The real best time to buy a car

If your credit's taken a hit, the calendar still matters, but it's not the biggest factor. Here's the straight talk on both.

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Best times to buy:

• The last few days of any month, when sales targets are due and there's more room to negotiate.
• Late December, when month-end, quarter-end and year-end goals all stack up at once.
• August - October, when new models arrive and last year's stock needs to go, usually at a discount.
• Big holiday weekends, when sales events tend to happen anyway. Think Memorial Day, Labor Day and Fourth of July.

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Worst times to buy:

• Right after a hot new model drops, when demand is high and dealers have less reason to budge.
• Tax refund season (Feb–April) if you're shopping used, since more cash in buyers' pockets pushes used prices up.
• Anytime you're shopping on a deadline. This one matters most, especially if your credit isn't perfect.

New cars follow the calendar. Used cars follow supply and demand.

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Here's the thing though.

The biggest factor isn't a date at all. It's whether you're buying because you have to or because you want to. Show up needing a car by Friday, and you've lost most of your negotiating power. You're also more likely to take the first financing offer instead of shopping around for a better one.

That gap matters even more if your credit has a few dings. So before you shop, stack things in your favor:

• Know where you stand. Check your credit before a hard pull surprises you.
• Have a down payment ready, even a modest one. It lowers the lenders' risk, which can mean better terms, and it means you're not desperate for financing to work out, so you can walk away from a bad deal.
• Get pre-approved first. If possible, walk in knowing your options instead of hoping the finance office finds you something workable.

Bottom line: timing the calendar might save you a few hundred bucks. Timing your readiness, especially when your credit isn't perfect, can save you thousands.

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_{Exeter Finance LLC is not a credit repair agency or licensed credit counselor. Exeter does not offer services to fix or improve credit scores. These tips are intended for general educational purposes and should not be construed as legal, financial, or credit repair advice.}