Buying a used car

tintar

Hi folks,

My trusted early 2000's car needs a bit of work to pass the NCT. Given its age & the high tax rate I've decided its served me enough and its time for a change.

I plan on paying in cash. ( Cheque/EFT not a suitcase of notes! )

I'm considering crossovers/compact crossovers no older than 2015 and 60,000 km, from an Approved Used dealer with at least 1-year warranty, to avoid the need for a mechanic to inspect the car. My preference is a car with full Irish history.

Most of the models in this bracket are the Nissan Juke, Renault Captur, Peugeot 2008 and even a couple of Nissan Qashqais. The prices range from 12,000 - 17,000 Euro, sometimes there's 1000 Euro off with a trade-in.

I'd appreciate any advice for some questions I have:

1. Do dealers usually offer a discount for cash buyers, and if so, how much?
2. Can I trade in my car which does not have a valid NCT?
3. Some Approved dealers have cars with UK reg plates. Is there any risk with a UK import sold with an Approved Used car warranty?

Best,
/t

colm_mcm

Just to note, 60,000km would be quite low mileage for 5 years driving (6000 miles a year). You’ll probably pay a premium for that, and not necessarily get a better car as a result.

I would say that most cars will have a built in margin to get knocked off. That said it’s important to look at how the car is priced relative to similar ones.
Some dealers advertise a straight deal price, so don’t be offended if you don’t get a discount, look at the cost rather than the deal.

Your car is worth nothing to a dealer, so beware a dealer that gives you loads of money for it, it’s more than likely fake discount built into an overpriced car.

Generally speaking, uk imports that the dealer brings in aren’t covered by the manufacturers own used car warranty (not always the case , but pretty much) and will either have the garage standing over it, or a 3rd party warranty (not as good as the manufacturer one)

Would you not look at a new car with a big warranty, a Pug 2008 is only €21k list price and they’re doing €3500 off for scrappage (think the 2008 is die for replacement soon)

A juke is €22k with €3k off for scrappage

Idbatterim

If you fancy change for change sake. Allgood. But total ownership costs of new car will be higher ... you mean high tax , compared to similar car on new system. Or is it an actual high tax car like 3L for e1494 ?

The only people making the legal call on what might or might not need doing are the nct. I’d pity it through

tintar

Good points there, thank you.

The new 2008 is really nice, but I'm keen on avoiding the initial high depreciation on new cars. At a 15% fall in value after year one, a 2017 - 2015 seems to be within the right age range for my requirements.

I have seen a variation in prices across dealers for the same spec, year and similar mileage so that is a good basis for negotiation.

Best,
/t

colm_mcm wrote: »

Just to note, 60,000km would be quite low mileage for 5 years driving (6000 miles a year). You’ll probably pay a premium for that, and not necessarily get a better car as a result.

I would say that most cars will have a built in margin to get knocked off. That said it’s important to look at how the car is priced relative to similar ones.
Some dealers advertise a straight deal price, so don’t be offended if you don’t get a discount, look at the cost rather than the deal.

Your car is worth nothing to a dealer, so beware a dealer that gives you loads of money for it, it’s more than likely fake discount built into an overpriced car.

Generally speaking, uk imports that the dealer brings in aren’t covered by the manufacturers own used car warranty (not always the case , but pretty much) and will either have the garage standing over it, or a 3rd party warranty (not as good as the manufacturer one)

Would you not look at a new car with a big warranty, a Pug 2008 is only €21k list price and they’re doing €3500 off for scrappage (think the 2008 is die for replacement soon)

A juke is €22k with €3k off for scrappage

tintar

Yes, compared to tax the newer cars. My present motor tax is 514. The newer cars would be around half that.

My car has failed the NCT, though the NCT items are easily fixable. It's started to need a lot of maintenance lately & there will likely be something again next year. In the previous 2 years it needed new coils, wiper motor & a water pump. The tires & battery are also due a change in 2021.

Why would ownership costs be higher on a newer car?

Best,
/t

Idbatterim wrote: »

If you fancy change for change sake. Allgood. But total ownership costs of new car will be higher ... you mean high tax , compared to similar car on new system. Or is it an actual high tax car like 3L for e1494 ?

