On a recent visit to two of the UK’s biggest car supermarkets, I again had it confirmed that you can generalise when it comes to buying used cars. There are few rules of thumb that will guarantee you a good deal. But, with the right information to hand, you can figure out a good car from a bad car in about 5 minutes.
I took my Used Car Expert price guide with me and one salesman was particularly rude about it. That’s because they don’t like what it reveals. Here are three interesting cars I spotted:
Ford Focus C-Max
It's a Focus but fatter.So if you need more room but not for people then the C-Max fits the bill. Not a big seller which explains why it can be good value used.
Most economical: 2.0 TDCi 50.4 mpg
Best used deal: 1.6 petrol Zetec
Why buy at a supermarket? Supermarkets pick up lots of ex-motability scheme cars, which usually means automatics and low prices
UsedCarExpert .com fault checks: 32
Used Car Expert price magazine: A 2001 1.6 petrol Zetec with 9,800 average miles will be around £8,500.
Toyota Prius
A practical family car in terms of space and reliability. The clever hybrid technology means the car has zero emissions below 30 mph and the petrol engine charges the batteries when going quicker. The petrol engine MPG is unremarkable however.
Most economical: 1.5 VVTi Hybrid 65 mpg
Best used deal: 1.5 VVTi Hybrid
Why buy at a supermarket? The Prius is a popular new car for the wealthy, but has not built a used car following, so lots are sitting in Supermarkets at giveaway prices.
UsedCarExpert .com fault checks: N/A
Used Car Expert price magazine: A 2007 1.5 Hybrid with average mileage of 24,000 will cost £14,000 in dealers, but supermarkets have them for under £10,000.
Audi A6
Easily matches BMW 5-Series and Merc E. Arguably better built inside and out but the Audi badge does not have the image and that means lower prices. Avant estate is enormous.
Most economical: 2.0 Tdi 45mpg
Best used deal: 2.0 Tdi 45mpg
Why buy at a supermarket? The A6 is big so mainly bought by companies and fleet operators. They struggle to sell privately, so end up in Supermarkets at low prices.
UsedCarExpert .com fault checks: 15
Used Car Expert price magazine: A 2007 2.0 Tdi SE with average mileage of 17,000 can be found in supermarkets for less than £14,000. Dealers ask more like £16,500.