Is It a Good Time to Buy a Car? Seasonal Trends Explained

If you’ve been thinking about changing your car, you’ve probably wondered whether there is a “best” time to actually do it. Do you wait for the new number plates? Hold out until the end of the year? Buy during the summer when you’re already thinking about that drive to the airport with three suitcases somehow squeezed into the boot?

The truth is that there isn’t one magic date when car prices suddenly tumble overnight. However, the UK car market does follow certain seasonal patterns and understanding them can help you decide when to start looking.

The right timing will also depend whether you’re buying new or used, what type of car you’re searching for and, most importantly, your own circumstances.

March and September: Why the Number Plate Change Matters

If there’s one part of the year that has a noticeable effect on the UK car market, it’s the number plate change. New registration plates are introduced twice a year, at the beginning of March and September, and these months usually see a jump in the number of new vehicles being registered.

For some buyers, having the latest plate is part of the appeal of buying a brand-new car. As March or September gets closer, they may choose to wait so their new vehicle carries the latest registration.

However, this can create opportunities for drivers who aren’t particularly bothered about what two numbers appear halfway along their number plate.

In the run-up to a plate change, dealerships may have new vehicles already in stock that they want to sell before the latest registrations arrive. Ultimately, this means that the offers will vary between manufacturers and individual cars. We would highly recommend looking at what’s available rather than automatically assuming you should wait. After a plate change, something else happens too.

Lots of customers buying new cars will part exchange their existing vehicle. Those cars then make their way into the used market, which means dealerships can find themselves with a fresh selection of used stock during the weeks that follow. For a used car buyer, more stock means more choice!

So, Is August a Good Time to Buy a Car?

Potentially, yes. August sits immediately before September’s registration change, which makes it an interesting point in the automotive calendar. If you’re buying new and don’t mind having the current registration rather than waiting for the next one, there may be vehicles already available that are worth considering. You may also find manufacturer offers change as brands prepare for the next registration period.

On the other hand, if having the latest plate matters to you, waiting until September may make more sense. There isn’t really a right or wrong answer here. Having a car registered a few weeks earlier doesn’t suddenly make it an old banger!

Used-car buyers also have reason to keep an eye on the market around this time. As September deliveries begin and customers part exchange their previous cars, the selection of used vehicles can start to change quite quickly.

Is There a Best Time to Buy a New Car?

The weeks surrounding March and September are certainly worth watching, but they’re not the only time that opportunities can appear. New-car offers change throughout the year. Manufacturers may introduce finance contributions, reduced APR offers or other incentives depending on the model and current campaign.

There can also be occasions when a particular model is being updated or replaced.

If a new generation or facelift is on its way, the outgoing version doesn’t suddenly become a bad car. In fact, if you’re less concerned about having the very newest dashboard design or latest styling tweak, it may represent particularly good value. Then there’s availability.

One car might need to be ordered from the factory, while another matching your requirements could already be sitting in stock. If you need a vehicle relatively soon, availability can sometimes be more valuable than waiting months for what might be a slightly different deal later.

In other words, don’t become so obsessed with finding the “perfect” week to buy that you miss the right car that’s sitting in front of you.

Does the Type of Car Make a Difference?

Car demand isn’t identical throughout the year, especially for vehicles that suit a particularly season. Convertibles are the obvious example. The first properly sunny weekend of spring tends to remind everyone that driving around with the roof down looks quite appealing. Unsurprisingly, more people may start searching for one as warmer weather arrives.

If you’ve always wanted a convertible and don’t mind buying it when the roof will spend most of its life firmly closed, shopping during the colder months can sometimes mean less competition from other buyers.

The reverse can happen with larger SUVs and four-wheel-drive vehicles. Interest can increase as winter approaches and people start thinking about poor weather. You shouldn’t necessarily choose a car purely based on what might be cheaper at a particular time of year, but seasonality is another useful thing to keep in mind if your purchase isn’t urgent.

What About Used Cars?

The used-car market works a little differently because every vehicle is unique. Two cars of exactly the same model and age can have different mileage, specifications and service histories. One might have had a single owner while another has changed hands several times.

That means waiting for a particular month doesn’t guarantee that the car you want will suddenly become cheaper.

However, seasonal changes in stock can still be useful. Following March and September, more part-exchange vehicles tend to enter dealership stock as customers collect their new cars. If you’re fairly flexible about colour or specification, having a wider selection can make it easier to compare vehicles and find something that suits you.

August and February can also be interesting because they’re immediately before those registration changes. Dealerships know more part exchanges could soon be arriving, and nobody has unlimited space to keep stacking cars on top of one another.

Should You Wait Until the End of the Month or Quarter?

Dealerships and manufacturers do operate around sales periods and targets, so offers can sometimes appear towards the end of a month or quarter. But that doesn’t mean the same car will automatically become thousands of pounds cheaper because you’ve waited until Friday afternoon.

Offers also aren’t always controlled entirely by the dealership. Manufacturer finance campaigns can have fixed start and end dates, while some vehicles may already be priced as competitively as possible.

Our advice would be to look at the overall deal, rather than trying to outsmart the calendar. If the car suits you and the numbers work for your budget, that’s far more important than trying to guess whether something marginally better might appear next Tuesday.

Does the Day You Visit a Dealership Matter?

Perhaps not for the price, but it can make a difference to your experience. Weekends are naturally popular times for people to visit dealerships. If you are someone who prefers to have plenty of time to look around, ask questions and take a test drive without feeling some of that weekend busyness, visiting during a quieter weekday can be useful.

It also gives you more opportunity to properly compare cars rather than attempting to make a decision in a busy showroom.

Of course, that isn’t practical for everyone due to work hours and other commitments. If Saturday is the only time, you’re free then there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. The important thing is to give yourself enough time to make the decision properly.

Don’t Forget About Your Part Exchange

The value of your current car is another part of the equation. Rather than concentrating entirely on the headline price of your next vehicle, it’s worth looking at the cost to change. Essentially the difference between what you’re paying for the new car and what you’re receiving for your current one.

A strong part-exchange valuation can sometimes make more difference than a small discount on the car you want to buy.

Vehicle values change with the market, mileage and condition, so getting an up-to-date valuation can give you a much clearer idea of where you stand.

So, When Is the Best Time to Buy a Car?

If you’re looking purely at seasonal trends, February and August can be interesting because they fall just before the March and September plate changes. The plate-change periods themselves can also bring new manufacturer offers and, shortly afterwards, more part-exchange vehicles into the used-car market.

Towards the end of the year there can be different opportunities again, while changing models and manufacturer campaigns mean worthwhile offers can appear throughout the calendar. But here’s the part we think matters most.

The best time to buy a car is when you’ve found the right vehicle at a price, you’re comfortable with.

Waiting can sometimes pay off, but waiting simply because the internet told you that Thursday in the third week of November is supposedly the perfect time to buy a hatchback probably isn’t necessary.

Do your research. Understand what your current car is worth. Look at the total cost rather than just one attractive offer. At TMS Motor Group, we’d much rather help you work out whether changing your car makes sense than convince you that you absolutely need to change it today.