Cars & EVs

9 Things to Know About the Best Time to Buy or Lease a Car

New cars at a dealership with Labor Day, Black Friday, and year-end sale timing represented on a calendar

If you are shopping for a new car in the U.S., you will hear the same advice every year: wait for Labor Day, wait for Black Friday, or wait until December 31.

There is some truth behind those dates---but there is no single holiday that guarantees the lowest price.

In 2026, Labor Day is a legitimate shopping window because outgoing model-year vehicles are competing for lot space with incoming 2027 models. Black Friday can bring manufacturer financing and lease promotions. And late December has historically been one of the strongest periods for discounts as model-year clearance overlaps with month- and year-end selling goals.

But waiting can also cost you the exact trim, color, powertrain, or vehicle you wanted.

Here is how to decide whether to buy now, wait for Thanksgiving weekend, hold out for December, or time a lease differently.

Quick Answer

⚡ QUICK ANSWER
  • Labor Day: A strong time to shop if you want a good discount while outgoing-model inventory is still reasonably available.
  • Black Friday/Thanksgiving: Worth checking for manufacturer APR, cash, and lease promotions, but the holiday label itself does not guarantee the lowest total price.
  • Late December: Often the strongest bargain-hunting window, especially for leftover outgoing-model-year vehicles---but selection may be worse.
  • End of the month: Can improve negotiating leverage if a dealership is motivated to hit a sales target, but there is no guarantee that a particular dealer needs one more sale.
  • Leasing: Time the lease around the actual manufacturer program---not around the holiday name alone.
  • Whatever the date, compare the written out-the-door price and financing terms, not just the advertised discount or monthly payment.

1. Labor Day Is One of the Better Times to Shop---Especially for an Outgoing Model Year

Labor Day sits at a useful point in the new-car calendar.

Edmunds says Labor Day weekend is often a strong time for new-car deals because demand can soften as summer ends while dealerships begin making room for incoming next-model-year vehicles. For Labor Day 2026, that means some dealers are balancing 2026 inventory against arriving 2027 models.

That can create an attractive compromise: discounts may be appearing, but you may still have more choices than you would in late December.

For 2026 specifically, Edmunds transaction data published ahead of Labor Day showed substantial average discounts on some models, while others had much smaller discounts. There is no universal “Labor Day discount.”

✓ KNOW THIS BEFORE

Labor Day may be better than December if you care about getting a specific trim, color, drivetrain, or option package. Waiting for the absolute last leftover vehicle can produce a bigger discount but leave you choosing from whatever is still on the lot.

What to do: If you find the exact outgoing-model-year vehicle you want during Labor Day weekend, compare its actual selling price with nearby dealers before deciding to wait another three months.

Cars from two model years parked at a dealership

2. Black Friday Is a Deal-Checking Date, Not a Guaranteed Lowest-Price Date

Thanksgiving weekend and Black Friday are heavily promoted car-shopping periods.

Automakers may advertise cash incentives, low-APR financing, or lease specials. Kelley Blue Book’s 2025 Black Friday roundup, for example, included both lease offers and 0% APR offers and warned shoppers that availability could vary by region.

But “Black Friday Sale” is marketing, not proof that the deal is better than the one available the week before---or the one that will appear in December.

The Federal Trade Commission advises shoppers to verify that an advertised vehicle is actually available and request the out-the-door price in writing before going to the dealership.

What to do: Save the Black Friday offer, then ask multiple dealers for written out-the-door quotes on the same vehicle.

3. Late December Can Be the Best Bargain-Hunting Window---but There Is a Catch

If your priority is the lowest possible price and you are flexible about the exact vehicle, December deserves attention.

Edmunds reports that December has historically produced the highest discounts from MSRP, although recent market disruptions have made seasonal patterns less dependable. Its historical data also show December tending to edge November on discounts.

There are two forces that can work in a buyer’s favor late in the year: outgoing-model-year inventory and possible month- or year-end sales goals.

Neither guarantees that a specific dealer will discount a specific car. And by late December, desirable configurations may already be gone.

💡 TIP

If you want to try the year-end strategy, do your test drives and financing research earlier. Then negotiate remotely with several dealers as December closes instead of trying to make every decision on December 31.

4. The End of the Month Can Matter More Than the Holiday

You do not necessarily need a federal holiday to find a motivated seller.

Edmunds notes that dealerships approaching the end of a month may be more motivated to close a transaction if they are near a sales goal. Shoppers generally do not know whether a particular dealership is short of a target---or has already hit it.

A better strategy than blindly waiting for the last day is to have your research completed and request competing quotes during the final few days of the month.

5. Do Not Wait Until December If the Car You Want Is Already Hard to Find

Timing advice changes when inventory is scarce.

If several nearby dealers have comparable outgoing-model vehicles, waiting can improve your bargaining position. If there is only one vehicle nearby with the trim, color, powertrain, or equipment you want, waiting is a different bet: the car may sell before the next promotion.

A Simple Timing Guide

Your priority Better shopping window Main trade-off

Good deal + more Labor Day / early fall Discounts may deepen inventory choice later

Holiday financing or Black Friday / “Sale” does not lease promotion Thanksgiving guarantee best total price

Maximum leverage on Late December Fewer colors, trims and leftover inventory configurations

Specific scarce vehicle When you find a Waiting may lose the competitive deal car

No urgent need Compare Labor Day, Requires patience and November and December repeated quotes

6. The Best Time to Lease Is When the Lease Program Is Good---not Necessarily December

Lease timing works differently from simply negotiating a purchase price.

