With the world economy in meltdown, not as many people are buying new and used cars – and this is great news for you, the customer as there are bargains to be had.
Adrian Hearn has been scouring the net for some unbelievable news and used car deals.
Last week’s Top Gear saw Richard Hammond and James May ridicule Jeremy Clarkson for the massive depreciation he has suffered with his Aston Martin V8 Vantage.
But there’s a serious point to this – and it’s great news for buyers looking for a bargain. With the economy approaching recession, less people are on the lookout for a new car which lowers demand and puts the power in the hands of the customer.
With new cars such as the Vauxhall Insignia and Ford Fiesta launched, many dealers are struggling to shift the old Vectra and previous generation Fiesta – meaning there’s a great deal to be had on a new car if you aren’t desperate for the latest model.
Thirsty 4x4s and luxury cars have also suffered in the new and used car market thanks to high road tax and exorbitant fuel prices. But due to the global economic slowdown, manufacturing has been reduced which means less demand for oil and, as a result, lower fuel prices. A couple of months ago petrol and diesel were around £1.20 and £1.30 a litre respectively but are now about 20-30p a litre less.
So while the cost of motoring has – albeit slightly – gone down, the cost of cars has gone down more. Here is a selection of amazing deals to be had on new and used cars.
Used car bargains (three years old or less)
Performance cars
Lamborghini Gallardo Coupe Cost new: £123,000 Cost used: from £69,500 The Gallardo is the most popular Lamborghini ever thanks to its stunning looks, blistering performance and daily driveability. Couple in the fact Lamborghini is owned by Audi and it’s got the benefit of reliability – something not always associated with supercars. Search Auto Trader and you’ll find three year old models from around £70k. You’ll get 0-62mph in 4 seconds and a top speed of 196mph.
Aston Martin Vanquish S V12 2+2 Cost new: £182,095 Cost used: from £76,990 Before it was discontinued in July 2007, the Vanquish was the flagship Aston Martin – an effortlessly beautiful grand tourer with of the best soundtracks thanks to an amazing 520bhp V12 engine. Zero to 62mph takes 4.6 seconds and it will run out of oomph at 200mph. And you can get a three year old model from a prestige dealer for £100,000 off its new price.
Ferrari F430 Cost new: £128,650 Cost used: from £75,000 With a 4.3-litre V8 engine developing 483bhp and 343lb/ft of pulling power, the Ferrari F430 is a quick machine, despatching 62mph in 4 seconds and hitting 197mph. It also benefits from what is known as the E-diff – an F1-like device which varies the amount of pulling power sent to each wheel for optimum handling. Many of the used F430s on Auto Trader have ceramic brakes – a £10,500 optional extra.
Bentley Continental GT Cost new: £120,000 Cost used: from £60,000 Bentley may be owned by Volkswagen, but they are still built in the UK, at the company’s factory in Crewe. A favourite among the footballing fraternity, the Continental GT gets a 6-litre W12 engine which churns out an impressive 560bhp. This enables the luxury Brit to accelerate from 0-62mph in 4.8 seconds before reaching 190mph. The Bentley is a beautifully built car – and you can get a three-year old model for half the £120,000 new price.
Land Rover Range Rover Sport 4.2 Supercharged Cost new: £58,000 Cost used: from £31,000 Many new cars have joined the ranks of the luxury 4x4 market but the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport are still the kings. While many 4x4s are criticised for their looks, the Range Rover Sport is seen by many as the best looking. And even though it doesn’t happen often, they’re also impressive performers off-road. You can pick up a two-year-old Range Rover Sport for £31,000.
Land Rover Range Rover TDV8 Vogue Cost new: £69,000 Cost used: 2008 model from £40,000 It’s an even better time to look at a Range Rover – you can find a 2008 diesel model for £29,000 less than it was when it was purchased eight months ago. The V8 diesel engine accelerates the RR from 0-62mph in 8.6 seconds and on to a top speed of 124mph.
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Porsche Cayenne Turbo Tiptronic S Cost new: £77,000 Cost used: 2007 model from £46,000 When it was launched in 2003, the Cayenne was a controversial car with many undecided on its design. However, everyone agreed on its performance – it’s truly staggering, with the Turbo capable of accelerating from 0-62mph in 5.1 seconds before running out of steam at 171mph. And remember, this is a 4x4 – and it’s a very good off-roader. You can find a year-old model for £30,000 off the book price on Auto Trader.
The biggest savings are to be made with bigger engined cars, but this doesn’t mean you can’t find a great deal on a more conventional family car.
Search Auto Trader and you’ll find one-year old BMW 3 Series with £10,000 off the list price or a 2008 VW Golf R32 (normally £23,000) for less than £17,500.
New cars
Here’s just a small selection of bargains found on Auto Trader’s New Car Search.
Vauxhall Vectra 1.8i VVT Exclusiv List price: £15,995 On Auto Trader: £9,495 The Vauxhall Vectra is about to be replaced by the Insignia so it’s the perfect time to get a superb deal on a Vectra. While never the most inspiring car, you can get a NEW model for £6,500 less than the normal price. It’s well equipped, reliable and has four EuroNCAP crash test stars.
Honda S2000 List price: £28,196 On Auto Trader: £19,996 The Honda S2000 is a great roadster capable of 150mph. It has a sparkling chassis and superb gearbox which enables stunning cornering and handling. While it may not have the best looking interior and fairly high running costs, it is a good car. And these shortfalls mean you can get a great deal – saving more than £8,000 over the list price.
Ford Fiesta 1.25 Studio Climate List price: £10,050 On Auto Trader: £6,299 It’s just been replaced, but there are plenty of previous generation un-registered Ford Fiestas for sale – and this means there’s a great chance for a bargain. Up to its recent re-launch, the Fiesta remained one of the UK’s best selling cars, testament to the supermini’s quality. And those looking for a hot hatch bargain, look no further than the Fiesta ST500 which has a list price of £15,000 but new ones on Auto Trader are going for £11,500.
Aston Martin Vanquish S V12 2+2
Ferrari F430
Land Rover Range Rover Sport 4.2 Supercharged
Porsche Cayenne Turbo Tiptronic S 
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