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When exactly is the best time of year to buy an SUV? Is there a particular day of the week or month of the year to gain extra savings? Do you want a new or used SUV? The best time to buy an SUV depends on your answer to that question. Let’s take a look at the best times to buy and save.

When is the best time of year to buy an SUV?

a car salesman talks to a customer on the sales lot, when is the best time of the year to buy an SUV?
Car Salesman Speaks With Customer | JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images

Buying a new SUV or any vehicle can be worth the wait. Instead of impulse-buying or quickly making a decision, time can be a money saver. There’s nothing more rewarding than waiting to get your SUV at a discount.

According to Edmunds, buying an SUV during December can save you thousands. October through the end of the year is much better than the previous nine months, though. End-of-year sales happen whether dealers advertise them or not. They do not have the space or funds to keep inventory on their property and need to sell it to make room for the following year’s models.

Additionally, dealerships want to outperform their sales numbers from the previous calendar year. The seller being desperate to empty its inventory while also wanting to boost its final yearly numbers is the perfect time to strike. Being a customer looking to buy a product from a desperate store is ideal for purchasing an SUV.

If you’re unable to get the vehicle you want by the end of December, fear not. January extends the sales as dealers are usually still emptying previous model years from their inventory.

The two best times of the year to buy an SUV are the year’s final month and the beginning of a new model year. Many times, these two times are one and the same. However, sometimes, especially now that there are so many production problems, they can be distanced.

Each one marks a time where dealers want to empty previous model-year inventory and boost sales. These are the best times to take advantage and buy an SUV.

Save thousands when you buy a new SUV

Not only will buying during the last few months of the year save you thousands, but it’s the perfect time to get into an SUV. SUVs are one of the most popular vehicles in America for a few reasons. The first reason is the space each one provides. Whether you’re buying a small compact crossover or a full-size SUV, you’ll have ample room for cargo and passengers alike. Not to mention, most modern SUVs are sleek, stylish, and ride like a smooth luxury sedan.

Additionally, all-wheel drive is necessary for many in the winter months. If you live somewhere prone to harsh weather conditions, that’s another reason to own an SUV. All- or four-wheel drive is either standard or available as an option for most SUVs. It doesn’t matter which size or brand because this feature is now spread across them.

When to buy a used SUV

A blue 2022 Toyota RAV4 against a gray background., when is the best time to buy an SUV
2022 Toyota RAV4 | Toyota

The factors that go into buying a new car of any type don’t do into used ones. Used vehicles don’t have an end-of-model-year cycle. However, used vehicles do lose their value every day, making older inventory more prone to great deals. While it isn’t a time of year, a certain amount of time in a dealership will make a used SUV more affordable. Specifically, a 30-day period on a dealer lot tends to make it more desperate to get it out the door.

As for a time of year, used vehicles tend to get cheaper when the next model is released. For instance, when the 2022 Toyota RAV4 enters dealer lots this time of year, the used 2018-2021 models will all drop in price. That’s why it’s the perfect time for customers to strike. When should you buy a used SUV? When the newest model becomes available, go get an older one.

There’s no perfect time of the year to purchase an SUV or any other type of vehicle. The best times to do so are when dealerships want to get rid of their current inventory. Presently, there isn’t a lot of inventory available to most dealers, so this can be tricky. That’s why using other strategies like buying a less popular model when shopping can be highly effective.

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