3 Min ReadFebruary 3, 2025

Moods Bright During January Car Sales

Moods Bright During January Car Sales

The automotive landscape may look different as the calendar flips to February, but last month saw car steady car sales and buyers found it overwhelmingly easy to make their purchase. 

The monthly Ease of Purchase score that CDK has tracked for over two years was once again at its highest point with 92% of car buyers saying the process was easy. This is up from 88% in December and 84% last January. Driving this high score was the ability for customers to find the vehicle they hoped to purchase. Four out of five (80%) buyers said that was easy up from 72% in December and 68% last January. 

New car inventory is down slightly from last month but still hovering just below three million units. That also led to more buyers finding the car they wanted in stock compared to last month, 59% and 54% respectively, but has been as high as 62% in November. While buyers are also opting to order from the factory or in transit, far fewer are picking an alternate vehicle in stock. That number fell from 12% in December to just 7% in January. People are locked into the car they want and are less likely to opt for something else on the lot. 

And while the biggest change was to vehicle availability, nearly every other step in the process CDK tracks each month saw an uptick. Whether it was taking a test drive, delivery or even difficult financial dealings like agreeing on trade-in value and the final price of the car, more buyers said they were easy compared to last month or last year.

More buyers also said they started their purchase process online and then finished at the dealers rising to 22% of dealership customers from 17% last month. But last year this number was far higher at 29% as more people had to buy in transit and factory ordered vehicles than today.

Here’s one buyer’s breakdown of the multi-channel approach: “They were easy to communicate and met me where I was in the process. [They] went above and beyond to get the deal complete, like providing me an OTD[out the door] price by text and allowing me to do applications online.”

There was also virtually no change in the number of stores visited month over month. Nearly half (47%) only visited one store, nearly the same as last month (48%). Last year this number was far lower (29%) because of lower inventory levels.

One clearly negative number in the CDK data shows that people spent more time than they expected at the dealership to complete the purchase. Nearly one in three (32%) said they spent more than they expected, up from 24% last month. The number who said they spent less time than they expected changed even more dramatically from 29% last month to just 16% in January.

It seems that because dealers made the process easier overall, customers were more understanding of the time it took to get out the door with their new car. 

Related 
Dealers Speed Up Sales According to Latest CDK Friction Points Study

Share This

David Thomas
By David Thomas
Director, Content

David Thomas is director of content marketing and automotive industry analyst at CDK Global. He champions thought leadership across all platforms, connecting CDK’s vast expertise to the broader market and trends driving our industry forward. David has spent nearly 20 years in the automotive world as a product evaluator, journalist and marketer for brands like Autoblog, Cars.com, Nissan and Harley-Davidson.

Recent Insights

A I and Vehicle Research. The Disadvantages of A I Informed Car Shoppers.

AI and Vehicle Research: The Disadvantages of AI-Informed Car Shoppers

Car shoppers are increasingly turning to AI to guide their research across financing, timing and vehicle selection. Salesforce data shows that...
4 Min ReadOct 8CDK Global
Hectic EV Rush Doesn't Hurt Buying Experience

Hectic EV Rush Doesn't Hurt Buying Experience

September saw a rush of buyers trying to snap up EVs before federal incentives expired, but the frenetic pace at...
2 Min ReadOct 1David Thomas
Twenty Twenty Five C D K Dealership Workplace Study.

Where Dealership Employees Stand During Uncertain Times

The automotive industry is often defined by inventory, margins and market shifts, but the real engine driving dealership success is...
1 Min ReadSep 24CDK Global
Three Ways Community Dealers Stand Apart.

3 Ways Community Dealers Stand Apart

The automotive retail industry is as diverse as any other in the United States. There are large, publicly traded operators...
3 Min ReadSep 23CDK Global
Unlocking Efficiency. Common Questions About the C D K Fundamentals Suite.

Unlocking Efficiency: Common Questions About the CDK Fundamentals Suite

In this ArticleWhat’s the CDK Fundamentals Suite? What’s Included in the Fundamentals Suite?How’s It Different From the CDK Foundations Suite?How Does...
3 Min ReadSep 22CDK Global
Driving and Moving you Forward, Smoothly. C D K’s Approach to Continuous Innovation.

Driving Forward, Smoothly: CDK’s Approach to Continuous Innovation

For over 50 years, CDK’s proven, reliable Dealer Management System has been the trusted backbone of dealership operations across North...
3 Min ReadSep 19CDK Global
2025 F and I Shopper Study.

New Report Shows Shifts in F&I Trust

The F&I process remains a critical touchpoint in the car-buying journey. It’s one that can either enhance the customer experience...
1 Min ReadSep 17CDK Global
Four Ways Data Is Reshaping Dealership Inventory Strategy.

4 Ways Data Is Reshaping Dealership Inventory Strategy

Today’s fast-moving automotive marketplace is shaped by seasonal fluctuations, evolving electrification policies, changing tax laws, and often fickle consumer preferences....
3 Min ReadSep 16CDK Global
Dealership Customer Satisfaction Formula. What Car Shoppers Value the Most.

Dealership Customer Satisfaction Formula: What Car Shoppers Value the Most

CDK conducts several annual research studies to better understand the state of automotive dealerships from the perspectives of Sales, Service,...
3 Min ReadSep 16CDK Global
Converting Used Car Buyers to New.

Converting Used Car Buyers to New

It happens every day: A customer shows up on your lot with a saved listing for a specific pre-owned vehicle....
4 Min ReadSep 4CDK Global