You've probably done the sensible thing testing the T/A
Just don't drive an Abarth now or you will change your mind!
Just don't drive an Abarth now or you will change your mind!
General 1.4 to Twin Air
- Thread starter Littala
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General 1.4 to Twin Air
keeforelli
Member
I take it this is a serious response & not sarcasm?
Me too. My first and only brand new car was the worst i've owned. Numerous faults including airbags, coils, alternator belts & pulleys failing, electrical glitches, fuel supply problems. Plus it cost nearly £200 a month and had lost £4000-£4500 in 18 months.
Buying used means i can save thousands, pay less per month & hopefully rule out duff cars by looking at owner numbers (a 4 year old car with 4 owners has probably had 4 because it's awful).
Therefore as much as it'd be nice to have the latest plate or drive a car from new, i just remember how miserable my only new car made me feel, and that knocks abit of sence into me.
i was being serious
keeforelli
Member
a car with a newer plate is worth more. not idiotic. fact.
Why? Because idiots thing that a newer number is better? Idiots, FACT!
keeforelli
Member
whatever the reason newer reg is worth more. thats the market at work for you.
cars depreciate as they age and the market recognises that the plate is the easiest identifier.
I couldn't tell. I thought for a minute you were joking & i was intrigued because the new Guilietta platform seems to have been pretty well received.
On number plates, i'm with 306maxi on it being abit daft how people are so obsessed with getting the latest plate possible. Id rather look at the age, plus mileage, condition, price, options, suitability to my needs, etc.
However i agree with keeforelli that newer plates are generally worth more because most people don't buy a car based on as many criteria as you or I may. They look purely at age, or put it at the top of their list of priorities (ie the market at work).
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It's no more stupid than a facelift model being worth more just because the lights are a slightly different shape and the trim a bit different. Both are just indicators of the vehicle's age. They are devices used by the industry to gnerate demand and used by less sophisticated buyers to value cars.
Sometimes facelift models look better and have improvements? What would be better with my car if it had a 59 plate rather than an 09 plate? NOTHING
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It will be younger.
As stated all things being equal younger cars are worth more. That's just the way it is. A number plate is an easy way to distinguish the age of a car.
Why is a 4 bedroom house worth more than a 2 bedroom house? If I'm living alone the only real difference between the 2 is one will cost more to heat and repair should anything significant happen to it.
Though I fear that's going a little too far off the original topic.
Why is a 4 bedroom house worth more than a 2 bedroom house? If I'm living alone the only real difference between the 2 is one will cost more to heat and repair should anything significant happen to it.
Though I fear that's going a little too far off the original topic.
alfatastic
New member
coming from where my interest in cars lies, Classics, quite often the older (phase one) cars are worth more. Mk1 Lotus cortina £50k M11 much less. Also my particular favourite the Alfa Bertone coupes, the original step fronts are worth more than the later 1750's whilst the last 2000,s are worth less too. But since the fiat 500 has barely changed in looks in 3 years I suspect the only ones which will be a premium will be the Arbarths and convertables, with a very early chassis number indicating the 1st few into Britain, worth very little bit more.
What I'm trying to say though is that the date of registration doesn't necessarily reflect the actual age of the car.As stated all things being equal younger cars are worth more. That's just the way it is. A number plate is an easy way to distinguish the age of a car.
Why is a 4 bedroom house worth more than a 2 bedroom house? If I'm living alone the only real difference between the 2 is one will cost more to heat and repair should anything significant happen to it.
Though I fear that's going a little too far off the original topic.
For instance our car was built in June 2009 and registered in July 09 on an 09 plate of course. But if we'd held on as some people do, it could have been on a 59 plate but wouldn't have been any younger than a car built in July and reg'd on an 09 plate. I've also seen a few cars around on Autotrader which were registered a couple of plates or years after the production run of that mark ended so plate is not an exact measure of the age of the car.
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You could say the same thing about almost anything that affects value, particularly mileage where less wear and tear will be done by motorway miles than by school run miles, generally speaking.
The valuation of cars for most people (who have a life) is not an exact science where they research build dates atc. They will rely on basic readily understood and available information. Such as the plate. It's not unreasonable.
I agree, it's daft
keeforelli
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Go to trade in any car with a dealer e.g. old Fiat for new Fiat and the first thing they ask you is registration plate and mileage. Then they get their little book out of the draw and tell you it's worth a lot less than you hoped. This is before they have even checked over your mint trade in.
Like maxi, I'm no slave to 'plate snobbery'. That said, the way the used car valuation system works means that in money terms the difference between a car registered on, say, the 31st August and an otherwise identical car registered on 1st September could be considerable. I don't think this is much of a system, but that's the way it is.
If you're keeping the car for its lifetime then obviously it's of little consequence but it will affect your wallet if you trade it in before that.
So play the system to your advantage. When buying new, buy just after the plate change to maximise resale value; when buying used, buy a car registered just before the plate change to benefit from its lower book value.
And it may be worth remembering the 'plate will also affect any 'total loss' settlement offered should you be unfortunate and have a 'write-off' when you don't have GAP cover.
If you're keeping the car for its lifetime then obviously it's of little consequence but it will affect your wallet if you trade it in before that.
So play the system to your advantage. When buying new, buy just after the plate change to maximise resale value; when buying used, buy a car registered just before the plate change to benefit from its lower book value.
And it may be worth remembering the 'plate will also affect any 'total loss' settlement offered should you be unfortunate and have a 'write-off' when you don't have GAP cover.
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What kind of a car are you driving at the moment ?
Is it an 'older' 500 or another 'smaller' Fiat ?
