AARP Auto Buying Program

Certified Dealer Network

Access a nationwide network of certified dealers committed to providing customer service requirements.

Extensive Used-Car Inventory

​Search more than 700,000 pre-owned vehicles for sale at certified dealers nationwide, and get discounted* prices on your favorite brands. Plus, enjoy free vehicle history reports on most used cars.

How it works:

​Shop for the vehicle you are interested in, review safety ratings, see what others paid for the new car you want, and get market reports for used cars — all before leaving your house.​

Get up-front price offers on new cars, and see advertised prices for used cars if you agree to connect with local dealers.

Take a test drive, save time and money, and enjoy your car-buying experience.​When you buy a new or used car from a certified dealer of the AARP Auto Buying Program, you're also helping an important cause, since a portion of the program's proceeds goes to AARP's Driver Safety Program and AARP Foundation.

Plus, login and report your purchase (within 45 days of purchase) from a certified dealer and you will receive the Free AARP Smart Driver Course as part of the Buyers Bonus  in the first year after your purchase. Upon completion, you may be eligible for a discount on your auto insurance. Restrictions may apply. Contact your AARP agent for details.

​So if you want a digital car-buying experience, do your online research ahead of time with the AARP Auto Buying Program. Here are other things to consider when looking for a new car.

When is the best time to buy a new car?

It's the question consumers ask most often as they prepare to shop for their next new vehicle: "When is the best time to buy a new car?"

Savvy new-car shoppers know that every 1 percent in possible discounts can be significant — you can save simply by carefully timing when you make your purchase. But the formula to knowing when to buy can be complicated. If you're shopping for your next car, here are some new-car shopping tips — and a few statistics — to keep in mind to help you determine the best time to buy.

• Early in the week: There are fewer people on the lot, and you can get the salesperson's undivided attention. The average savings on Monday is 0.61 percent higher than on Sunday.
• End of the day: Salespeople are anxious to get home at the end of the day and may not want to spend hours negotiating over a sale.
• End of the month/end of the quarter: Dealers and salespeople have monthly and quarterly sales goals to meet in order to qualify for certain bonus levels and may have an extra incentive to make another sale. This won't matter, however, if the salesperson/dealership has already met their quotas (which you have no way of knowing).
• End of the model year: Manufacturers typically roll out new-model-year vehicles in late summer and fall (but this varies), and dealerships are trying to make room for them, creating a great deal of price flexibility for outgoing models (although your selection may be limited).
• End of the year: As the new calendar year approaches, dealerships are trying to meet year-end sales quotas that could reduce fees and taxes on year-end inventory, and salespeople are trying to meet year-end quotas that may trigger bigger holiday bonuses.
   

What about seasonal discounts on specific body styles?

Most body styles are well discounted in December and January. These two months demonstrate the highest discounts available all year for convertibles, coupes, sedans, trucks, sport-utility vehicles and even minivans, averaging discounts of 6.6 percent across all body styles in December and January.

So what's the answer? When is the best time to buy a new car?

While the statistics can show when you might get the greatest potential discounts, that doesn't mean you should necessarily wait until then to make your purchase. Remember, as the year wanes, inventories become more limited, so even though great discounts may be available, they may not be on the exact model you are shopping for. So if you have your heart set on something, you should think about whether the potential extra savings are worth perhaps missing out on the vehicle you really want.