5 Tips and Tricks to Get the Best Year-End Car Deal

by Justin Fischer | Last updated Dec 11, 2025 | Car Buying, Leasing, New Cars, Used Cars, Year-End Sales 2025

Year-end car shopping is a goldmine for savings, but only if you know how to approach it. We’re glad you found us, because you’ve come to the right place. Dealers and automakers are under pressure to hit sales targets, clear out old inventory, and start the new year strong. That means zero percent financing, cash discounts, and motivated salespeople.

We spoke to CarEdge Co-Founder and auto industry veteran Ray Shefska to see how the pros do it. Here are five tips and tricks to help you get the best year-end car deal in December of 2025. The best time of the year to buy a car is finally here.

1. Timing Is Everything

The best time to buy a car is late in the day, late in the month, and especially in December. The final days of the month tilt the odds in your favor as sales teams scramble to meet quotas. December is a double-whammy, as dealers and automakers try to meet both annual and quarterly sales goals.

But there’s another overlooked factor: the day of the week. Most shoppers pack dealerships on weekends, which leaves you competing for attention. CarEdge Co-Founder and 44-year industry veteran Ray Shefska puts it plainly:

“The best day to buy? Wednesday. Traffic is light, and if you show you’re serious about buying that day, you’re more likely to find a motivated salesperson ready to make a deal.”

Here’s a real-world example: A CarEdge member in Ohio reported saving several hundred dollars off MSRP just by coming in on a Wednesday near the end of December. The salesperson admitted they were behind on their monthly goal and “needed the sale.” See the latest success stories, or share your own, at the CarEdge Community Forum.

Go when the dealership is quiet and the clock is ticking. That’s when you’ll find sales staff most motivated to say “yes.”

2. Don’t Show Your Cards Too Soon

Dealers are trained to ask early if you’re paying cash, financing, or trading in. The goal? To use that info against you, reshuffling numbers to maximize their profit. If you reveal your plan too soon, you give them the upper hand.

Instead, keep the conversation focused on one thing: negotiating the lowest Out-the-Door Price for the vehicle. Once that’s nailed down, only then should you bring up financing or trade-ins. Treat each as a separate transaction.

Real-world example: A California buyer went into a Honda dealership intending to trade in a 2019 CR-V. By waiting until after securing the lowest OTD price on the new car, they avoided the dealer blending trade-in value into the deal. The result? They saved an additional $1,500 compared to the dealer’s first “package offer.”

Keep your cards close until the price is locked. It’s one of the simplest tricks that saves buyers thousands.

3. Stack Incentives

Most buyers know about cash rebates and low APR financing, but fewer realize how often you can combine multiple incentives, from loyalty cash to regional bonuses. Some automakers even offer hidden discounts for groups like first responders, military, educators, or recent grads.

The trick is to ask the dealer to show you every incentive you qualify for, including the ones they might not advertise.

Real-world example: Last month, a shopper buying a Chevy Equinox combined a $1,000 loyalty incentive with a $750 regional bonus and a $500 educator discount, on top of a $2,000 cash rebate that was advertised nationally. It can’t hurt to ask!

Don’t just settle for what’s listed online. Dig deeper, ask questions, and stack those offers to shrink your out-the-door price.

4. Consider Lease Buyouts and End-of-Lease Options

In 2025, leasing remains popular for models that depreciate quickly, like EVs and luxury cars. If your lease is ending around year-end, don’t assume you have to start fresh with a new deal. You have several options to consider. Sometimes, buying out your lease is the smarter move, especially if your residual value is lower than today’s market prices.

Another option is rolling into a new lease with extra perks. Dealers may throw in loyalty cash or waive fees to keep you with the brand. If you’re just one to three months away from the end of your lease, ask if there are any lease loyalty perks for rolling into a new lease, either now or when your lease ends.

Real-world example: A few years ago, Tesla lessees found that buying out their Model 3 leases was cheaper than trying to lease or finance a new one after used Tesla prices spiked. Meanwhile, BMW dealers offered up to $1,500 in loyalty cash for customers ending a lease and starting a new one before December 31.

Consider ALL of your lease-end options. Year-end deals apply here too, and sometimes they’re the best deals of all.

5. Use Local Market Data For Leverage

Walking into a dealership blind is a mistake. Inventory levels, selling rates, and local price trends tell you everything you need to know about a new or used car’s negotiability. Your understanding of the local market can make or break your negotiating leverage. Luckily, new tools exist in 2025 that the last generation of car buyers could have only dreamed of.

Knowledge is power. CarEdge Pro makes it simple to check which cars are overpriced or negotiable in your area before you ever step foot in the showroom. Armed with data, you control the conversation. 

Or, better yet, have your personal AI Negotiator handle it all for you. From negotiating with thousands of local market data points to effectively talking the price down, over 3,000 shoppers have saved money with CarEdge AI. Try the NEW easiest way to negotiate car prices.

Frequently Asked Questions About Year-End Car Deals

Q: When is the best time to buy a car?

A: The best car deals of the year arrive in the latter half of December, especially from December 20–31. Dealers and automakers are racing to hit end-of-month and year-end sales targets, which makes them more flexible on pricing. If you can, shop mid-week (like Wednesday) when traffic is light, and salespeople are eager to close a deal.

Q: Should I tell the dealer if I’m paying cash or trading in?

A: Not right away. If you reveal your payment method or trade-in plans too early, the dealer can use that information to shift numbers in their favor. Always negotiate the Out-the-Door Price first, then bring up financing and trade-ins as separate discussions.

Q: Can I combine different discounts and incentives?

A: Yes, usually. Many incentives can be “stacked.” Cash rebates, low APR financing, loyalty bonuses, regional offers, and even discounts for educators, first responders, or military members may all apply. Always ask the dealer to show you every incentive you qualify for, even the ones they don’t advertise. When it comes to incentives that often can’t be stacked, those are usually going to be huge cash discounts and low-APR financing offers. Check the fine print on any advertised deals before heading to the dealership.

Q: How do I know if a car is negotiable at year-end?

A: Local market insights provide the best clues. Models with high market day supply are usually negotiable, while fast-selling, low-supply vehicles have less wiggle room. Tools like CarEdge Pro let you see which cars are overpriced, underpriced, or sitting too long on lots in your area, so you know where you have leverage before you step into the showroom. Check out the slowest-selling cars in your area.

Most of All, Negotiate with Confidence!

Year-end car buying shouldn’t be stressful—it’s your best opportunity to drive home a deal to be proud of. From timing your purchase and stacking incentives, to holding back key details until the right moment, these tips are guaranteed to give you the upper hand when it matters most.

And remember: the best negotiator is the one who comes prepared. With CarEdge, you can see which cars are overpriced, which are negotiable, and how much room is left in the deal—so you walk into the dealership with confidence, and walk out with savings. Or, you can have your anonymous, personal AI negotiator do it all for you.

See how CarEdge can help today.