If you want to get a good deal on a used car in 2025, you might want to plan on buying right away. That’s according to a new study from car search engine iSeeCars.
In its analysis of over 39 million used car sales from 2023 and 2024, iSeeCars determined that New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day are the best times to buy a used car. On those days, there are 47.9% more deals than average, per the study.
“For the purposes of this study, a used car deal is defined as savings of at least 5% compared to the iSeeCars estimated fair market value, or at least $1,386 off the average used car price of $27,726,” explained the search engine in a press release. Overall, the chances of getting a deal on a used car at any time of the year are about 33.1%.
Another day to find particularly good used car deals (a 43.3% chance) also falls in the first month of the year: Martin Luther King, Jr., day on Jan. 20. Deals will still be better than usual through February, but by April iSeeCars warns that the season of bad prices is expected to begin – and it predicts that season will continue through August.
During that time, Father’s Day (Jun. 15) stands out as the worst holiday to get a used car deal, followed by Independence Day on July 4 and Juneteenth on June 19. By November 2025, iSeeCars predicts a new season for better used car deals will start up.
“Most people have a sense that car shopping slows down during the winter months, with car dealerships often struggling to find customers,” Karl Brauer, iSeeCars executive analyst, explained. “Looking at pricing data confirms the drop-off in used car values between November and February, as dealers slash prices and automakers lower interest rates in an effort to draw buyers onto lots amid cooler temperatures and holiday distractions.”
Starting in March, warming temperatures and spring-time tax returns contribute to an uptick in used car purchases, iSeeCars said. By the time April rolls around, there are fewer cars in stock, and thus fewer deals to be found.
According to the Manheim Used Vehicle Value Index, the unadjusted price for wholesale used vehicle sales was up 0.6% year over year as of this month and that prices were holding steady in the first half of December. Compared to levels from before the COVID-19 pandemic, used car prices are still up nearly 30%, iSeeCars noted. Last year’s car sales were on pace to reach 35.8 million, 700,000 ahead of September 2022, said an October 2023 article from the National Independent Automobile Dealers Association.