A lease payment depends on multiple variables, including the negotiated vehicle cost, residual value, rent charge or money factor, lease incentives, term, mileage allowance, taxes, fees, and amount due at signing.

An aggressively discounted car is not automatically an aggressively priced lease. A manufacturer can subsidize a lease on a particular model during one month and change the program the next.

⚠️ WARNING

Do not compare leases using monthly payment alone. A low advertised payment with thousands due at signing is not equivalent to the same payment with little due upfront.

The FTC warns that lease advertisements can feature very low payments or low amounts due at signing. Read the conditions and confirm the actual transaction.

What to do: Ask for the selling price, term, mileage allowance, residual value, money factor or rent charge, incentives, acquisition fee, disposition fee, taxes, and total amount due at signing.

7. A Holiday Discount Can Disappear in Financing and Add-Ons

This is where a “great sale” can become an expensive deal.

In March 2026, the FTC sent warning letters to 97 auto dealership groups about deceptive pricing. The agency highlighted advertised prices that omitted mandatory fees, included rebates not available to everyone, failed to account for a required down payment, or depended on dealer financing.

The FTC separately advises consumers to get the out-the-door price in writing before visiting the dealership and before discussing financing.

✓ KNOW THIS BEFORE

A dealer can advertise an eye-catching holiday price while the transaction you actually qualify for costs more. Ask which rebates are included, who qualifies, whether the price requires dealer financing, and which fees or add-ons are mandatory.

Optional products such as service contracts, GAP products, window etching, and other add-ons can also increase the amount financed. The FTC says shoppers can say no to optional add-ons and should know their prices before signing.

FTC consumer guidance page about car dealer ads and promotions

8. Get Financing Before the Sale Weekend Starts

A discount on the vehicle is only one side of the transaction.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau says you do not have to finance through the dealership and recommends comparing financing from banks, credit unions, or other lenders. A preapproval gives you terms to compare against the dealer’s offer.

Before signing, federal Truth in Lending disclosures show important loan information including APR, finance charge, amount financed, and total of payments.

What to do: Check your credit, get an outside financing quote or preapproval, decide your maximum out-the-door price, and compare APR and term---not only monthly payment.

9. The Best Day to Buy Is When the Vehicle, Price, and Financing All Line Up

There is no reason to pay substantially more today if waiting a few weeks is likely to give you comparable choices at better prices. But there is also no reason to lose the exact car you want merely because a calendar says December might be cheaper.

Use Labor Day, Black Friday, and late December as negotiating checkpoints, not magical dates.

Start tracking the vehicle before the sale. Get written quotes from multiple dealers. Save the offers. Watch manufacturer incentives. Then compare the total transaction.

A real deal in September can beat a bad “year-end clearance” deal in December.

💡 TIP

Trading in your current car? Check its value separately before negotiating the replacement vehicle. Use our Car Selling Price Estimator to compare private-party, dealer-sale, and trade-in ranges.

Before You Buy or Lease a Car Checklist

  • Decide whether your priority is lowest price or a specific configuration.
  • Check inventory at several competing dealers.
  • Compare outgoing and incoming model years.
  • Research current manufacturer cash, APR, and lease incentives.
  • Ask whether every advertised rebate actually applies to you.
  • Request a written out-the-door price before visiting.
  • Get outside financing quotes or preapproval.
  • Compare APR, term, finance charge, and total payments.
  • Price your trade-in separately from the new-car negotiation.
  • Reject optional add-ons you do not want.
  • For a lease, verify mileage, rent charge/money factor, residual, fees, and amount due at signing.
  • Confirm the final contract matches the deal you negotiated.

FAQ

Is Labor Day really a good time to buy a car?

It can be. Labor Day often coincides with outgoing-model-year inventory and incoming next-year vehicles. In 2026, Edmunds specifically identifies Labor Day as a strong shopping period, but discounts vary significantly by model.

Is Black Friday better than Labor Day for buying a car?

Not automatically. Black Friday may bring new manufacturer incentives, but Labor Day can offer a better combination of discounts and inventory. Compare the actual vehicle and written out-the-door price rather than the holiday name.

Is December the cheapest month to buy a car?

Historically, December has often produced some of the strongest new-car discounts, according to Edmunds. Seasonal patterns are not guaranteed, and the best remaining inventory may be limited.

Is December 31 the best day to buy a car?

It can create negotiating opportunities, but there is no guarantee. A dealership that has already reached its goals may have little reason to make an unusually aggressive deal.

Should I wait until the end of 2026 to buy a 2026 model?

Waiting may make sense if plenty of the vehicle you want remain in stock and price matters more than configuration. If inventory is already thin, waiting could mean losing the vehicle you want.

When is the best time to lease a car?

When the manufacturer is offering a competitive lease program on the vehicle you want. Compare the complete lease terms, not just the month or advertised payment.

The Bottom Line

If you are shopping around Labor Day, you do not automatically need to wait until Black Friday or December.

Labor Day can be the sweet spot for shoppers who want both a discount and a reasonable selection of outgoing-model-year vehicles. Black Friday is worth checking for fresh manufacturer financing and lease offers. Late December can give flexible bargain hunters stronger leverage on leftover inventory, but the selection may be worse.

The calendar should tell you when to compare offers, not when to stop thinking.

The best time to buy or lease is when the exact vehicle you want is available at a competitive total price, the financing or lease terms are good, and you have verified the numbers in writing.

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