The Dealer Trick Nobody Talks About: Days on Lot
My sister went to buy a used Mazda CX-5 last month. She walked onto the lot, test drove it, liked it, and the salesperson told her "we just got this one in, its getting a lot of interest, probably wont last the weekend."
Standard pressure stuff. She almost fell for it.
But before she went to the dealer she had looked up the VIN online and found the listing had been active for 47 days. This car wasnt "just in." It had been sitting there for almost seven weeks. Nobody wanted it at that price.
She negotiated $2,800 off the asking price. The dealer took the deal the same day.
What "days on lot" means and why dealers hide it
Every car on a dealer lot has a clock ticking. From the day it arrives (either from auction, trade-in, or consignment) the dealer is losing money on it. They're paying for the floor space. They're paying interest on the loan they took to buy it (called "floor plan" financing). They're paying for insurance on it.
According to Cox Automotive data, the average used car sits on a dealer lot for about 50-55 days before being sold. But that average hides a huge range. Some cars sell in under a week. Others sit for 90+ days.
And heres the thing dealers dont want you to know: after about 45-60 days, most dealers are genuinely motivated to move that car. After 90 days, they're desperate. The carrying costs are eating into their margin and they might actually be underwater on it.
How to find out how long a car has been sitting
This isnt secret information but its not always obvious either. Here are the ways to figure it out:
Check online listing dates. Sites like Cars.com, Autotrader, and CarGurus show when a listing was first posted. Some dealers will take down a listing and repost it to reset the clock, but if you've been watching the market you might notice the same car reappearing.
Look at the window sticker date. Dealers are required to put a buyer's guide on used cars. Sometimes the date on the internal paperwork shows when the car was prepped for sale.
Ask the salesperson directly. This sounds too simple but just ask "when did you get this car in?" If they dodge the question or give a vague answer, thats telling. If they say "just came in" but the listing says otherwise, you know theyre not being straight with you.
Check vehicle history reports. Some VIN check tools show when a vehicle was listed for sale and can give you a rough timeline.
Look at the tire pressure sticker and inspection sticker. If the car had a state inspection done on the lot, the date on the sticker tells you approximately when it arrived and was prepped for sale.
The negotiation leverage
This is where it gets practical. A car thats been on the lot for 30 days or less has minimal negotiation room. The dealer just got it, they're optimistic about the price, and theres no carrying cost pressure yet.
But once you get past 45 days the dynamics shift. Here's a rough framework based on what I've seen and what people in the car sales industry have shared:
0-30 days: Dealer has full confidence in the price. You might get $500-1,000 off but dont expect much more.
30-45 days: Some flexibility. The car hasn't attracted a buyer at the current price so theres evidence it might be overpriced. $1,000-2,000 off is reasonable to ask for.
45-60 days: Real motivation kicks in. The sales manager is probably getting pressure from the finance department. $2,000-3,500 off is realistic.
60-90 days: The dealer is likely losing money on the car every week. They may have already dropped the price once or twice. This is where you can get serious discounts. $3,000-5,000+ off original asking is possible depending on the car.
90+ days: At this point the dealer might be considering sending it to auction at a loss. If you make a reasonable offer (even significantly below asking) they might take it just to stop the bleeding.
According to Edmunds, cars that sit past 60 days typically sell for 5-15% below the dealer's original asking price. On a $25,000 car thats $1,250 to $3,750 in savings.
Why some cars sit
Not every car that sits on a lot for a long time is a bad car. Sometimes the dealer just priced it wrong. Sometimes its an unpopular color. Sometimes its a niche vehicle (manual transmission, weird trim level) that appeals to fewer buyers.
But sometimes cars sit because something is actually wrong with them. High mileage for the year, accident history, mechanical issues that showed up during reconditioning. So dont just blindly buy a long-sitting car assuming you're getting a deal. Still do your homework.
The key is that days on lot gives you information about the dealer's motivation level. And in negotiation, understanding the other side's motivation is everything.
The end-of-month factor
Combine days on lot with timing and you've got even more leverage. Dealers have monthly sales targets. Their salespeople have monthly quotas. At the end of the month (especially the last 2-3 days), theres extra pressure to close deals.
A car thats been sitting for 60 days and you show up on the 28th of the month? You have about as much leverage as a buyer can have. Not gonna lie, i've seen people get cars for $4,000-5,000 below asking in this exact scenario.
What to actually say
You dont need to be aggressive or confrontational about this. Just be honest and direct:
"I noticed this car has been listed for about 50 days. I really like it but the price is a bit above what I'm seeing for comparable cars. Would you consider [your offer]?"
Thats it. You're not accusing them of anything. You're not playing games. You're just showing that you've done your homework and you know the car hasn't been moving at the current price.
Most salespeople will respect this more than someone who comes in uninformed and just says "whats your best price." Information is leverage. Use it.
My sister's $2,800 savings on that CX-5 took her about 10 minutes of research before she went to the dealer. Thats a pretty good hourly rate.
