Best shopping time of year?

[cherterr]

When do you think the best time of year to VAN shop would be?  Cold or Hot weather?
(As to availability, and spotting obvious problems)

I'm guessing there may be more availability in colder weather as people may give up their 'camping/traveling' feelings??
Thanks

 

[Almost There]

I don't really think there is a 'best' time to be shopping for a van.

Much depends on what type of van you're looking for and where you are.

If it's a conversion van and you're in Florida then spring is probably best as a lot of retired people buy them to travel and then find that it's not the lifestyle they want, settle into a double wide and figure out that they really need a car rather than the van.

Class A's are a dime a dozen there for the same reason - couples figure out that living in an RV is just too cozy for them!

I looked for mine for well over six months that spanned 3 seasons here. I found it at an inopportune time for me so I bought it when it came on the market and then parked it for the winter. The most work I got done on it over the winter was stripping out the old yucky half-baked interior that was in it.

It is easier to shop for the van when it's not butt freezing cold out particularly if you want to crawl underneath to check things out. 

People DO tend to shop for vehicles in general when the weather is nicer so you may find the commissioned sales people a little more generous in their pricing in the dead of winter because they might be a little hungrier for the money.

 

[SoulRaven]

Best shopping time is when you have the money to pay cash, and you can find a CHEAP van. I prefer cheap, OLD vans. If they're new enough to have a bunch of sensors, I avoid them like the plaque. I like the 70's & 80's vans, built tough, cheap to repair, and require very little maintenance.

My personal rule is to have a large enough emergency fund to replace everything, van included. The cheaper the van, the easier it is to maintain such an emergency fund.

 

[masterplumber]

For used, I don't think there is a better time than any other. But being ready to jump on a deal with cash when it comes up is a big plus. For new, the best time is in September, if you can find a current year model still on the lot, because the next years models are already on the lot and they want to get rid of the previous ones.

 

[East]

I've noticed that because conversion vans are usually used to go out with the family and see things (think recreation), late autumn into early winter makes for good deals in northern states. A lot of people sell them off around then and the price slips downwards as the demand decreases. Less people are interested in recreation when it's -10F and the environment just wants to kill you for a few months.

 

[Milk Hauler]

Yup. Just like buying a convertable. January when is freezing cold and everyone is broke from Xmas junk they bought. I have a pristine 1994 S10 Tahoe blazer. I got a heck of a deal cause it was early Feb and its only 2 wheel drive. People in Idaho think its worthless if its not 4x4. I just leave a lil early on snow days and watch all the 4x4s in a hurry slide right past me, into the ditch. [emoji4]