All these sexy cars around and I bet you’re thinking “well, at least I can dream.” You probably think it’ll take a lifetime of saving to get your dream car, and you can set foot in it, put it in gear just in time for your life cycle to expire! But looking at being financially savvy is one thing if you want a cheap banger, but if you want a top of the line make with all the features and the tech to go with it, what have you got to do?
Well, the answer is that dealerships will self-register a lot of cars. Looking at the motor industry, the rewards dealers get are based on incentives, meaning that they can get more money from these than selling a vehicle to a customer. But this does mean that you may not get the most recent number plate on the car. The reason dealers self-register vehicles is because the manufacturers measure the success based on the numbers that they shift, so they have to keep factories running at a certain level. If a manufacturer shifts more cars off the production line than are being sold of a particular model, these will be offered at a discount to dealers. Dealers then self-register so the salespeople can hit their monthly sales target.
As a result of self-registration, buyers looking for a new car can get these ones for cheaper than the recommended price. This is a steal if you are able to stump up enough funds, even if you’ve got bad credit. There are car title loans and auto equity loans you can get that will give you enough to cover your upfront costs. The big issue with these types of cars is that you aren’t the first person to own the car, so technically it isn’t brand new anymore, so the value is reduced somewhat, making it a problem if you want to sell it on in the future. But because self-registered cars are dead weight on the forecourts, you can negotiate a decent price. And from your perspective, it’s important to know that the dealer has already made their money on the car, and anything on top is a bonus. So you can go for a really low asking price safe in the knowledge that you could get it.
The impact this has on the other cars is worth noting because the effect is felt all the way down the chain. A car that is sold for cheap is seen as less attractive, and so the manufacturers may not make as much money as anticipated and will gradually wind down production. It’s a fine balance to make. If you’re looking for a car that is deemed quite rare, and you can spot a bargain, it’s your chance to go for it. Getting a car for next to nothing is achievable, depending on the car that you’re after. But as a way to get a good model, and as long as you don’t mind having a 15 or 16 plate, it’s a steal!