The greatest month to promote your automotive to get the best worth revealed

When is the best time of year to sell your car to guarantee you get the best price? 

For some drivers it is the first half of the year, according to a new report – but for those who own an SUV it’s at the tail-end of the calendar when values are highest.

The study, which is based on the volume of sales and average prices for major vehicle types – including hatchbacks, saloons and convertibles – contradicts the age-old belief that the hotter months are generally the best time to sell a car.

But what if you need to part ways with your motor right now? We also reveal which models are selling fastest this month…

Online car buying and selling marketplace Carwow has reviewed internal data on prices offered for vehicles compared to their average market valuations and when most examples are sold. 

This revealed which months of the year are most desirable for owners to successfully offload their cars for the maximum price possible.

And it is predominantly the opening five months of the year when motorists should strike when the iron’s hot, with the data showing that sellers are more likely to shift their cars for a higher price than market value. 

This time of year also boasts the biggest volume of vehicle sales.

‘This is likely due to dealers buying vehicles in preparation for the high demand throughout summer,’ Carwow’s expert team suggested.

This is reflected by the latest industry sales data, which shows that used vehicle transactions in the opening three months of 2024 had hit a five-year high,

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders confirmed that over 1.9million second-hand motors changed hands between the start of January and end of March – more than in the same period during pre-pandemic 2019. 

And selling earlier in the year to get the best deal is even the case for convertible models. 

This is despite the general consensus that prices are higher during summer when an open-top car is more appealing.

However, Carwow’s data shows the best time to sell a roadster or convertible is early spring. 

In April 2022, the average price offered for a convertible reached its peak at 100.9 per cent of the average valuation. 

However, March was the month that saw the highest number of convertible car sales through Carwow in the same year.

Across the six different vehicle body types, the best months to sell in terms of getting the highest price, mostly fall within the first half of the year. 

In particular, the first quarter is especially favourable for those wanting to maximise profits.

But there is one exception to the rule: SUVs.

In 2022, the highest amount offered compared to valuation was during November and the highest number of SUVs sold during the same year was the month of September.

February stands out as the only month among the top five in terms of both the amount offered and the number sold across all body types, making it the prime choice for selling your car.

John Rawlings, Consumer Editor at Carwow, explained: ‘Our data shows that the first few months of the year offer the highest amount for a vehicle compared to the initial valuation, making this the ideal time to sell. 

‘It’s unsurprising considering we see more cars sold through our platform before the end of spring.

‘March is a particularly busy month for successfully selling cars across various body types, coinciding with the release of new registration plates. However, we advise aiming for January or February to fetch the best price, though results may vary depending on the specific car in question.’

Want to sell now? The models that are snapped up quickest (and those that take over THREE MONTHS) 

If you’re thinking about selling your car in May, there are some models that will go much quicker than others. 

According to the latest data from Auto Trader, the Peugeot 208 (petrol, up to 1 year-old) is currently the UK’s fastest-selling used car.

The compact French hatchback takes an average of just 11 days to leave retailers’ forecourts, meaning it’s snapped up more than two and a half times faster than the national average. 

However, at an average of 28 days, used cars generally are selling three days faster this month than they were in May 2023.

This is based on the 800,000 vehicles listed for sale on the nation’s largest vehicle marketplace each month.

All of the top 10 fastest sellers take an average of two weeks to find a buyer.

Among them is the Toyota Prius hybrid (3 to 5 years old), which take less than two weeks (12.5 days) to find a new owner after being advertised for sale.

The Seat Leon Plug-in hybrid (3 to 5 years old) takes just 13 days, as does the Volvo XC40 SUV with petrol engines (1 to 3 years old).

Another sprightly seller is the electric Jaguar I-Pace (5 to 10 years old), with models listed for sale generally finding a new keeper in just under a fortnight (14 days).

At the opposite end of the spectrum, there are some models that are taking an average of three months or longer to shift.

The sporty BMW M2 Coupe (up to 1 year old) takes an average of 104 days to find a new owner – though given the performance car is expensive, costly to insure and an acquired taste, this is not all that surprising.

Electric cars also dominate the list of 10 vehicles with the longest sale times, despite the fact their average values are fallen substantially, meaning many cost around the same – if not less – than their petrol equivalents.

The Fiat 500e and Volkswagen’s ID.3 and ID.5 all take between 84 and 95 days to sell on average.

The BMW 2 Series Active Tourer, Audi Q5 SUV, Range Rover Sport, Ford Mondeo and Mercedes V-Class make up the rest of the top 10, all of them taking an average of more than two months (70 days) to find a new keeper.

Commenting on the data, Richard Walker, Auto Trader’s data and insights director, said: ‘The speed at which used cars sell is a key indicator of the underlying strength of the market.

‘Since the New Year, we’ve tracked very robust levels of consumer demand, and whilst the average speed of sale has softened slightly on the record pace we saw in March, the market continues to carry some real momentum behind it.

‘Cars are selling faster than last year, retail prices are stabilising, and importantly, with average sales up over 6 per cent in April, more cars are also being sold. 

‘Recent green shoots in the economy point to very stable months ahead.’