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A picture of one of Carvana's car vending machines.

Is Thanksgiving a Good Time to Buy a Used Car?

Thanksgiving is one of the best holidays of the year. We get together to spend time with our family and friends, teach our kids about the country’s history, and eat way too much food. We all know Thanksgiving for one more thing: Black Friday. But, with the shape of the world these days, you might …

Thanksgiving is one of the best holidays of the year. We get together to spend time with our family and friends, teach our kids about the country’s history, and eat way too much food. We all know Thanksgiving for one more thing: Black Friday. But, with the shape of the world these days, you might not be rushing out on Black Friday to buy anything, let alone a car. Not to worry, though, because Thanksgiving is just as good of a time to buy a used car as Black Friday is.

Early sales

Like every year, many stores and car dealerships will start presenting their early Black Friday sales, which can mean getting a great deal on a used car without having to stress about waking up at 3 am to rush to test drive a vehicle. Taking advantage of early sales could mean bringing your new car to Thanksgiving dinner and showing it off to all of your friends and family.

A line of cars at a used car dealership
TROY, MI – Various cars sit in the lot for sale at a General Motors used car dealership at the Troy Motor Mall in Troy, Michigan. | Photo by Bill Pugliano/Getty Images

After dinner

If you’re eager to get into your new purchase of a used car, you don’t have to wait until the stores open on Friday morning. Many car dealerships in the past have chosen to stay open a little bit later, allowing Black Friday-shoppers to enjoy the sales a little bit earlier right on Thanksgiving day. This could mean getting the used car you want, for the price you want, without having to battle with all of the Black Friday shoppers.

The front of a CarMax dealership
NAPERVILLE, IL – JUNE 19: Cars sitting in the parking lot are reflected in the windows of used car retailer CarMax June 19, 2008 in Naperville, Illinois. | Yana Paskova/Getty Images

Buy before Black Friday

Buying a new-to-you car can be exciting, but it’s also a large financial commitment that you have to live with for quite some time. So spending time before sales become official researching and test driving what car you want ahead of time can ensure you get the car you want when the Black Friday sales start popping up.

Toyota certified used Vehicles loan advertisment at Roger Toyota car dealer | Francis Dean/Corbis, Getty Images

Because of the current pandemic risk, many stores and dealerships are looking to do online sales for the holidays. While you won’t get a chance to test drive the cars you find online, many websites allow a window for returning the vehicle if you don’t like it. That means you can enjoy Thanksgiving car sales from the comfort of your home.

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