When is the best time to buy a car to get more benefits from the purchase?

Good day to all motorists!

The topic of today's article will be a detailed answer to the question of when is the best time to buy a car in order to save as much as possible on the deal. After all, very few people have truly extra money. Do you have them? Me not!

Falling leaves and the first frosts are a great time to start looking for a used car. Summer activity is gradually subsiding: there are many fewer buyers, as well as dubious offers on the market. It is at this time that it is easiest to ask for a good discount or some bonuses - say, winter tires.

And even many very wealthy people, according to sociological research, are not at all against saving a couple of tens of thousands of rubles on buying a car, not to mention amounts up to half a million rubles or more, which is quite possible for premium cars.

But in order to save significant money on car deals, you need to know some specific features of sales of both used vehicles on the secondary market and new cars in a car dealership. Below we will talk about such nuances, knowledge of which will provide you with the most optimal price-quality ratio for your planned car shopping.

How can the time of year affect the cost of a car?

Purchasing a car is quite a serious process that must be approached with full responsibility. In order not to make a mistake when choosing a car, you need to start not only from what year the car was made and what technical characteristics it has, but also take into account other factors. The cost of the car may be affected by:

Time of year: since in this area there is such a thing as seasonality. According to statistical data, we can conclude that in summer the automobile market is not as active as in autumn and winter. This is due to the fact that in the summer people go on vacation and the demand for cars falls. If we are not talking about a new car, but a second-hand one, then in the summer there is a chance to reduce the price.
Calendar schedule: All car dealerships are well aware of periods of growth and decline in demand for transport vehicles. When there is a period of calm in this market, manufacturers come up with new marketing moves - promotions, discounts, and bonus offers. Buying a new car during a slow period will turn out to be a very profitable investment, as during this period there is an opportunity to save money. Usually, great deals are available for older or not very popular models. In order to get such discounts, you need to constantly monitor offers.
Weather conditions on the day you purchased the car: this factor is important when choosing a used car. Good weather will help reveal all external flaws - tinted areas and imperfections in the condition of the body.

REFERENCE! The New Year's period is considered the most profitable time for buying a car, since showrooms usually offer good discounts to customers on the eve of the holidays. This is due to the fact that after the new year, all cars fall in demand, as they become last year’s models.

In order to choose the right car, you need to use the most important rule - take your time. You need to wait for a favorable market situation when sellers are ready to make a discount on the car. This applies to both new and used cars.

That tempting word "discounts"

It's no secret that there are pre-holiday discounts. Especially New Year's sales are now announced by all sellers who are not too lazy. This is the simplest and most profitable marketing technique. The main goal: to lure a potential buyer who has saved up money for the holidays, and to encourage him to buy is a matter of technique; managers are thoroughly taught this.

What are the reasons for New Year's discounts in the salon? Firstly, on January 1, the cars in the showroom and in the dealer’s warehouses will become last year’s. Secondly, managers need to fulfill the sales plan, which fails due to the summer holiday period. Such sales sometimes begin as early as November, and they last almost the entire month of January. Sometimes discounts on outdated models reach 20 percent.

But there is another nuance: when you want to change the vehicle, the price of your used one will depend on the year of manufacture, and not on the year of purchase. Therefore, for those who plan to drive a brand new swallow for less than 3 years, it is more profitable to buy a brand of a new year of manufacture in March. You will lose at a discount, but you will sell it at a higher price later.

By the eighth of March, some car dealerships promise favorable offers to female buyers, because for some girls’ “best friends” are not diamonds and a fur coat, but a car))).

To fulfill sales plans, managers can make significant concessions at the end of quarters in order to receive good bonuses for meeting the plan.

