Ultimately, the best time to buy a car is when you need one. But if you have some flexibility, experts recommend the following times: The end of the month, quarter, or year: Car salespeople often have to meet quotas for each month, quarter, and year, so they may be motivated to make a deal toward the end of those periods to ensure they make the cut. Three-day weekends: Dealerships often run sales events for President's Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, and other three-day weekends. The same goes for other holidays, such as the Fourth of July and Black Friday. The end of the model year: Dealers may offer deals to get rid of inventory and make way for the latest model. Research when new models are released for the car you want and see if it can help you with negotiations.