Motor quotes – how to get the best deal
Motoring around Britain can be an expensive and exasperating experience. Whether you are buying a used or new car, looking for a payday loan, or trying to get the best deal on car insurance, it pays to have some pointers up your sleeve. So with this in mind, here is our list of the 10 most important tips for getting the best deals on motoring
1. Use a price comparison website.
The vast majority of car owners don't go to the trouble to research the prices they are offered by dealerships or agents. A good price comparison website is a great help in haggling for the best possible deals on your vehicle.
2. Use public transport if you are in a town centre car rental or taxi cab, and it's cheap to get there by rail or bus. The vast majority of towns do not provide cheap public transport links – but talking to the local travel agent will usually reveal good bargains to be had for those who do their homework beforehand.
3. Shop around for insurance policies.
Most car insurance policies are supplied through a company that has relationships with many different insurers. They often have access to cheaper deals than the rest of the market. It is therefore worth shopping around with several agents and/or insurers before making a decision to use one of them.
4. If you lease a car, take out the option to take it back if you decide you no longer want it. This gives you more options when negotiating with the leasing company to lower your monthly payments if needed, or having an insurance policy that suits your needs better than what they originally offered.
5. Take the dealer to court if you are not satisfied with the deal they have offered or the service they have provided.
Do your research and find out if the dealerships grey market or a company such as Cars sold and not registered. Friary hall, which lets UK car owners effectively hold their cars in 'dormant' status for the duration of their lease, use this facility to re-sell cars as second hand cars. As long as there is no other registered owner, it is virtually impossible for these cars to be reclaimed by any legal body whatsoever.
6. Take your car to an independent and well respected mechanic before you buy it.
It is a lot easier and cheaper to have expensive replacement parts replaced at that moment than having the car returned to the original dealership. It's also a good way of testing the salesperson's knowledge of his stock, by seeing how much he knows about your potential purchase. If he doesn't know what kind of fuel pump is in his own business' cars for example, it's probably not worth buying one there!
7. Buy cars, whether second- or used, from individuals if you can, rather than from dealerships or agents.
If you are buying from a private individual, they are usually more willing to offer you discounts on the price. This is because they don't know how much profit they may make from the car; it could be at no risk to them.
8. Try to get a part-exchange on your vehicle if there is one available. This can save you a lot of money.
If it is your car, use a valuation guide to get an idea of its real value. If it belongs to someone else, it's better not to fall into the trap of thinking you know what it is worth by opinion. Let the dealer make an assessment based on known features like colour and trim and mileage, and don't be tempted to offer him more than he asks for: this will often cause him to carry out unnecessary work in order to improve the appearance of your car. It's much better for both parties if you agree on a price that is based on what has been said so far.
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