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WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO BUY?
 You can secure bigger savings if you're canny about when you buy. The registration plate changes twice a year, in March and September. These are very busy months for the motor trade and the high consumer demand makes discounts less likely - with one exception, which we'll get to in a moment.
February and August are slack months and you'll find dealers are more willing to talk discounts, for two reasons. First, they will be keen to have a flow of cash coming in, even if that means settling for less profit than normal. And second, they will want to reduce stock levels in readiness for the impending, manic plate-change month.
However, you must also bear in mind that the age-identifying letter or number on the registration plate influences your new car's future value. So, buying a car in, say, February rather than March, you can expect it to be worth typically £250-£750 less.
Buying in the traditionally quiet month of December can bring savings for the same reasons. And, as with the plate change, a car registered in, say, 2001 will be worth typically £250-£500 less than an identical car registered in 2002 - despite their registration dates being separated by only a few days. Make sure the extra discount covers this discrepancy.
You can also strike it lucky by shopping at the end of the month - even in March and September. This is because manufacturers set sales targets for dealers. Reaching these targets brings dealers lucrative bonuses and if a dealer is one or two cars short of target at the end of the month, it makes financial sense to sell them for little or no profit just to earn the bonus.
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NEXT: WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO GET A DISCOUNT?
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BACK TO BUYING A CAR HOMEPAGE
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