Best time of year to buy a used 4x4 pickup? (Midwest edition)

I think I'm gonna be in the market for a $5k used 4x4 pickup soon-ish.

I've bought and sold a lot of cars, but not many trucks or AWD/4WD vehicles. I've definitely noticed that you can get a great deal on a Miata up here in Ohio if you're the guy willing to buy one in November. Hell, I got a pretty good deal on my FR-S by buying it in Pittsburgh in January, and it has a roof made of metal! I've also noticed that tax rebate season seems to heat things up in the local used car market for at least a couple months.

So, what's the best time to buy an old 4x4 pickup? Is winter going to be a mistake when everybody up here remembers that it does in fact snow in Ohio? Is fall the perfect slump time between tax season and inclement weather?

Related: is $5k enough to get a reliable winter DD in this class? I'll probably stick with GM since it's what I know best, unless there's a real strong argument for Ford out there in not aware of. Whatever I get is probably going to do some towing and camping duty as well.

Here in the north east mid June to early August is the best time to get a truck. Worst time is a week after the first snow.

Buy during the summer and beat them up on price if the AC does not work. In the winter you'll loose that negotiation tactic.

In ohio all 4x4 vehicles go up by 10-15% after the first snowfall. ive had my best luck buying 4x4 stuff in the summer when everyone seems to forget winter comes back.

In reply to ShadowSix:

When you're on vacation in the south.

Edit: A random example. Or this one. Maybe this one?

Right after ALL of the snow melts and the ice is out of the lakes.

Spring post thaw, summer.

petegossett wrote: In reply to ShadowSix: When you're on vacation in the south. Edit: A random example. Or this one. Maybe this one?

Seconded - I've seen trucks here in AZ/NM from friends that hail from the salty north, and all I can say is wow. Save yourself hours later on when doing maintenance - imagine suspension parts on a 200k mile truck that DONT have to be cut off

Just an observation - both the fords linked above strike me as bots/spam/scams...

I hate these threads as they usually send me over to Carfax to dream.

For example. Pricey. http://www.carfax.com/vehicles/1GC0KVCG3BF194829-used-2011-chevrolet-silverado-2500hd-work-truck--jarrettsville

And what I could comfortably afford to finance. http://www.carfax.com/vehicles/1GCHK29U82E284174-used-2002-chevrolet-silverado-2500hd-ls--baltimore

Dbussey1 wrote: Just an observation - both the fords linked above strike me as bots/spam/scams...

I agree on the diesel, but I just figured the newer one was due for a transmission.

petegossett wrote:

Dbussey1 wrote: Just an observation - both the fords linked above strike me as bots/spam/scams...

I agree on the diesel, but I just figured the newer one was due for a transmission.

On the other hand...it's a 20 year old model truck.

97 doesn't seem that long ago.

Also, probably lived through Katrina.