Been looking round for a 1 year old estate car (usual suspects), prices look more expensive than pre-crimbo. Am I doing something wrong? Are there any good deals out there? There does not appear to be much stock available.

I was looking but the dealers are telling me that a lot of late plate stuff is going due to it being that much cheaper than new, and cars are always cheaper just before christmas

Worth having a look at buying new. Some manufacturers are doing amazing deals, especially on finance, to shift the new metal. Bought a brand new Golf last year for less than I would have paid for a 1 year old with 8-9k miles on it

We just bought a 55-reg Focus Zetec Estate, with 16,000 miles on the clock. It’a like a new car, it even smells new, just a coule of the tiniest of marks.
That car was £16,000 new. We paid £6000 from a dealers. That’s something like 63% depreciation. Just go a year or two older, and be more selective in your search.

Have your tried…

http://www.motorpoint.co.uk
http://www.trade-sales.co.uk

I think motorpoint had some year old petrol vectra estates for about £7k.
Yup, here you go…
http://www.motorpoint.co.uk/(S(khkybn554yxibq45adifnkqi))/Search/Stock.aspx?make=Vauxhall&model=Vectra&trim=1.8i%20VVT%20SRi%205dr&body=Estate&fuel=Unleaded&type=0

also
http://www.honestjohn.co.uk has some useful links to suppliers/brokers etc for new deals as a comparison.

Thanks for the info. I tried at the Honda dealer about a new estate, he did not really seem interested in offering any discount on a new Accord estate (probably a good thing as the boot is tiny ;-), Honda have plenty of cars to shift right?

A friends dad got a Civic Type R for £15 brand new (c.4K off RRP) from same garage, don’t they want to shift the Accord?

I have also been looking for 2.5T Mondeo Estate, but there are very few about at the moment.

It’s not like i’ve been haggling hard with garages, they just appear not to be interested.

Civics are made in the Uk and Honda have huge stocks of them to shift sat about in fields diong not very much hence the good deals on them compared to other models.

Find another dealer, yours sounds sh1t.

If you can wait a month, dealer should have a few ex-demo cars coming back, as they will be getting 09 plates in.

And prices are now going up at auctions so be quick.

Why are the prices of cars at auctions going up when the economy is going down the toilet? I belive you, but i’m interested as to why. Surely it’s supply and demand, i’d have thought the demand is on it’s arse, is supply a problem?

Auctions might be going up as people are keeping hold of their cars for longer, so supply is tricky? Prices will start going back up generally as the unsold stock gets, well, sold and not replaced by new as the manufacturers have stopped production

My Brothers been trying to sell his tourer if anyones interested:

BMW 320d SE, 2006, 55 reg
Silver, 28,000 miles
12 months MOT, 6 months tax, warranty until 16/2/09.
161 bhp, excellent fuel economy, Band D road tax (£150).
Cruise control, rear parking distance control, multi function steering wheel, roof rails, anthracite cloth seats
ISOFIX fittings

Lives in Glasgow if anyone wants a look.
£12,499

Used prices are going up for a few reasons I think including people thinking they can’t afford a new car and hence buying used instead. At all levels this pushes prices up which affects the overall market. Also people can’t get finance and so are spending the money they have (previously a deposit) on second hand cars.