UK motorists and car buyers are spending around £570 million over the top when it comes to a combined lifetime of vehicle purchasing, due to a lack of car-buying know how.
Each time consumers buy a vehicle they fork out around £1,500, on average, more than they should, according to a study carried out by motors.co.uk .
The research revealed this is due to a combination of; lack of knowledge, poor vehicle choices, and getting caught up in the excitement of the purchase.
Over 1,200 motorists were included in the poll, with 31 per cent stating that having the right badge on their car is the most important factor, regardless of the vehicle's history .
Roughly 28 per cent choose their cars purely on colour, while only 19 per cent see the mechanical condition of a car as top of their priority list.
Negotiating skills seemed to be a problem with those surveyed as 35 per cent admitting that their price haggling let them down.
Around 20 per cent admitted to spending too much by getting carried away in the buying situation, and only 11 per cent considered the service history as a factor .
Adrian Black, business development director for motors.co.uk said, "Our research has shown that many people have paid over the odds for their car by being attracted by add-ons like DVD systems and satnav but not taking into account factors like mileage, ownership and service history ."
