While most car owners don’t think twice about when they’ll sell their vehicles, there actually is a season for it that can get you more money or leave thousands on the table. Buying and selling patterns throughout the year align with temperature, precipitation, transportation needs, even tax refunds as car values fluctuate along with the seasons.
The automotive market operates seasonally in a pattern that’s been incredibly predictable over the past few decades. Align with these patterns to best improve your chances of selling your car for a decent price.
Spring: The Best Time to Sell Most Cars
The best time to sell most cars, according to statistics, is undoubtedly the spring. When tax season rolls around, buyers have some extra cash, their consideration for the next big thing, and increased temperatures make it easier to shop for cars. Motivated buyers ready to hit the road for the summer with vacations on the brain want reliable transportation, which is where sellers are in an advantageous position.
The combination of motivated buyers with available cash and pleasant shopping conditions creates a seller’s market. Cars that might sit on the market for months during winter often sell quickly in April and May. For sellers considering their options, spring represents the sweet spot where the decision to sell my car often results in faster sales and higher prices.
Additionally, tax season plays a large role in this awesome time of year for sellers; many buyers use their refunds as down payments or even outright purchases, which equates to an empowered buyer setting instead of a compromise. If sellers know they have potential buyers in this market, they can hold out for even more money as they have the advantage.
Summer: The Best Time to Sell Fun Cars
The absolute best time to sell convertibles, sports cars, motorcycles and anything else that screams summer is, well, summer! Whether it’s a hot day out and customers want the windows down or the fun aesthetics of taking a sports car out for a spin is high when the weather is consistently warm; summer months push the prices up 15-20% compared to winter.
As kids are out of school on summer breaks and family vacations are planned, family-friendly vehicles also get attention during this time, as do SUVs. However, this is not nearly as prevalent in buyers’ minds as those dedicated summer cars.
Fall: The Best Time to Sell Winter-Ready Vehicles
As temperatures start to drop and discussions about fall foliage and back-to-school shopping dominate town halls over park days, buyers start preparing for the winter months. Four-wheel drive vehicles, trucks, and SUVs become necessary purchases in northern states to adequately prepare for snow and ice, with buyers wanting to make those purchases beforehand when they haven’t been tempted by other vehicles yet.
However, this is the worst time to sell convertibles and anything else requiring good weather; as temperatures drop into the 30s to 50s, buyer interest in these vehicle types drops along with it come December.
Winter: Not a Great Time For Most Sellers
Winter is a tough time for sellers due to external conditions; it’s freezing outside! Who wants to shop for a car when it’s ten degrees and snowing? Additionally, after the holidays occur, most people lack disposable income until tax season rolls around again.
While all-wheel drive cars, trucks with snow plows or vehicles known to run well in winter situations hold their value much better during this season than other sales do (since car sales aside from winter-savvy vehicles come to a grinding halt), sellers will often find themselves spinning their wheels (pun intended).
Other Considerations
However, regional differences do exist; some parts of the country will experience more drastic change between spring/summer and fall/winter than others (conveniently located areas down south experience great need for convertibles but less drastic changes when it comes to four-wheel drive need over several months). Buyers can get even better results by knowing several months ahead when they’re selling; proper vehicle preparation occurs in advance and sensing proper market sentiment gets sellers on board with eager buyers sooner than later.
Understanding seasonal car selling patterns provides a significant advantage in maximizing vehicle value. Spring offers the best conditions for most vehicles, summer creates premium pricing for sports cars and convertibles, fall works well for winter-capable vehicles, and winter generally presents challenges. Success comes from aligning selling timing with these predictable market cycles whenever personal circumstances allow.
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