Buy out of season
Convertibles and sports cars sell softest in the depths of winter. Four-wheel drives and trucks peak with the first snow and sag through midsummer. Motorcycles follow the riding season almost exactly: the worst time to buy is April, and the best is the week the weather turns.
The differences are routinely 5% to 15% on the same vehicle, which is larger than most buyers' negotiating skill.
The spring bump is real
Tax refunds arrive between February and April, and the bottom of the used market tightens visibly while they do. If you are shopping under ten thousand dollars, you are competing with that money every spring.
End of month, end of quarter
Consignors with targets — fleets, lessors, dealers clearing floor plan — push inventory at the end of a month and harder at the end of a quarter. More lots, same bidders, softer prices.
Weather moves equipment too
Construction equipment loosens in the winter in northern states, when projects stop and payments do not. The same machine is dearer in April when everyone needs it on site.
From the auction floor
See how this works on a real lot.
Every listing carries its inspection report, its full specification and its bid history. Read one before you decide what it is worth to you.