An automotive expert has shared a way that drivers can cut the cost of a new car by more than £10,000 without the need to haggle with the dealer.
Whilst the average cost of a new car has risen beyond £40,000, Jim Starling from the YouTube channel DefinitelyNotAGuru has highlighted that many dealerships are undercutting the recommended retail prices (RRPs) on the best-selling models.
In a recent video, Jim stated that looking at what different dealers are offering for the model they are interested in buying, sharing a new Skoda Fabia for around £4,500 less than the normal price.
He explained: “The Skoda Fabia 1.0 MPI SE Comfort Euro 6. This is a £15,500 car that’s got nearly £4,500 knocked off it. £19,900 is the RRP, but you can get it at the moment for £4,400.
“There’s a 20 percent cash discount on stock only, so that’s an interesting one. The dealer is saying it’s a cash offer, and that means you don’t have to get tied into their finance. Of course, you could get your own finance, like a loan, HP, or even the dreaded PCP elsewhere.”
Whilst all vehicles are given a suggested price by their manufacturers, drivers are often able to pick up an example for thousands less by searching on one of the many car retail platforms, such as Auto Trader, cinch, and Carwow.
In particular, car companies will often charge significantly less for pre-registered models, which were given a number plate before being sold to an owner, or ex-demonstrators, only used to give potential buyers a test drive.
However, in some cases, drivers will simply discount brand-new cars with the latest number plate and practically no miles on the odometer for thousands less to create more interest in a certain model.
Later in the video, Jim noted that the tip can also help one lucky new car buyer get behind the wheel of a new Nissan Leaf worth nearly £32,000 for under £17,500.
He added: “The good old Nissan Leaf, we’ve still got deals knocking around for those. Obviously, it’s all-electric, and you can save £13,000 off the RRP. These have been available significantly under RRP for quite a long time now.
“Range is 168 miles on them, so yes it’s a bit of old tech, but lots of people love their Nissan Leaf and wouldn’t have anything else. Well, they’re not going to be around for too much longer in their current guise, and that’s a hefty discount.”
However, Jim stated that the tip comes with a warning, as expensive cars with a discounted price of under £40,000 are still subject to luxury vehicle tax.
He continued: “The Ford Mustang Mach-E 197kW Select for £39,987, which is a saving of almost £11,000 – it should be £50,000 this car!
“By the way, we mustn’t forget that this car has an RRP of over £40,000 so you are going to have to pay that luxury car tax, which means from years two to six of the car’s life, you’ll have to pay an extra £400-something a year at the moment. It doesn’t matter what you’re paying for this car, the RRP is well over.”