On the Dash:
- Winter months and holidays provide the highest chances for used car savings, led by MLK Day and New Year’s.
- In the summer months, particularly June and July, there are the fewest deals, with reductions up to 22.8% below the average.
- While the average daily chance of a good deal is 13.7%, this can rise to over 65% during the top winter holidays.
The holiday season isn’t just for gifts and electronics; it’s also a prime time to score deals on used cars. A study by iSeeCars, analyzing more than 40 million used car sales from 2024 and 2025, found that buyers have the best chances of savings from November through March, with two standout holidays: Martin Luther King Jr. Day and New Year’s Eve/New Year’s Day.
A “good deal” was defined as a vehicle priced at least 10%, or $2,689, below the average used car price of $26,889. Overall, buyers have a 13.7% chance of finding a good deal on any given day, but this probability increases significantly during certain winter holidays.
For instance, on MLK Day, deals were 65.5% more likely than average, followed by New Year’s holidays at 58.6%. January and February also offer strong opportunities, with 55.6% and 36.2% more deals than average, respectively.
Other winter holidays, including Veterans Day (23.1%) and Christmas Eve (15.2%), and the broader winter months of December (15.2%), also rank among the best times to shop. Conversely, summer months see the fewest deals.
For example, June ranks as the worst month for deals, with 22.8% fewer offers than average. Following closely are July, with a 22.1% reduction, and May, with a 22.2% reduction. Additionally, popular summer holidays like the Fourth of July, which sees a 22.4% decrease in deals, and Father’s Day, with a 19.7% decrease, also offer fewer opportunities for savings.
The analysis indicated that used-car prices tend to decrease during colder months and peak in warmer months, meaning buyers are more likely to find a deal in winter and may need to put in extra effort in summer. Even during summer months, a careful comparison of market prices can still lead to huge savings.
