Best deal- buy 1,2,3 or 4 year old?

Wellgood

I've heard not to buy brand new as they depreciate so much as soon as you drive off the forecourt. However is there a sweet spot that you should aim for in terms of age of car you are buying? ie where first few years depreciate quite rapidly and then it tails off? FYI- we are looking at - Ford Focus estate/ Ford focus hatchback / cmax / cmax grand / kuga. I'm thinking avoid a 1 year old but maybe go for a 2-3 year old? But that is just my thinking and not evidence based. Appreciate any advice.Thx

Tiexen

Lot of people sell 3 year olds just because the warranty has just run out and they skip a service and MOT, new front tyres etc.

forgotmyname

5 years.... Picked up a high mileage (almost) 5 year old car for just over £2000, 5 and a bit years later i sold it for £800.

motorguy

Wellgood wrote: »

I've heard not to buy brand new as they depreciate so much as soon as you drive off the forecourt. However is there a sweet spot that you should aim for in terms of age of car you are buying? ie where first few years depreciate quite rapidly and then it tails off? FYI- we are looking at - Ford Focus estate/ Ford focus hatchback / cmax / cmax grand / kuga. I'm thinking avoid a 1 year old but maybe go for a 2-3 year old? But that is just my thinking and not evidence based. Appreciate any advice.Thx

Most of those are readily available at a year old, due to them being used as short term lease / hire cars.

Thats probably where i'd be if i was buying one.

Also, dont forget, nobody pays list price for a new car and theres typically up to 25% off that, plus usually better finance deals.

EdGasketTheSecond

I bought my daily driver at 7 years old and it had depreciated over 90% of it's new price of £12,000. I'm still driving it 10 years later with no major bills.

AnotherJoe

Take a few minutes, plot the prices of the same model 1-2&3 year old cars on the same mileage, and you'll be able to get an idea for yourself.

My guess would be 3 years simply because (as Tiexen above says) that is the length of many finance deals and company car arrangements so there are many cars of that age being sold.

bigadaj

Bought mine 2.5 years ago at a year old from a main dealer. Less than half list, though as motor guy says virtually no one pays list and it's easy to get maybe 20% off.

Attractive to me because it wasn't silly money, still had two years warranty left, had two minor issues sorted under warranty from the selling garage.

Went back to them for servicing, to maintain warranty and goodwill, but haggled each time with equivalent quotes which they near price matched.

Have to make a decision whether to get the next service done later this year, now a year out of warranty then goodwill may not be forthcoming and there's probably £100+ difference in service costs from a good local independent.

neilmcl

I tend not to bother about "nearly new" cars from main dealers because there's usually very little wiggle room with regards the price and invariably you can quite often get a new car as cheap, if not cheaper with all the various discounts, dealer incentives etc available.

A good place to look for 2-3 year old, ex finance/lease cars are the auctions.

motorguy

neilmcl wrote: »

I tend not to bother about "nearly new" cars from main dealers because there's usually very little wiggle room with regards the price and invariably you can quite often get a new car as cheap, if not cheaper with all the various discounts, dealer incentives etc available.

A good place to look for 2-3 year old, ex finance/lease cars are the auctions.

It really does depend on the car and its relative age. Dealer ex-demo / prereg cars sometimes arent as cheap as they should be relative to new stuff with discount, but theres bargains to be had on the 6+ month old stuff.

Common or garden stuff like the O/P is looking for is usually ex-short term lease / ex rental stuff so theres plenty of choice and prices are cheap once they hit 6-12 months old

For example, you can buy a year old C Max 1.6i Zetec for just over £10K at a year old...

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201701261678456?model=C-MAX&postcode=bt622hb&make=FORD&sort=sponsored&onesearchad=Used&onesearchad=Nearly%20New&onesearchad=New&year-from=2016&advertising-location=at_cars&radius=1500&page=1

Thats against a list price of £19,995 and you'd be doing VERY well to get that down to £15K even from a broker.