Buy now or in July?

Kotek Besar

Ok, so Opel and other dealerships are claiming that they're giving July prices now. However, when July comes VRT will be less (in some cases).

So, in reality, could on the road prices drop in July, even with their current price promise?

FGR

If you're interested in a diesel I would say to you to hold on as the primary changes will be to annual Motor Taxation Rates.

If it's petrol, however; it depends on the model and engine as it's all down to emissions after July. Would you mind telling us what model care you're looking at in particular?

Kotek Besar

Thanks ForegoneReality,

It's a Corsa 1.2 (139g/km CO2 emission).

According to http://www.opel.ie/content_data/GME/019/IE/en/GBPIE/microsite/PricePromise08/?flv=9 they're selling July prices now.

The point is, I know that the VRT payable on the car will be less if registered in July than if registered now. So, even with their price promise, my thinking is that the salesman will be able to give a bigger "discount" off the total cost if I wait until July to buy.

What do you think?

E92

You'll find that only the petrol models have come down.

Wait till July and see what they're charging for the diesel models.

You're being sold a pup by buying a "clean" petrol now. Logic dictates that if the petrols are good, then obviously with diesel being ca. 30% better on mpg and ca. 16% better on CO2, then the diesels must be pretty outstanding. So the diesels will be coming down by more in price than the petrols are AND will have lower road tax as well.

If it sounds too good to be true then it usually is!

Kotek Besar

Have I got this right, you're saying forget about buying a petrol car altogether, and go for diesel?

E92

I'm saying it's an option to be considering, and that the diesels will be reducing in price by more than the petrol models they're on about.

For example the Astra diesel is €140 cheaper a year on road tax than the petrol, and IIRC a petrol 1.2 Corsa costs €150 in road tax from July, while the diesel is €100.

Diesels offer better fuel economy in addition to lower road tax, so although you may pay a bit more for one now, you'll save over time and diesels will sell for more in the used market than petrols will and are not a lot worse than petrols to drive(they're noisier, not as smooth and don't like high revs compared to petrols but at low revs they offer vastly superior performance to a petrol at low revs, they're not actually faster, because petrols just need a lot of revs and when they get that they're well able to move, while diesels give all their shove at low revs so they therefore give the impression at low revs that they would run rings around a petrol for performance).

Then again the petrol Corsa is rather good on economy and emissions anyway, so like I say, it's best to wait and see what they do with the diesel models for July;).

You should really try and drive both of them before you make a final decision.

Kotek Besar

Thanks E92, you've given me a lot to think about, I appreciate it.

kindalen

keep in mind service cost difference and the rise and rise of diesel prices....

Kotek Besar

kindalen wrote: »

keep in mind service cost difference and the rise and rise of diesel prices....

Argghh!! The stress of this is driving me mad!!

bazz26

kindalen wrote: »

keep in mind service cost difference and the rise and rise of diesel prices....

My diesel car costs around the same to service as my previous petrol car, Service intervals are similar too.

Price of diesel at the pump is dearer ok but I am still getting more miles from a tank of diesel than a tank of petrol.

empirix

There may be a bit of a twist here regarding fuel within the next couple of months - basically yes the price of petrol is going up as i diesel, but the fact is, there is no shortage of petrol, whats driving the prices up is the shortage of diesel and aviation fuel i would not be surprised to see petrol fall and diesel continue to rise in a few months, when the market irons this out. Just something to think about but not overly worry about. Basically the advantages of diesel may ot be an advantage in 3 to 4 months time

E92

Unless diesel starts getting seriously dear, as 20-30% dearer than petrol then it will still be cheaper to run a diesel after July. I wouldn't be counting my chickens before they've hatched just yet folks! In the case of the Corsa the diesel can do up to 30,000 miles between a service while the petrol can go up to 20,000 miles. Both need a service at least once every 2 years though, and it is variable servicing, so your driving style/where the car is used will influence when the car's computer decides that the car wants a service.