Bagging a top bargain can halve a year’s depreciation on a new car, according to research .
Most motorists know buying a new car is an expensive process not only due to the dealership price, but also because the value nosedives the moment it is driven off the forecourt. In most cases thousands of pounds are wiped of a vehicle’s value the moment it takes to the street.
Price comparison website Moneysupermarket.com claims that by looking at cars to buy over the internet and through other cheaper alternatives than a dealership, consumers can effectively cut depreciation in the first year by as much as £3,000.
The list price of a Fiat Punto Hatchback 1.2 Grande Active, one of the internet site's most popular models, is £7,989 while the car itself can be bought for just £5,399 by shopping around, a saving of over £2,500.
"Our research shows buying a car online is a shrewd move," confirms John Sexton, head of cars at the internet site.
"Not only will consumers save time and effort by not having to traipse around a number of car showrooms battling salesmen for a bargain, they will also benefit by literally thousands of pounds through shopping around at home on the internet," John Sexton said.
Mr Sexton said, "Depreciation and loss of value in the early years of owning a vehicle was one of the "worst aspects of buying a car", but agreed that a shrewd purchase could go some way to lessening the blow."
"Buying wisely can reduce your loss [through depreciation] drastically if you decide to sell the vehicle at the end of the first year a pretty good result and a sound way to buy," he added,