Car market calendar

Statistics are an important factor in choosing a vehicle. After all, the car market is constantly subject to trends and is associated with various factors. In order to understand how advisable a purchase is in a particular period of the year, the following classification of the calendar year has been compiled:

January: it can rightfully be considered the best period for purchasing a new car. During this month, there is a period of falling demand. This happens due to the New Year holidays. Another reason is the irrelevance of models, when unsold cars have become last year’s. To compensate for the drop in demand, car dealerships offer discounts and bonus programs during this period.
February: During this period, the market gradually returns to normal levels. Demand begins to increase, but prices remain at the same low level. At this time, you can buy leftovers at car dealerships at good prices.
March: This month is characterized by a revival in the market. New car models are starting to arrive at car dealerships. At the same time, prices also rise.
April-May: are the months with the highest demand for cars, and therefore their prices are also at their highest. These months are not the best for purchasing a car, as you will have to pay the full price for it.
June – early August: during these months there is a drop in demand in the car market. At the same time, car dealerships are in no hurry to please customers with lucrative offers.
Late August – early November: demand begins to grow, this is due to the mentality of citizens who are ready to make such a large purchase before the New Year’s bustle.
The end of November - December - at this time there comes a time in the car sales market when car dealerships are ready to use all sorts of marketing moves. In order to manage to sell as many models of this year as possible. To do this, they come up with various special offers and bonus programs.

IMPORTANT! At the end of the year, you can also purchase a used car at a favorable price, since most sellers are interested in selling the car before the new year.

If, when choosing a car, you take into account the market calendar according to which car dealerships operate, you can save a decent amount of money. Therefore, it is very important to select the right season of the year for such a large purchase.

The problem of 2020

And now a little about the sad. As we all know very well, in 2014 the dollar “went up” sharply. Just like the euro. More precisely, the ruble began to “fall”. In general, this is not as important as the fact that car prices began to increase sharply. After all, the vast majority, and what can I say, all the cars, with the exception of those produced by AvtoVAZ, are foreign! German, American, Czech, Spanish, Italian, Asian... Accordingly, the exchange rate has increased - and so have the prices.

Take, for example, one of the most luxurious business sedans available today. This is a Mercedes in the W222 body. In 2013, everyone was talking about this car. And at that time, at the exchange rate of that time, it cost 8 million rubles. Now this car will cost almost twenty 20 million rubles! This difference really makes you feel bad.

So, that’s why many wealthy people began to invest their money – some in real estate, and some in cars. As a result, at the end of 2014, incredible queues formed in all dealer centers in Russia. Buying a new car has become almost an end in itself for them. That's why the warehouses were empty in a couple of weeks. And even last year's cars were sold at a higher price than before. So this is why many analysts argued that now is not the best time to purchase cars. Better to wait it out.

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When is the best time to buy a car?

In absolutely any organization related to trade, sales volumes are planned in advance. Car dealerships also have such a plan; it can be for a month, quarter or year. Sellers must fulfill their part of the plan by any means necessary. Each dealership salesperson has the authority to provide a small discount to customers. When it comes to providing a large discount, such issues are dealt with exclusively by the director. It should also be noted that usually a large discount is only available to buyers of premium cars. For budget cars they rarely provide a discount. It is profitable to buy a used car in winter, and the colder the winter, the cheaper you can buy a car. In order to save when buying a car you need to:

When buying a new car: visit the dealership at the very beginning of the year, then the discounts will be the highest. But it should be noted that this option is suitable for those who do not mind a car from last year. If you still want a new car, then you should choose the time closer to the end of the month or quarter. In this case, it is necessary to talk with the seller about the size of the possible discount;
When buying a used car: you should choose a cold time towards the end of the year, when demand drops before the New Year holidays.

ATTENTION! There are great advantages to buying a car on a cold winter day. You can agree with the seller not to start the car, then you can watch how it starts in such cold weather. Successful starting of a frozen engine is a good sign.

Purchasing a used car: advantages

So, when is it cheaper to buy a car, we figured it out. Now it’s worth saying a few words regarding the purchase of cars that have already, as they say, been driven. The best way to save money is to buy such a car. Many people will start saying - but this is a used car, they’ve already used the car, but what if something happens... So, it’s worth clarifying something.

