Parker’s Car Price Guide: August trends, best buys and great deals

Could Ford’s change of naming strategy have been responsible for the Vauxhall Astra knocking the Ford Focus off the top of the registration charts in June? June was the month when the old Focus C-MAX was discontinued and the new Ford C-MAX was launched. The original ‘Focus C-MAX’ was counted as a Focus in the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders figures, but the new ‘Ford C-MAX’ registers as a model in its own right. Maybe a few hundred examples of the C-MAX counted as Focuses would have helped the overall best seller for the last seven years retain its position at number one. But if Vauxhall had chosen the same strategy in 1999 and called its people carrier the ‘Astra Zafira’ perhaps the course of history would have changed and Astra would have been king of the sales charts for the last seven years. But with Ford introducing a seven-seat S-MAX in its range last year, switching to C-MAX was an obvious move, even if it means occasionally surrendering the top spot in the monthly sales charts to Vauxhall.

SMALL CARS:

New: New Amica special edition is good value
Usually we include deals on pre-registered cars, or interesting finds at car supermarkets. In a break with tradition we’re including the list price of a new car. The Hyundai Amica Atlantic costs £4995 on the road and comes with a five-year/ unlimited mileage warranty. Based on the Amica 1.1 GSi, it comes with a CD/radio, electric front windows, central locking, 50:50 split/folding rear seats, a driver’s airbag, power steering and ABS. The Amica is getting on a bit so won’t feel as fresh as more modern small cars like the Toyota Aygo, Kia Picanto or Fiat Panda, but is ideal as a cheap four-seat runabout with the back-up of a huge warranty.

Used: Beware of sky-high prices on Honda Logo

Before Honda launched the excellent Jazz in 2002, it sold a small car in the UK called the Logo. This was a far more conventional than the Jazz, but still has sound engineering and great reliability. Don’t be fooled by dealers asking sky-high prices for the Logo. We saw one advertised at a main dealer for £5000, and another slightly older, but with lower mileage at an independent dealer for £1795. The Logo fits the bill of a reliable runabout, but don’t fall victim to dealers chancing their arms.

FAMILY CARS:

New: Great deals on last-of-the-line Lagunas
Now could be a good time to look for a cheap new Renault Laguna. A new model is due in October and Renault dealers will be keen to sell any registered models of the outgoing car. One of the cheapest one we found was a 56-plate 2.0 dCi Dynamique for £11,000. The list price on this car is £18,870, and its 2.0-litre diesel engine is one of the best on the market. If you dig around there is no shortage of high-specification models, including the practical Sport Tourer estate with price reductions of thousands of pounds. Asking price on a 2.0 dCi Initiale Sport Tourer at one dealer was £19,995 instead of £23,920.

Used: Toledo hatchback at tempting prices
The latest SEAT Toledo hasn’t sold in huge numbers, but it is a versatile and comfortable family car. It’s possible to find low-to-average mileage cars at two years old for well under £8000. A 1.6 Reference model, which we found from £7499, is well equipped, including a CD/radio, cruise control, front, side and curtain airbags, dual-zone climate control, fold-flat rear seats and under-floor storage compartments in the luggage area. The Toledo will seat five adults comfortably and has huge luggage space.

4X4S AND PEOPLE CARRIERS:

New: Expect £5000 off a pre-reg Shogun Sport
The Mitsubishi Shogun Sport has built up a small but loyal following over the last few years as an affordable family car with good towing and off-road ability. The Shogun Sport is about to be discontinued in the UK, and there are some significant discounts available. The Trojan model, fitted with air conditioning, electric windows, CD/radio and twin airbags, has a list price of £20,995, but dealers are selling models already registered but with delivery mileage for £15,995. The 114bhp diesel engine may not seem up to the job, but customers can have an aftermarket performance upgrade carried out buy the dealer.

Used: Versatile five-seat Focus C-MAX for £6k
Not everyone choosing a ‘people carrier’ needs to carry more than five people, and there is plenty of demand for those that are just a more versatile version of a conventional hatchback. The Ford Focus C-MAX, launched in 2004, was the car that introduced us to the improved interior quality we are now experiencing in the latest Ford products. It is also very good to drive offering excellent ride comfort and neat handling. We found a 33,000 mile 1.6 diesel at a car supermarket for £6000, and several lower-mileage petrol models for slightly higher.

SPECIALIST CARS:

New: Whopping £14k off a new S-Type diesel
Jaguar dealers are counting down the days until the new XF replaces the S-Type. We found one offering an 07 S-type 2.7D SE for £20,995. List price is more than £34,000. It was loaded with kit as standard. Bad news is it was a manual, but at this price still a huge bargain.

Used: Eight-cylinder Passat an unexpected treat
Few people realise that there was a version of the last generation Volkswagen Passat with an eight-cylinder engine from 2001-03. The Passat W8 has four-wheel drive and is a comfortable high-performance saloon or estate. Expect to pay from £8000 for good examples. Auto gearbox preferred.