Buying a new car in the UK
Twice a year the vehicle registration plates change (March and September) which causes the vehicles with the ‘old’ plates to be reduced in price. Therefore you have two opportunities a year (February and August), to grab yourself a good deal on a 1 year old car! Dealers will drop the price of the vehicles with the old registration plates as they are then classed as ‘dated’ – making room for the vehicles with the new registration.
SHOULD YOU WAIT FOR THE NEW NUMBER PLATES TO BE ISSUED TO BUY? The car dealers will see a boost in sales in March and September as many people will want to be seen driving vehicles with the new registration plates. If you are fortunate enough to have a large amount of expendable income and wish to have the latest gadgets then waiting for the new number plate to come out would be the best time to buy for you. However, if you want a cheaper alternative to a new car then it is advisable to wait till February or August each year to buy a vehicle that has the ‘older’ registration plate.
REGISTRATION PLATES EXPLAINED Recently the registration plate system changed, the new plates are for example: XX12 XXX
- The first two letters represent where the vehicle was registered.
- The 3rd and 4th digits are numbers which identify what age the vehicle is:
If the vehicle was registered in March it would be the year e.g. XX12 XXX. However if the vehicle was registered in September it would be the year + 50 e.g. XX62 XXX
- The last three letters is a randomised combination which is collated when the vehicle is registered.
The old registration system explained
Example: X000 XXX
- The first letter identifies the age of the vehicle e.g. A = 1962 to 1963, B = 1963 – 1964, C = 1964 – 1965 and so on. The number plates changed each year in August until 1999 when it was then changed every 6 months.
- The three numbers and one letter from the final three are a random combination which is assembled when the vehicle is registered.
- Two of the final three letters represent where the vehicle was registered.
Twice a year the vehicle registration plates change (March and September) which causes the vehicles with the ‘old’ plates to be reduced in price. Therefore you have two opportunities a year (February and August), to grab yourself a good deal on a 1 year old car! Dealers will drop the price of the vehicles with the old registration plates as they are then classed as ‘dated’ – making room for the vehicles with the new registration.
SHOULD YOU WAIT FOR THE NEW NUMBER PLATES TO BE ISSUED TO BUY? The car dealers will see a boost in sales in March and September as many people will want to be seen driving vehicles with the new registration plates. If you are fortunate enough to have a large amount of expendable income and wish to have the latest gadgets then waiting for the new number plate to come out would be the best time to buy for you. However, if you want a cheaper alternative to a new car then it is advisable to wait till February or August each year to buy a vehicle that has the ‘older’ registration plate.
REGISTRATION PLATES EXPLAINED Recently the registration plate system changed, the new plates are for example: XX12 XXX
- The first two letters represent where the vehicle was registered.
- The 3rd and 4th digits are numbers which identify what age the vehicle is:
If the vehicle was registered in March it would be the year e.g. XX12 XXX. However if the vehicle was registered in September it would be the year + 50 e.g. XX62 XXX
- The last three letters is a randomised combination which is collated when the vehicle is registered.
The old registration system explained
Example: X000 XXX
- The first letter identifies the age of the vehicle e.g. A = 1962 to 1963, B = 1963 – 1964, C = 1964 – 1965 and so on. The number plates changed each year in August until 1999 when it was then changed every 6 months.
- The three numbers and one letter from the final three are a random combination which is assembled when the vehicle is registered.
- Two of the final three letters represent where the vehicle was registered.