The slow dealership traffic extends past the New Year and into January and February, making them great months to shop for a car, Quincy says. The dealers are dying to get rid of the 2010 models, he says.

The same negotiating rules apply, regardless of the time of the year. Quincy advises you to know what the dealer cost is and work up from there, compared to down from the sticker price.

"You're just probably going to have a more captive audience for a salesman when you go in the winter months because they don't see many people," Quincy says. "These tactics should be effective."

If you're thinking ahead to spring and looking to buy a car like a convertible, the pricing could swing in your favor now since those may not be leaving the lot as quickly in winter.

However, if you live in a snowy climate and want a car with winter features, the dealer could have the upper hand. Of course, if you want one of the hot cars in the market, like Nissan's Leaf electric car, you will have less negotiating leverage at a dealership, Quincy says.