple of extra months.
When new car buyers wait to purchase until fall, few cars are traded in during the summer. This leads to less supply and higher prices.
“During this summer period, high dealership traffic reduces the likelihood of discounts, and the busy environment makes it harder for sales staff to engage in detailed negotiations,” said Blake Shaw, automotive expert at All About Wheels.
Shaw continued by saying that spring also tends to be a difficult time of year to buy a car if you want to get a good deal.
“Spring isn’t typically considered the best time to buy a used car, as demand generally increases during this season, which can lead to higher prices,” Shaw said. “After the tax-season rush, people who received refunds may be more likely to purchase vehicles, boosting demand. This can drive up prices, especially in the months of March through May.”