No one claims that you need to take a car produced in 1960 (although there are such connoisseurs). Take, for example, the Audi A5 of the past, 2020. 225 horsepower, Quattro, automatic transmission and all the options that could be useful. Such a car in the showroom will cost at least 2.5 million rubles. But you can search for advertisements and find a person who bought this car, but is now urgently selling it - he needed money, he is moving... there may be various reasons. The important thing is that he gives away this completely new Audi, with a minimum mileage of 5-20 thousand kilometers, for an amount that is half a million less than the established amount. And the car will truly be in perfect condition. If anything, you can check it at a service station before purchasing to identify hidden damage.

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When is the best time not to buy a car?

The most unfavorable time to buy a car is spring. During this period after a cold winter, when the roads have already thawed a little, future motorists strive to pick up a car for themselves as soon as possible. In spring, the demand for cars increases significantly, and at this time there is a shortage of some models in car dealerships. If buying a car at this time of year is not so important, then it is better to postpone it at least until the summer. In the summer, when the rush for cars subsides a little, you can visit a car dealership, but you shouldn’t count on a big discount.

Summer

June, July, August... This is the best time to buy a new car! Oddly enough, but January and February and summer are the periods when you can see discounts and an abundance of models. The reason is extremely simple - the vast majority of Russians go on vacation. So they don’t care about purchasing new cars. This is not the best time for dealers - they need to make discounts, arrange promotions and promise gifts to attract the buyer and convince him that he needs this car. Moreover, many experts advise visiting different salons - checking prices, talking with managers and consultants, maybe someone will be more accommodating than competitors.

And at the end of August, an increase in demand is already beginning to be observed. So a person who wants to buy a car has two months “to make it in time.”

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Useful tips

Buying a car is always a serious matter that should be approached with special responsibility. It does not matter at all whether we are talking about a used or a new car; in both cases, one should take into account not only the technical characteristics, but also the time of its acquisition, then this decision will be thoughtful and correct. Of course, sometimes there are cases when a car is needed urgently, then it is difficult to think about the profitability of the purchase. But when there is an indefinite amount of time to purchase, it is best to wait until demand decreases. To make your purchase successful, you can use the following tips:

When buying a new car, a very important thing is how long the buyer wants to drive this car. If the car will be used for less than three years, then it is best to buy a model of the current year of manufacture. When it comes to long-term use of a car, then you can choose a car from last year at dealer discounts, since in 7-8 years the year of manufacture will not play a big role;
It is very important to understand that almost all automakers end their fiscal year in March;
Sometimes salespeople at car dealerships can offer what they think is a good deal. It lies in the fact that having a fulfilled sales plan and a large limit of discounts, the seller can negotiate a large personal discount. With the condition that when buying a car, the buyer will share the agreed part of the discount with this seller. This scheme is not a scam, because in fact all four parties benefit.

When choosing a used car, things are a little more complicated, because in this case not only price plays a role, but also quality. Here you should pay special attention to the external and technical characteristics of the car. To do this, it is very important to test the machine in operation in adverse weather conditions. Such a check can be carried out during the cold season or in rainy weather; it is during such periods that all malfunctions of any machine become obvious.

The biggest influence on prices at car dealerships is the seasonal fluctuation in demand for cars, as well as the plans they set for themselves to obtain maximum benefits. Having information about seasonal price fluctuations, you can wait for the moment when demand and supply are optimal in this market. This applies to the purchase of a new and used car. To wait for the right moment, you need to periodically monitor the situation and wait for profitable offers.

