When is the best time of year to buy a new car

"Smart shoppers who let timing work to their advantage have the potential to save hundreds, sometimes even thousands of dollars," says Brian Moody, AutoTrader.com site editor.
While a common perception is that the best deals are found at the end of the year, Moody says this isn't the only good time to shop.
"There's no guarantee that a year-end sale will impact every model – especially those that are all-new or in high demand. And not every buyer can afford to wait," Moody says. "Shoppers can get good deals all year long using the same logic that drives the year-end bargains."
The AutoTrader.com experts say other good times to buy include:

• End of the model year: "This can happen as early as spring, but for the most part new model year cars start arriving on dealer lots in late summer and early fall. For example, shoppers will soon start to see discounted prices on remaining 2013 models – especially on cars that are all-new for 2014. If you don't have to have the latest and greatest model, this is an easy way to save," Moody says.

• End of the quarter/end of the month: "Just like at the end of the year, dealers have monthly and quarterly sales goals. If they're just shy of the target, they could be more motivated to get the deal done," Moody says.

• End of the day: "Salespeople will stay late to close out a deal for a serious shopper, and could be more flexible in order to wrap things up and get home," says Moody.

• Rainy/snowy days: "These are slow days for dealers, since most people don't want to be outside on the lot in bad weather. If you hit the dealership any time demand is low, you'll be more likely to save compared to the shopper who negotiates when the dealer is busy closing sales," Moody says.

To learn more about how consumers can use timing to their advantage when shopping for a new car, check out the full story on AutoTrader.com: http://www.autotrader.com/research/article/car-tips/211343/buying-a-new-car-whens-the-best-time.jsp.
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