Just Explain It: The best time of year to buy a new car

Daydreaming about your idyllic car and actually buying a car are two very different things. Forget for a second that daydreaming is way cheaper than buying – when it’s in your head you skip the cringe-worthy sales talk and you can do it in the nude, if that’s your thing.

Unfortunately, the real world doesn’t work that way. Car shopping can be an arduous, appareled and agonizing affair.

But it’s something four in 10 Canadians planning to do within the next year or so according to a poll released by RBC last year.

While half of Canadians surveyed say they are confident they won’t go into debt in the name of getting a new ride, 60 per cent say car-related costs are well thought-out prior to buying.

While the financial elements play a big role in the process, knowing where and when to shop can also help you save some cash on your new car.

Since RBC found that half of Canadians get car-buying advice from friends and family, we thought we’d pass along some neighbourly advice.

In this week’s Just Explain It Yahoo Canada Finance’s Ashleigh Patterson digs in and breaks down the best times to buy and how industry trends guide prices.