Parker’s: November car trends, best buys and great deals

There wasn’t much in the way of comfort for car manufacturers in the September market with new car registrations. However, although some manufacturers sold fewer cars than in September 2007, their declines in sales are lower than the amount the market has fallen. A handful of manufacturers recorded increases over September last year, with perhaps Audi as the best performer. Its rivals, Mercedes-Benz and BMW have recorded a similar number of new car registrations as in 2007, while Jaguar has made big improvements this year, although in overall volume terms it has started from a much lower base than the German brands. Mixed fortunes elsewhere in the premium car sector, with Volvo boasting good sales in 2008. Saab, however, is down heavily compared with 2007, and according to our motor trade sister publication AM has just embarked on an offer for retail customers where they can buy a new Saab for the same price as Saab staff.

SMALL CARS:
New: Pay less than £5000 for a pre-reg Ka
Ford will soon begin marketing its all-new Ka model before its introduction in the UK in January 2009, so it means dealers are keen to see the back of any new versions of the current Ka. We found a Ford main dealer offering a 08-plate 1.3i Studio with five miles on the clock for £4500. The Studio is the most basic version and comes with a radio/cassette player as standard (remember those?). But the Ka has been a popular choice as great value transport for hundreds of thousands of drivers since its launch in 1996, and for these reasons the next model will have a tough act to follow.

Used: Used Citroen C3 cuts the cost of idling
In these times of high fuel prices every genuine fuel saving measure can make a difference to our budgets. Citroën was one of the first manufacturers in recent times to offer a car that switches off the engine when it would normally be burning fuel idling. The C3 Stop & Start uses a semi-automatic gearbox and, once the engine is warm, the car switches off when stopped at traffic lights or busy junctions. The engine switches back on immediately when needed, so if you only need a small car and spent time in town traffic, the 1.4-litre C3 Stop & Start could make a big difference to your fuel bill.

FAMILY CARS:
New: Save up to £6300 on run-out Mégane
Renault’s Mégane is about to be replaced by a new model. With the current downturn in the new car market, as well as Renault’s exceptionally difficult year for new car registrations (they were down more than 23% by the end of September), it’s worth looking for bargain priced versions of the outgoing model. We found several cars at Renault main dealers that had been registered early this year and still hadn’t been sold. The best value we found was a mid-spec 1.6 Dynamique model for £8000. This represents a saving of more than £6000 over the official on-the-road price, and remember, it’s worth trying to haggle further.

Used: Toledo hatchback is a sensible used buy
The latest shape SEAT Toledo is less common than its predecessors, but represents good value and practical family transport. It was launched in the UK early in 2005 and looks similar to the current SEAT Leon and SEAT Altea. The Toledo is a roomy car with excellent luggage space. Unlike earlier versions, the model launched in 2005 is a hatchback. It is available with the same engines as other medium-sized seats, and we found a 105bhp 1.9TDI model with slightly higher than average mileage for less than £6000. This would be a better choice than the 1.6 petrol version that feels like it has to work harder when accelerating.

4X4/PEOPLE CARRIERS:
New: Franchised dealers discount new Captiva
Chevrolet is offering a diesel version of its Captiva 4x4 for the price of a petrol model until the end of the year. Chevrolet dealers are now offering diesel 2.0VCDi five-seat models for £16,995 on the road instead of £18,445. This saving is well worth having, but don’t be afraid of asking for a bigger discount. The offer only covers the entry-level five seat diesel, but many customers will appreciate the extra practicality of seven-seat versions. Ask the dealer if the more expensive models could be discounted by a similar amount, or if there are any in stock already registered but unsold with even better deals.

Used: BMW-designed Range Rover diesel from £13k
Once the peerless performer for resale values of both 4x4s and luxury cars, it is now a long time since the Range Rover has been flavour of the month with the used car trade. Even diesel models — which should be easier to sell — are lingering on forecourts. We found a 2003 example of the high-specification HSE with 57,000 miles on the clock being offered for £13,000. The BMW-sourced diesel isn’t particularly quick with 174bhp produced in this heavy vehicle, but should be good for 25mpg which is as good as can be expected in something so large. It is still a classy car and with a beautifully designed interior.

SPECIALIST:
New: Soft-top MX-5 with big pre-reg discounts
There seems to be plenty of choice of pre-registered Mazda MX-5 models with the standard cloth roof at main dealers. The best value model we saw was a 1.8i Option Pack version — which still doesn’t have air conditioning — but at just under £13k represents a £3000-plus saving over list price.

Used: Mercedes-Benz roadster for less than £5k
The Mercedes-Benz SLK, launched in 1996, was the first modern car to use a retractable electric hard roof. It is now possible to find good examples of this two-seat convertible advertised at less than £5000. Not all of SLKs came with air conditioning and it’s best to find one with leather seats and automatic transmission to make it easier to sell on.

Manufacturer promotions
Manufacturers are offering new car buyers a variety of promotions from October through to December. Saab buyers can save thousands on their next car, because the Swedish manufacturer is granting all buyers the special discounts usually reserved for its staff. This means you can save £2820 when buying a new 9-3 Convertible (Linear SE 1.8t) for just £23,765 and there's £1294 off a 9-3 Saloon (Airflow 1.9TID 120HP), now for £18,666. A 0% APR typical offer is available with all Renault cars, apart from the Clio Campus, new Megane hatchback and Koleos. There is also a free upgrade to be had with the Fiat Grande Punto and Ford is giving away extras with the Fiesta, C-MAX, Focus and Fusion. Buyers can also get a year’s free insurance when they buy a new Vauxhall Corsa Club or Corsa a/c.