Saab (OT)

[dennis]

I have bought new cars at knock down prices, they are called pre regs. They are effectively delivery mileage "second hand" cars.

It happens because of the way discounts are given to dealers if they sell a minimum number of cars in a month. The discount applies to all the cars they sell so if they are a few short at the end they will discount stuff below cost to get the discount on all of them.

Once you understand this you can choose what car you want and look for a dealer that is just short of his target and get a huge discount on new.

I have managed 30% in the past, so actually cheaper than the second hand low mileage cars.

[dennis]

Possibly the worst way to get a car. TNP know everything though.

[Jim GM4DHJ ...]

you been conned by that then ....A new second hand car I would be wanting PLENTY off .....

[nothanks]

I've had a 9-3, 900 and (until fairly recently) a 9-5 Aero estate - they were good at the time and I was sad to sell the 9-5, which was a lovely, big, comfortable and surprisingly quick car. I liked it so much that, when I decided to change it, I looked for one of the last 9-5 Aero estates but the economics of road tax and fuel consumption, with concerns about support, made me go for something else.

[Andrew]

Especially when there is a regular flow of ex-'motability' cars constantly hitting the 2nd hand car market.

[Andrew]

That's because summer has arrived, and all the convertibles kept as second cars, have come out of winter storage.

[Andrew]

If you had had a head-on collision, the A&E staff would have known what car you had been driving (mini, 1100,..) because the ignition key would be embedded in your left knee.

[GB]

That's the least of it. When I was at uni the local paper reported a head-on crash between a Mini and a Jaguar XJ6. The Mini driver was pronounced dead at the scene, whilst the Jag driver received treatment at the scene for minor injuries and went home.

[Jethro_uk]

Best experience (?) we had was a Ford dealer who point blank refused to arrange a test drive in an automatic version of the S-Max. Told us we could drive the manual and imagine the rest.

This was under Motability, so no question we would not have been able to complete the deal.

When my Dad work in car sales, he always had an automatic or two knocking around - as he said, any salesman that claimed they were "hard to sell" can't have been very good salesman.

[Jim GM4DHJ ...]

and now-a-days they would know it was a Toyota with the bits of metal in your face from the airbag.....I wrote off my first mini in 1970 sub frame pushed into the body and the sump but no ign sw in my knee .....sorry to ruin your story

[charles]

some time ago, autos gave very poor fuel consumption figures. But if you have to drive in rush hour, it's the way to do it.

[Jim GM4DHJ ...]

just had to do the front and rear pads on the auto mustang at 46000 miles not too bad for an automatic .......

[Jim GM4DHJ ...]

OK don't then I don't care........

[Jethro_uk]

Like 80% of drivers would notice ...

[Brian Reay]

It is pointless explaining thing to Jim, he drives old clunkers and thinks he knows everything. Oddly, he is plagued with problems others just never have- be it cars, computers, even deliveries.

[Brian Reay]

Carwow are very good. I've used them, and similar companies, in the past. Near enough instant delivery, very good discounts, always been able to get the model, colour etc I wanted. Pay small deposit on credit card and balance on delivery so no risk. (Credit card co. is liable.)

Thinking about replacing the 2 seater and will almost certainly use Carwow again.

Warranty etc is all handled by local main dealer.

[Brian Reay]

That just shows how thick you are.

[Tim+]

It certainly *used* to be the case that the ignition key could only be removed with the gear lever in reverse. It's a gear lock rather than a steering wheel lock.

It was much more secure that steering locks used at the time by contemporary cars.

Whether that's still the case I couldn't say but I don't imagine that they've removed the gear lock if the switch is still there.

Tim

[Brian Reay]

You must drive on your brakes. (An auto makes no difference, if you learn to anticipate - like good drivers do.)

[Brian Reay]

So you were driving like a mad man then as well.