When do people sell their old cars?
Going by Google searches, July is the busiest month and December the quietest. US interest in "sell my car" on Google Trends averaged 83.0 in July and 61.0 in December, from November 2021 to October 2026. Each guide below covers selling a junk or unwanted car at one point in the year.
Guides for each season in 2026
Start the year without the car you don't drive
New Year: January 1 to January 19 and December 27 to December 31
Clear out the car you stopped driving. Send one short form in January and get a cash offer, with free towing and payment at pickup.
Read the guideUsing your tax refund on a car? Sell the old one first
Tax season: January 20 to April 15
Using a tax refund toward a newer car? Sell the old one first. One short form, an offer from our buyer partner, free towing and payment at pickup.
Read the guideSpring cleaning? Start with the car that hasn't moved
Spring cleaning: March 20 to June 19
Clearing out the garage or yard this spring? Sell the car that hasn't moved in months. One short form, an offer from our buyer partner and free towing.
Read the guideBuying in the Memorial Day sales? Sell the old car separately
Memorial Day: May 15 to May 25
Buying in the Memorial Day sales? Get a separate offer for your old or junk car before you go to the dealer. Towing is free and you're paid at pickup.
Read the guideShopping the 4th of July sales? Get an offer for the old car first
4th of July: June 20 to July 6
Shopping the 4th of July car sales? Get a separate cash offer for your old car first. One short form, an offer from our buyer partner, free towing.
Read the guideNot trusting the old car for another summer trip?
Summer: June 20 to September 21
Don't trust the old car for another summer trip? Sell it as it is. One short form, an offer from our buyer partner, free towing and payment at pickup.
Read the guideBuying in the Labor Day sales? Sell your old car on its own
Labor Day: August 28 to September 7
Buying during the Labor Day sales? Get a separate offer for your old or junk car before you trade it in. One short form, an offer from our buyer partner.
Read the guideNew models are arriving. What about the old car?
New model year: September 8 to October 31
New models arrive in the fall and dealers discount the outgoing year. Sell your old or junk car separately first: one short form and a cash offer.
Read the guideHosting Thanksgiving? Clear the car out of the driveway
Thanksgiving: November 1 to November 26
Hosting for Thanksgiving? Clear the driveway of the car that doesn't run. One short form, an offer from our buyer partner, free towing and payment at pickup.
On now: read the guideShopping Black Friday car deals? Sell your old car separately
Black Friday: November 27 to November 30
Shopping Black Friday car deals? Get a separate cash offer for your old or junk car before you trade it in. One short form, with free towing.
Read the guideCash for Christmas from the car you don't drive
Christmas: December 1 to December 26
Turn the car you don't drive into holiday cash. One short form, an offer from our buyer partner, free towing and payment at pickup by check or cash.
Read the guide
Search-interest figures on these pages come from Google Trends (United States, web search, November 2021 to October 2026), where 100 marks the busiest week of the period. Source: Google Trends via DataForSEO, retrieved November 5, 2026. Open "sell my car" in Google Trends. Dates are for 2026 and move with the holidays each year.
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Ready to sell your junk car?
Request a free offer in about two minutes, or call with questions. Towing is free and you're paid at pickup.