Nearly new cars: where's the catch?

IamNotAllowedToUseMyName

John-K wrote: »

Fewer, I think, than idiots who make generalisations like yours there.

I normally buy used, but two nice cars that I have had in years past were bought new. A B7 RS4, and the previous C63 AMG. Both are cars that owners tend to drive quite hard, and so both were ones that I wanted from new. I see no idiocy in that at all.

You've taken that out of context, though I see why you've taken it as meaning something other than I meant. Nothing wrong with a new car, someone has to and in my time I've had 2 (one Cavalier, one Merc which I kept for 12 years and SWMBO had a Q3 last year because she wanted one, had a very large bonus and was coming out of the company car scheme), and enjoyed the experience.

What I was alluding to was the few who always want the current number plate, they have to be seen to have a new car for the sake of it being new. For there to be six month old private buyer cars, then there are people who buy a car and trade it in 6 months later. Those people who continually change their cars to be in the newest I think are foolish - a 12 month old car is barely run in, and yet people want to change after 6 months. There is someone down the road who has changed their car after less than a year and I am fairly sure it is because after we ordered a new Audi, they had a near identical car in the same colour and they had to drive past ours.

So let me rephrase - here are a few idiots who have to have a new car all the time, every plate change and get very little use out it (which is the type of car we are discussing in this thread). And that is idiotic because in terms of the ownership experience, there is going to be no difference, there is a load of hassle in paperwork and payment, there is the massive loss of money, there is the potential for teething problems on any car, and there is the mistaken belief that people are going to be impressed by you always having the newest car.

I will also make an exception. I have a mate who does massive mileages (national property surveyor) and he would clock up 40k in a year easily, He leased and generally changed every year. His main mistake was trying to that mileage in a Range Rover.

Car_54

John-K wrote: »

I do not understand this. New cars can still have issues. A few months in, if yours has developed no rattles, squeaks, or vibrations, then you’ve likely got a good one, and ai would then enjoy it for a few years.

Getting a new one every six months would drive me mad, having to inspect it, get the paintwork corrected, get the running-in service done etc.

Running-in service? Didn't that disappear about the 1980s?

stuwho

Not sure why it's done, but a few dealers pre register cars, then sell them after around 6 months. Not sure of tbe benefits. Bought one a while back that was just over 6 months old. Thought it was a one off demonstrator, but we were then asked what colour we wanted. Possibly used as courtesy cars & demonstrators, but with full warranty, & usually quite big savings, well worth it.

Car_54

stuwho wrote: »

Not sure why it's done, but a few dealers pre register cars, then sell them after around 6 months. Not sure of tbe benefits. Bought one a while back that was just over 6 months old. Thought it was a one off demonstrator, but we were then asked what colour we wanted. Possibly used as courtesy cars & demonstrators, but with full warranty, & usually quite big savings, well worth it.

I've done that too. Six months old, choice of cars, negligible mileage so not used as demos etc.

The only downside is the first service was due at six months rather than twelve.

Deneb

stuwho wrote: »

Not sure why it's done, but a few dealers pre register cars, then sell them after around 6 months. Not sure of tbe benefits. Bought one a while back that was just over 6 months old. Thought it was a one off demonstrator, but we were then asked what colour we wanted. Possibly used as courtesy cars & demonstrators, but with full warranty, & usually quite big savings, well worth it.

They often get bonuses tied to the number of vehicles they sell. Self registering is a trick to qualify for the bonus if sales are below target.

My current car is a Volvo that I bought 1 month old with less than 80 miles on the clock. One of 15 identical cars apart from colour, all of which the dealer had self-registered on 31st December 2016 to qualify. 33% off list price, 50% deposit and balance interest free over 3 years.

motorguy

Deneb wrote: »

They often get bonuses tied to the number of vehicles they sell. Self registering is a trick to qualify for the bonus if sales are below target.

My current car is a Volvo that I bought 1 month old with less than 80 miles on the clock. One of 15 identical cars apart from colour, all of which the dealer had self-registered on 31st December 2016 to qualify. 33% off list price, 50% deposit and balance interest free over 3 years.

Manufacturers will also incentivise dealer groups to buy and pay (dealers normally get something like 6 months to pay for cars) for a set amount of cars and register them now. There are various reasons for this :-

(a) the manufacturer can increase market share for that period because its calculated on cars registered
(b) the cars may be old stock
(c) there may have been / be an upcoming spec / engine change
(d) they might be previous model year cars
(e) they might be a cancelled lease / company car order