Choosing your own time to buy a car - finances and readiness

Buying your first car usually happens in a hurry. In this case, the buyer can make a lot of mistakes and get a car that is not the best option. If you want to buy a car that you won’t have to invest a lot of time, effort and money into, don’t rush or fuss. If you can't find a car in the first week of searching, don't think you're unlucky - the process is actually not that fast. It is also worth considering these tips for purchasing a car, especially the first one:

in the car market and in advertisements on the Internet you often see a price 10-15% higher than the real one;
if the person who is selling the car willingly agrees to all your conditions, be wary and check the car thoroughly;
buying a car from friends does not mean a good and correctly made decision;
too cheap cars in 99% of cases are fraught with a variety of legal and mechanical surprises;
re-register the car completely, do not be content with hidden forms of selling cars;
transfer money for a car only when you are convinced that the transaction is completely clear.

Also determine your financial status. It is understandable that we all want to drive premium cars that are equipped with the latest technology and are the epitome of class and quality. But such a car can often be bought only with credit money. Buying a car on credit is only permissible if you need it for your business. Otherwise, this is an unacceptable luxury. Look at the secondary market, explore the possibilities of cheaper vehicles and save more money. Then the car market will turn to you and offer good options.

Autumn - winter (before the new year and after)

Here, as is already becoming clear, the most profitable time is coming.

. It is in winter that you can buy a car at a good discount or they will give you winter tires, an alarm system or some other necessary equipment, but for a moment winter tires are not very cheap, especially if you have a size of R16 and above. Used cars are also falling in price, and sellers can actually give up a good amount

There are many reasons for this decline. The active summer season is ending, many people are laying up their vehicles (preserving them for the winter, so to speak). Consumer activity is falling, resulting in more offers for sale on the market than buyers.

It happens that an ad hangs for days and not a single call. So sellers are trying to stimulate somehow, and the biggest incentive is an attractive price.

If we take new options from the showroom, then there is a certain milestone - this is the new year. If the car is not sold this year, then next year it will already be a year old

, buyers are no longer looking at it so willingly. So sometimes they give VERY big discounts, for example on luxury cars, they can reach up to 200 - 300,000 rubles.

Registration and payment for registration processes

Both in the case of new and in the purchase of used vehicles, you need to bring the registration process to completion. Re-register the car only in your name, be sure to wait until you receive the documents in full with your name included in the registration certificate. Only this stage will be a reason to celebrate the purchase of a car. Paying for registration activities may also bring certain benefits to you:

agree with the used car seller that the registration fee will be included in the price of the car;
as a last resort, use the 50/50 registration fee payment scheme with the seller;
in the showroom you can tinker a little more and buy a car with free registration;
also, many salons offer compulsory motor liability insurance, which under certain conditions can be included in the price;
If a used car is running out of insurance, this will also be a reason for a discount.

These are the features of buying a car that can await you during your next transaction. Just remember that the euphoria when buying a car often prevents car enthusiasts from receiving all the benefits listed. It is much better to get discounts and spend less money by pretending to be a cool and pragmatic buyer than to pay a lot more for a car and succumb to euphoria. Watch the video on how to identify important points for claiming a discount:

Popularity factor

A very ambiguous moment. And we should talk about it when talking about when it is more profitable to buy a new car.

So, in the Russian Federation the most popular cars (for 2020) are the Lada Granta, Kia Rio, Hyundai Solaris, Renault Duster, Volkswagen Golf, Volkswagen Polo, Renault Clio, Ford (F-series), Chevrolet Silverado and Dodge RAM. In theory, these cars have become popular because they attract attention with their quality, appearance, efficiency and price. However, dealers also need to make money, so, noticing increased interest in the models, they begin to gradually increase prices. It turns out to be a vicious circle.

A completely separate story regarding premium cars - that is, all cars produced by such iconic concerns as Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Porsche, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Bentley, Rolls-Royce ”, “BMW”, etc. This is a brand and quality that has been proven over the years, for which you have to pay. So to the question: “When is the best time to buy a car from well-known brands?” No answer. It was, is and will always be expensive.

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