The best time to buy a car in the UK | 2024 update

OK, you want to buy your next car. But when is the best time to buy? You can expect car prices to drop in certain months of the year to get yourself a sweet deal on new and used cars
Knowing the best time to buy a car in the UK and when it’s easier to negotiate with car dealers can help you find a good car deal and save money. Best time to buy a used car Best time to buy a new car More tips on best time to buy a car

Now is a great time to think about buying a used car. Prices for used cars have remained stable over the past few months, with a small dip in asking prices meaning you could bag a bargain.
Used cars are selling faster than they have in recent years, with older vehicles proving popular, so if you’ve been considering buying a used vehicle, now might be the time to jump in.

When considering whether to buy a new car, start by looking at the current market conditions.
In recent years, supply chain issues have led to fewer cars available for sale, driving prices up. However, prices are starting to stabilise or decrease. Keep interest rates in mind. Recently, rates have risen, which can impact your financing options. Higher interest rates can result in larger monthly payments and more money spent on interest over time. If you plan to finance your purchase, it's wise to shop around for the best rates and loan terms.. Lastly, evaluate your personal finances. Look at your budget and credit score to see what you can afford.

September and March can be the best months to buy a used car. Just after new number plate formats are introduced, lots of people tend to part exchange their old cars for new ones, which means that dealers can find themselves with a lot of used cars in stock that they want to shift.

In the run-up to the plate changes, dealerships often clear out old stock in expectation of a forthcoming flood of cars. With limited space on the forecourt, they’ll often take a lower price to clear some real estate. Thus, August and February can be the best time to buy a second-hand car, or an approved used car.

If you’re looking to buy a new car, it can often pay to shop during the quieter periods. During the end of each quarter – in March, June, September and December - dealers are keen to hit their target and earn bonuses, which means negotiating can be easier and they might even be offering deals.
If you’re going to the dealership, plan your visit during the weekdays when you can expect to see less footfall in the shops, rather than weekends, to get more attention and better offers from the car dealers.

August and February are a good time to buy new cars as many people delay their purchase to get a car with a new plate. So, negotiating with car dealers looking to meet their sales target can be easier during these months.

It’s worth keeping an eye on the motoring press – such as this very website – and looking for news of forthcoming new models or updates for the new year. The arrival of a new and updated model of a car can lead to the outgoing model being available at a discounted rate.

Certain times of year favour certain types of cars. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the first signs of spring will add hundreds to the asking price of convertibles, so look to buy one in the winter if you're after a bargain. Likewise, trying to buy a 4x4 in the summer makes sense, as demand (and, perhaps more importantly, price) is at its highest in the winter.

Most car dealers have a sales target that they need to meet at the end of each quarter, thus you should try to shop when they’re near the end of a period.
You could also try buying a car on a Friday, when the dealers are trying to meet their end of week goals or towards the end of a month when they’re trying to hit the end of the month goal.

Buying a car for the new year can be a good idea. This is because not many people are focused on buying new cars at Christmas, so you can get the best new year car deals in December, followed by New Year's January car sales.

Car shopping during holidays can be the best time to buy a car as dealers will have proper sale events, with big discounts. These can include bank holidays, Boxing Day and, increasingly, the US-derived Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales at the end of November.