The only people making the legal call on what might or might not need doing are the nct. I’d pity it through

Wildly Boaring

tintar wrote: »

Why would ownership costs be higher on a newer car?

Best,
/t

That depreciation you mentioned

Continues fairly harshly for first 4 or 5 years.

Idbatterim

Look the tax thing makes sense to an extent, if paying high rates of motor tax , you can argue what “ high” is. But in my opinion , high tax is like e1494,1809. But e514 for your current car. Let’s say newer one is e280. Saving e234 year motor tax. Depends on the value of the car. But if you buy say a 15k car , you have to pay interest too unless you have cash. You will lose ten times the annual difference in motor tax on depreciation , the minute you drive it out the dealers door ( might be slightly different if buying private ). Even say a few year old car, that may well need tyres replacing too in a year. Just be careful , you will save on certain usually very small costs by going newer. But the real costs of motoring are typically depreciation and loan interest. Not having to replace a battery for sixty euro etc ...

Do you do much mileage ? Is it city or motorway driving etc ?

Heres Johnny

Op you're the most recent of a long line of people who come in here saying you want a new car and cite tax savings and other savings in general and quite rightly your argument will be shot down by posters in the know about buying new cars. Every perceived saving will be offset by depreciation which, no matter if you buy new or used, will be in the region of 50% of the price you pay now if you keep the car 3 years.

So your tax savings of approx 250 a year and possibly the same in fuel is a pittance really.

Can everyone not just admit they want a new car!!

My tax is only a fifth of what I was paying up to 2 years ago, I used to pay 1080 now its 200.
But moving from an thirsty high tax 06 to a frugal 141 is hitting my pocket harder for sure.

tintar

That’s right, it only starts leveling off after year 7. I haven’t come across any Assured used cars older than 2015.

Best,
/t

Wildly Boaring wrote: »

That depreciation you mentioned

Continues fairly harshly for first 4 or 5 years.

Wildly Boaring

Ok.
So you want a newer car.
Not unusual no need to rationalise with tax or whatever

Petrol or diesel or EV?
What sort of mileage annually?
Do you commute? How far?
Can you charge at home?

You're looking at smaller crossovers.
You like them?
Drive any?
Crossover for a reason?
You could probably come up a class in a hatch for same money and get a better car but if you like small crossovers then that's what to buy. It's your money.

Got a budget?

tintar

I agree, my car would probably last many more years. It’s great to drive and smooth when it works well, but it has fallen in reliability. NCT failures and two visits a year to the mechanic is now the norm, which is time consuming.

I plan on paying in cash for the reasons you mentioned, rather than paying monthly with interest.

My usage is city driving and weekend breaks around Dublin. I use the DART to get into work.

Best,
/t

Idbatterim wrote: »

Look the tax thing makes sense to an extent, if paying high rates of motor tax , you can argue what “ high” is. But in my opinion , high tax is like e1494,1809. But e514 for your current car. Let’s say newer one is e280. Saving e234 year motor tax. Depends on the value of the car. But if you buy say a 15k car , you have to pay interest too unless you have cash. You will lose ten times the annual difference in motor tax on depreciation , the minute you drive it out the dealers door ( might be slightly different if buying private ). Even say a few year old car, that may well need tyres replacing too in a year. Just be careful , you will save on certain usually very small costs by going newer. But the real costs of motoring are typically depreciation and loan interest. Not having to replace a battery for sixty euro etc ...

Do you do much mileage ? Is it city or motorway driving etc ?

Wildly Boaring

So very little mileage and no commute.

EV or petrol.
Might not do the mileage to justify EV.
Petrol

Set on crossover?
Budget?

Idbatterim

Wildly Boaring wrote: »

So very little mileage and no commute.

EV or petrol.
Might not do the mileage to justify EV.
Petrol

Set on crossover?
Budget?

If full ev works. Fuel and tax virtually free. Way less to go wrong than petrol or diesel. I do think now , if people are going to change and want savings in certain areas. I’d go the full hog and pocket massive savings. Not mess around with ice...

tintar

Really appreciate your comments folks. After a bit of research based on @colm_mcm's advice, I've found dealer markups for the cars I've shortlisted are usually between 1500-500. Let's see how the negotiations go :-)

Best,
/t