While you sat happily in a food coma for the entire weekend, you missed a great time to buy from used car dealers. Around Thanksgiving is the best time to buy a used car, after all. Why? For a few reasons. First and foremost, Black Friday sales create huge deals for used cars. You can get a used car at an already affordable price, for even less money. A lot of “next-year” models are shipped out in full force this time of year, which means the price on newer model years get cut. Finally, Thanksgiving practically marks the end of the selling season for dealers of both new and used cars. So, you’ll get to experience even greater savings on vehicles that dealerships are trying to push off their lots before winter hits — when no one wants to buy a car.
You could save some real money around Black Friday and turkey day, so it’s worth knowing this info for next year.
Black Friday
The oddest thing about Black Friday sales at car dealerships is that they still manage not to sell as many cars as you’d think. Even with all those Black Friday advertisements you hear on the radio beckoning you to your local car dealers.
So next year, don’t trample granny in Walmart on Black Friday for that Kitchen Aid sale — trample granny for that used minivan you need for your family, instead. Why? Because, while everyone else is trampling each other for the latest iPhone, video game system, or trash bin, you’ll be at a dealership that has really good sales on used cars. A dealership that won’t be nearly as swarmed as your chain retail stores, which means you’re also safer.
Disclaimer: I don’t actually condone the act of trampling grannies for anything, by the way.
New Cars Shipped Early
If you want a used car that’s practically brand new from a dealership that has both new and used cars, then the end of November is the time for you to shop. Seeing as the “next-year” models are shipped in early and so there are thousands of new models on dealership lots by October. Therefore, the current-year models will go down in price drastically. Combine that with the fact that winter is a slow time for car sales, and you’re looking at some pretty sweet discounts.
For example, a 2016 Chevy Cruze brand new will cost drastically less than a 2017 Chevy Cruze by the time the end of November rolls around. If you get a 2016 or 2015 Cruze that’s been lightly used, you’ll be surprised to see just how much money can be saved if you opt for that, rather than grabbing the latest and greatest model year.
While Black Friday and new cars shipping out early are the two primary reasons for deeply discounted new and used car sales, the start of winter is the true driving force behind discounted vehicles. The market won’t really pickup again until tax return season, which is the worst time to buy a new or used car. So, make sure to wait until after Thanksgiving — if you can — before visiting your used car dealer.
