5 reasons to choose a nearly new car

What is a nearly new car?

When we talk about car buying, the decision is usually choosing between a brand-new or used car. But did you know that there’s a third option? Nearly new cars are typically less than three years old – many less than a year old – and have only a few thousand miles on the clock. Dealerships purchase these vehicles to be part of their demonstration fleet or to add to their ‘pre-registered’ stock so they can hit manufacturer sales targets. This means they’ll likely have only ever been driven by the dealership’s team or used as a courtesy car.

In short, nearly new cars offer all the perks of a car that’s just rolled off the factory floor but with the cost savings of a used vehicle.

And that’s not all; here are five more reasons why you should consider buying a nearly new car:

1. New car quality without new car depreciation

One of the biggest downsides of buying a brand-new car is depreciation. While all cars lose value over time, the drop is most dramatic in the first year. Buying a nearly new car that’s over a year-old means that you can make a saving on the purchase price but also miss out on the most severe depreciation drop. You’ll also be able to take advantage of the perks that come with the latest models including the quality of build and high-end tech – it’s the best of both worlds!

2. Higher spec vehicles

As nearly new cars are often used as demo vehicles by dealerships, it makes sense that they choose models with features that they think will be the most popular. While you won’t be able to customise your car as you would with a model fresh from the factory, the dealership will often choose a high level of trim that’s designed to impress. This means you might get to enjoy perks like reverse cameras, heated mirrors, touchscreen displays or sunroofs.

3. Low mileage

While there’s no guarantee that a nearly new car will never develop a fault, most models will only have driven a few thousand miles on a clock – a lot less than some other used cars on the market. This means it’s likely to be in good condition. Even so, it’s important to make sure that you still carry out the normal buying checks including looking over its service history, bodywork, wheels, and tyres as usual.

4. Value for money

One of the most common reasons for choosing a used car over a brand-new model is the cost saving. The same is true of a nearly new car, it’ll have an extra name on the registration documents and so its resale value will be lower. That means you can usually pick up a nearly new car at a good price. And as an added bonus, if it’s less than three years old, then you’ll also save on MOT costs.

5. Ready to drive

Another potential advantage for nearly new car buyers is that there’s no need to break in the engine. While gradually warming up a new car is less of a concern these days, you can enjoy the peace of mind that comes with knowing your wheels have already been out on the road and the engine has been put through its pace without issue. Depending on the vehicle’s age, it could also still be under the manufacturer’s warranty so problems can be resolved quickly if anything does go wrong.