Three-day holiday weekends such as Labor Day are a great time to find deals on vehicles, according to car shopping experts.
According to an Edmunds.com review of the best times to buy a car, shoppers should target three-day holiday weekends, like the upcoming Labor Day weekend, to find deals on cars because dealerships typically offer steeper discounts to take advantage of increased foot traffic.
“Whether it is Presidents Day, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, or Labor Day, be prepared for a busier-than-normal showroom,” the website said. “Ideally, you want to do your research and test drive before the holiday and close the deal on the weekend. Or better yet, wrap up the deal on the first weekday after the weekend.”
Manufacturers typically are so eager to sell cars from the previous model year around this time to make room for newer vehicles that they often slash prices. But some of the best deals may actually end up coming on used cars, although those are harder to track ahead of your visit to a dealership.
Even though carmakers are starting to roll out new 2027 models to great fanfare, the vast majority of cars on dealership lots right now are still 2026 models, according to CarGurus.
The group said as of Sept. 1, nearly 90% of new cars on U.S. dealership lots were still 2026 models. That’s up from nearly 72% of new cars at the end of August 2025 that were from that model year.
The segment with the highest number of available 2026 vehicles is trucks, which could be good news for pickup shoppers who are looking for a Labor Day deal, the group said.
With that in mind, the USA TODAY Cars took a look at the list of the top 5 cars that had the highest inventory of used cars at the end of August and their average used prices according to CarGurus to help you spot models you may be able to find deals on if you’re car shopping on Labor Day weekend.
1. Chevrolet Silverado 1500
Average Used Price: $33,311
2025 sales: 588,709
What we said: Mark Phelan of the Detroit Free Press said in an article “The Silverado is one of General Motors’ cornerstones. GM sold more than a half million of the pickups in 2025. The Silverado’s architecture, powertrains and electronics underpin pickups and SUVs that are the backbone of GM profit, production and employment.”
2. Ford F-150
Average Used Price: $34,665
2025 sales: 828,832
What we said: Charles Singh of the USA TODAY Cars Team said in an article “The F-150 is a light-duty full-size pickup truck that’s affordable and practical. It’s a work truck that can double as a daily driver.”
3. GMC Sierra 1500
Average Used Price: $40,345
2025 sales: 356,218
What we said: Charles Singh of the USA TODAY Cars Team said in a review “The 2026 Sierra 1500 isn’t your average full-size pickup. It’s an upscale model that has a stylish exterior design and a more refined interior than most models in its segment.”
4. Ford Explorer
Average Used Price: $25,762
2025 sales: 222,706
What we said: Mark Phelan of the Detroit Free Press said in a review “the 2025 Ford Explorer midsize SUV introduced new features, and lost a couple less popular ones, when the when” the three-row family hauler hit dealerships in July 2024.”
5. Jeep Wrangler
Average Used Price: $25,561
2025 sales: 167,322
What we said: Mark Phelan of the Detroit Free Press said in a review “I tested a loaded four-door Wrangler Rubicon X 4xe plug-in hybrid with the power retractable canvas top in a day’s driving through southern Utah’s canyons and hills. It stickered at $75,140 excluding destination charge.”
Keith Laing is an automotive reporter on the National Trending Desk at USA TODAY. Contact Keith at klaing@usatodayco.com.