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With March just around the corner, auto sellers are gearing up for what is traditionally one of their biggest months on the calendar.
That’s because it sees the arrival of a new license plate, with newly registered vehicles set to display ’23’ as a replacement for the ’72’ prefix that will be sold with zero-mile cars since September 2022.
And dealers are optimistic that in March there will be something of a return to the heady days of busy showrooms before the pandemic and stock shortages made it difficult for them to deliver new engines to buyers within 12 months of placing orders.
As supply chain issues ease and dealers can fulfill orders more quickly, mystery shoppers have identified which car sellers are willing to discount the most, claiming that drivers can haggle nearly 17 percent off the list price of some 23-plate engines.
Volkswagen’s stylish Arteon has the biggest discounts available, with one model – the 1.5 TSI R Line – available at 16.7% off the list price
Nissan’s Qashqai is in high demand. In fact, it was the best-selling new car of 2022. Still, dealers are slashing list prices by as much as 14.3%, says What Car?
Even electric vehicles are subject to savings. Buyers can negotiate up to 13.2% off a Nissan Leaf EV
Mystery shoppers have been tasked by What Car?, the UK’s biggest consumer champion and new car buying platform, to find out which models dealers are looking to discount the most.
It found that despite the rising cost of living and high energy costs, manufacturers are offering significant savings on certain new factory-ordered models, including some electric vehicles.
The Volkswagen Arteon 1.5 TSI R Line Fastback tops the savings, with a cash discount of 16.7 percent. This translates into savings of £6,332 for retailers.
Customers wanting a hybrid SUV may want to consider the Suzuki Vitara, which dealers are willing to discount for up to 13.2%
The 5008 from Peugeot is a sedan with a lot of space. Dealers are currently offering up to 12% off the asking price
A Nissan Juke 1.6 Hybrid N-Connecta Auto has a list price of £27,525. However, the mystery shopper was able to haggle that down to £24,342 – a discount of 11.7%
And deals can be struck on high-demand cars, including last year’s best-selling new model in Britain.
Nissan dealers were found to be offering up to 14.3 per cent (or £4,120) off the list price of a new Qashqai 1.3 DiG-T Acenta Premium.
Mystery shoppers discovered that Nissan was also willing to cut the asking price for a new electric Leaf.
The Leaf 110kW Acenta 39kWh is offered with the third highest saving of 13.2 per cent – or £3,815 – on the list price of Britain’s fifth best selling electric car in 2022.
Which car? said the average cash discount for all makes and models prior to the plate change is 4 per cent, or £1,875 per car.
Which car? says buyers can negotiate around £2,100 off the £21,000 list price of a Seat Arona
If you like the feeling of the wind in your hair, then the BMW 4 Series Convertible is for you. Dealers get a 9.5% discount off the list price
Renault’s compact crossover, the Captur, is available by up to 8.5%, slashing its £22,395 list price by £1,820
It also found that certain models bought through personal contract purchasing (PCP) can end up costing buyers less compared to buying it outright with cash, thanks to generous deposits from manufacturers.
For example, buyers opting for a Fiat 500 1.0 Mild Hybrid can save 7.3 per cent off the list price when purchasing through PCP financing, thanks to a £2,900 deposit from dealers.
And the Ford Ecosport 1.0 Ecoboost 125 Titanium is available with a saving of 4.8 per cent off the list price, thanks to a £1,250 down payment.
The Peugeot 3008 1.6 Hybrid4 is a popular conventional hybrid family car. Buyers can get up to 8% – or £3,900 – off the nearly £50,000 list price
The Seat Ibiza is another very popular car in Britain. Dealers beat up to 8% on prices
Another popular supermini is the hybrid Toyota Yaris. Which car? says dealers are willing to cut the list price by up to 7.5%
Which car? editor Steve Huntingford said: ‘The plate change in March is typically the busiest time for the industry, and even with manufacturers’ high energy costs, it’s clear there are some great deals on popular new models.
“After months of limited discounts on a limited supply, it’s great to see the buyer’s market returning.
“The Target Price team at What Car? is constantly doing mystery shops in the market to track the latest discounts and bring them to the attention of car buyers in the UK.’
Sue Robinson is the CEO of the National Franchised Dealer Association, which represents manufacturer dealers across the country.
Earlier this month, she said: “We are confident that in 2023 retailers will continue to demonstrate their resilience and ability to meet buyer demand with growing showroom footfalls and an ever-improving online offering from dealers.”
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