Dealers cut prices to combat 2019 market slump
Car buyers can save as much as £7700 on as-new vehicles, as dealers drop prices to tempt reluctant buyers into showrooms.
The UK new car market has suffered a turbulent 2018, with sales down by 7.2 per cent compared to the same 10 month period in 2017. This means showrooms have shifted 160,000 fewer cars so far this year, compared to January - October 2017, with VED upheaval, regulatory changes and confusion over diesel being blamed by market commentators for the slump.
HonestJohn.co.uk analysis has revealed that there are huge savings to be made as showrooms look to keep the market moving by pre-registering stock.
However, while the industry gears up for a hard winter, HonestJohn.co.uk analysis has found that buyers can make huge savings as showrooms try to keep the market moving by pre-registering thousands of cars.
>>>See the latest pre-reg and nearly new car deals
A pre-reg car is one that has been registered by a dealer with the DVLA so it has been assigned a registration number. Showrooms usually list pre-reg stock as ‘ex-demo’ or ‘delivery miles only’. If it has a V5C logbook, it’s been registered and cannot be advertised or described as new.
The BMW 1 Series 116d Sport five-door has a recommended retail price (RRP) of £24,975 on the road, but HonestJohn.co.uk has found dealers offering delivery mileage cars with 16 miles on the clock for £17,250.
Vauxhall showrooms are also providing huge discounts on the Viva hatch, with dealers cutting prices by as much as £3600. HonestJohn.co.uk has found 2017 models – with five miles on the clock – starting at £6495 while 68-plate cars with 100 miles can be found from £7000 – significantly lower than Vauxhall’s RRP £10,175.
Buyers who want more style with their city car can get the Citroen C1 1.0-litre VTi petrol in Feel trim on 18-plate from £6995 – a saving of £4300. Or the Fiat 500 petrol from £7961 - a saving of £2770.
It isn't just the small cars that are providing big discounts, with £3000 savings available on pre-reg versions of the Nissan Qashqai. Petrol versions of the 1.2 Renault Kadjar Dynamique Nav have a RRP of £22,220, yet HonestJohn.co.uk has found pre-reg models available from just £16,900.
There are also savings of £4000 to be made on 68-plate models of the Hyundai Tucson 1.6 diesel in S Connect trim.
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Scot5 on 9 November 2018
"Dealers cut new car prices to combat 2019 market slump" HJ website needs to be careful as the headline is misleading - the article relates to used cars, not new cars. Yes certain dealers have reduced the prices of new cars and yes there are savings to be made by purchasing a pre-reg car - but there always has been, it has nothing to do with 2019 market slump. The article implies a pre-reg is the same as a new car, which of course it is not.
Edited by Scot5 on 09/11/2018 at 12:54
Jez Cunningham on 12 November 2018
So tell us Scot5 - if a full warranty is included what does one lose by buying a pre-reg ‘used’ car?Lawlessbreed on 12 November 2018
Only the number of registered keepers and some mileage
Lawlessbreed on 12 November 2018
Forgot to mention that guarantees start at first purchase
aethelwulf on 12 November 2018
As the dealer makes money on pre reg with manufacturer he is not giving as much away as you think.The warranty is ticking away too- not too bad on a 7 year Kia one but other are very short anyway.
Richard Parker on 13 November 2018
With modern electronic components and their failures often costing a king ransom to rectify i would want a ten year warranty never mind seven years !Many cars are being scraped after the warranty expires as they are totally uneconomical to repair.
I will keep my 1994 Peugeot 106 thank you.
Captain-Cretin on 16 November 2018
Even without something electronic going wrong; dont forget the ticking timebomb that is the explosive devices used to deploy airbags and seat belt pre tensioners.
By the time replacements are required (~15 years), either the parts are no longer made, or the replacement cost is twice the value of the car.
On my ultra reliable Mitushishi (10 years old & £9.95 spent on repairs), the cost of replacements is already about the same as the cars value.
sajid on 6 January 2019
So with hindsight better to keep the old car till its uneconomical. so that means buy japanese honda suzuki toyota or mazda in petrol form.Add a comment