Why Buying A Car in December is My Favorite

My last 3 cars have been purchased in November and December – my favorite time of year to buy a car! 

This post is a collaboration and all opinions are my own.

I’ve owned five cars in my lifetime. That doesn’t seem like a lot, but I really get the most value out of a vehicle before I trade it in. And aside from my first car (which I bought the summer before my junior year of college), all of my cars have been purchased over Thanksgiving or at the end of December. I’ve been fortunate that I had a little control over the purchase, in that I didn’t absolutely NEED to buy a car, but I was ready to buy one. And it was a matter of finding what worked for me. 

Here’s why buying a car in December is my favorite: 

You have a little more wiggle room for negotiating. If you aren’t in a rush, you can usually let the finance manager know your bottom line, and they will be more likely to meet you close to what you are wanting to spend on a vehicle. Many dealerships are looking to move the cars off the lot before the end of the year, and I have seen it firsthand (and even talked to car salespeople about it.) I’m happy to help them meet their goals, as long as they can help me meet mine. 

The months leading up to December can be used for research. I had two car models I was trying to decide between (and at one point, a third one crept into the mix.) I had my list of must-haves, and would-be-nice features. I used websites to compare cars in my price point with the features I wanted and then I went into the dealership with my list. They were then able to help me narrow it down even further with what they had on the lot. 

You have the advantage that the current year model is about to be old in January, so prices are already dropping. Take advantage of those end of year sales! Negotiate more on your trade-in, if you have one. And let the dealership help you with your financing (which is what I did last year!) They can often get a better interest rate on your loan, thus bringing your car payments down even more. 

Easterns Automotive Group is located in Sterling, Virginia and serves the DC, Maryland and Virginia areas. They have seven locations and even offer a a 7 day return policy – something I have never heard of when it comes to cars! They have more than 1000 cars in their inventory, and over 30 lenders and 100+ credit programs.