Buy Now Or Wait? What The Market Is Telling Me

If you’ve been thinking about buying a vehicle, you’re probably asking the same question I’m hearing more and more on the show: should I buy now, or wait?

It’s a fair question, especially in a market that feels like it’s constantly shifting. But right now, there are a few key factors working together that may surprise you—and they’re creating an opportunity that might not last.

Let’s start with inventory.

After several years of tight supply, dealers are finally seeing lots fill back up again. In fact, in many parts of the country, inventory levels are climbing faster than sales. Translation: dealers are getting heavy. When they ordered their current inventory months ago, nobody knew about the war and gas prices going up, resulting in slower sales in Q1. Most dealers have missed their forecast three months in a row and still have a lot of inventory in transit.

When that happens, the mindset changes.

Instead of holding firm on pricing like we saw during the shortage, dealers start getting more aggressive. Floorplan costs rise, new shipments keep arriving, and suddenly there’s pressure to move metal. That’s when discounts, incentives, and better deals start to appear.

In other words, we’re not quite back to pre-pandemic levels—but we’re a whole lot closer than we were.

Now let’s talk about your trade-in, because this is where things get really interesting.

Used vehicle values have held up remarkably well, even with new car inventory improving. In many cases, trade-in values are still historically strong. I’m seeing customers get numbers today that would have been unthinkable just a few years ago.

But here’s the part a lot of people overlook: that won’t last forever.

As new car supply continues to build, demand for used vehicles naturally softens. More new cars on the lot means fewer people settling for used ones, and that puts downward pressure on trade values.

It doesn’t happen overnight, but when it shifts, it can shift quickly.

So, if you’re holding onto a vehicle with strong trade value right now, waiting could cost you money on the back end—even if you save a little on the front end later.

Then there’s interest rates.

They’re still higher than what we were used to a few years ago, and while they may come down eventually, there’s no guarantee of when or how much. In the meantime, some manufacturers are stepping in with special financing offers or incentives to keep sales moving.

That creates an interesting balancing act: you might not get both the lowest price and the lowest rate at the same time.

And that’s where a lot of buyers make a mistake—they wait for the “perfect” deal that checks every box. The truth is, that deal rarely exists.

Let me give you a simple way to think about it.

If you can get a solid discount on a vehicle you want, combined with a strong trade-in value and reasonable financing, you’re in a good position. Trying to time the market perfectly is a bit like trying to predict gas prices—it sounds smart, but it’s nearly impossible to get exactly right.

Now, are there reasons to wait?

Sure. If you’re not in a hurry, or if a specific model you want is about to be redesigned, waiting can make sense. You might get more features or better availability down the road.

But if you need a vehicle in the next few months, the current market has some advantages that are worth paying attention to.

Dealers are getting more inventory than they’ve had in years. They’re more willing to negotiate than they’ve been in a long time. And trade-in values, while still strong, are unlikely to stay this high indefinitely.

The bottom line?

This may be one of those rare windows where you can win on both sides of the deal—getting a better price on what you’re buying while still maximizing what you’re trading.

Wait too long, and one of those advantages could disappear.

And in this business, when the window closes, it doesn’t send a warning.