Use Stale Inventory as a Negotiation Tactic
- A vehicle with more days on the lot — often 60-90 days or more — may offer greater price flexibility.
- Dealers often discount aged inventory to reduce carrying costs and free up space for faster-selling models.
- You can estimate a car’s days on the lot using dealer paperwork, a vehicle history report, and by tracking online listings.
When you’re shopping for a new or used car, you’ve probably heard the usual negotiation advice: compare prices, get pre-approved, and be willing to walk away. One often-overlooked tactic is paying attention to a vehicle’s “days on lot” — how long it’s been sitting in a dealer’s inventory. That number can influence how motivated the dealership is to negotiate.
Why Days on Lot Matters
In general, dealers are less likely to discount a vehicle right after it arrives. If the car is fresh inventory and shoppers are interested, the dealership has no reason to move much on price. But as days on lot climb, the vehicle becomes more expensive to keep. Once a car reaches roughly 60 to 90 days, many dealers start thinking of it as aged inventory — and they’re often more willing to make a deal to move it.
A primary reason is the carrying cost. Dealerships often use floorplan financing, which is essentially an inventory loan. With floorplan financing, dealers may pay interest or fees on unsold vehicles. The longer a car sits, the more it can cost to keep — creating a strong incentive to negotiate on older stock.
How To Figure Out How Long a Car Has Been on the Lot
You usually can’t see a dealership’s internal aging report, but you can estimate time-on-lot using a few practical methods:
- Ask for the dealership’s inventory date. Dealers can often tell you when the vehicle was stocked or first listed for sale. Even a simple “When did this arrive?” can help you gauge leverage.
- Review a vehicle history report. An AutoCheck or Carfax report is primarily for verifying ownership history and incidents, but it can also include timing clues — like when the vehicle was offered for sale or moved through auctions.
- Track the online listing. If you’ve seen the same vehicle identification number (VIN) posted in the dealer’s online inventory for weeks (or months), the car may be approaching aged status.
What’s “Too Long”?
Many dealers view 90 days or more as “too long” to have a car on the lot, especially for vehicles financed through floorplan. At that point, you may have increased leverage for price reductions, fee cuts, or added value, such as including a maintenance package or accessories.
Our Take
If you can identify aged inventory with many days on lot, you can often negotiate more effectively. Combine that insight with price comparisons and a firm out-the-door target, and you’ll be in a stronger position to land a better deal.
Editor’s Note: We have updated this article since its initial publication. Doug Demuro contributed to the report.
