60 plate costing more
September 2nd, 2010 by Richard Aucock
DISCOUNTS on new cars have fallen by 12 percent in 12 months and are now below the £1800 mark.
It is a £248 fall on discounts seen in 2009; a year ago, they were more than £2000.
The reduction in discounts has come despite an increase in list prices, which magazine What Car? says have ‘shot up’.
Even so, the magazine is advising buyers there are still deals on offer out there: 60-plate potential customers simply need to hunt and haggle hard.
What Car? reckons total savings on its 60 most searched for 60-plate cars total more than £158k!
Buyers are told to use the internet to find these.
Steve Fowler, What Car? editor-in-chief, said: ‘Even though discounts are down, it still pays to sniff out the best car deals online before you go shopping.
‘You might not want to shop online, but sticking a print out under a car dealer’s nose is a sure-fire way to get them to up their own discount.’
How important are discounts in buyers’ eyes? Vital: 58 percent of people would prefer a larger discount ahead of any other offer, even extended warranties. Indeed, low rate finance also came ahead of longer warranties, too.
Car dealers, what do you make of today’s What Car? findings?