For buyers searching for the best used car deals in the UK, a new study of the second-hand car market from ATS Euromaster reveals location plays a key role in finding the best offer, with prices for the same car model varying significantly.
Key findings from the analysis conducted on nationwide online car listings include:
The cheapest places to buy a used car are three locations in Scotland, as well as two locations in the South West and Northamptonshire, respectively.
• Kilwinning
• Kilmarnock
• Prestwick
• Gloucester
• Wellingborough
On the other hand, buyers looking for the best deal should make sure they do their due diligence before purchasing from the most expensive places to buy a used car revealed in the study:
• Chelmsford
• Orgreave
• Chatham
• Winsford
• Acton
Popular used car models were revealed to have shocking cost differences based on the location they’re purchased from. The BMW 3 Series, a popular model that retains as much as 23% of its value after 140,000 miles, can cost up to £5,605 more if bought from Newton-le-Willows as opposed to Kirkcaldy, based on comparing car listings with the same mileage (35,000mi). Similarly, a land Rover Discovery with a mileage of 38,000mi can cost up to £3,255 more if bought from Chelmsford as opposed to Kilwinning.
The ATS Euromaster research also revealed the most sought-after used car model of 2019. Based on Q3 sales, the Ford Fiesta was revealed as the UK’s most sold car, with over 271,000 sales, followed closely by the Ford Focus, another leading used car model with 226,892 sales as of Q3 last year. A previous national favourite, the VW Golf slipped down the rankings of the most sold used car models, with 201,831 sales as of Q3.
In the study, ATS Euromaster also revealed useful information for prospective buyers with a tight budget. The cheapest type of car most commonly found on sale is the Hatchback, and buyers can find a Vauxhall Astra for as little as £1,500 if they make their purchase in Peterborough. Commenting on the study findings, Grahame Wright, Group Marketing Director at ATS Euromaster said:
“Most prospective buyers who are on the market for a used car are looking for the best deal possible; our research of online second-hand car listings shows that you don’t have to compromise on quality, you just need to buy from the right location. Depending on what car model you’re after, you could be a train ride away from saving more than £5k on a BMW 3 Series (comparing prices in Kirkcaldy to Newton-le-Willows for example). Overall, our nationwide research of the used car market shows the cheapest places to buy from are three locations in Scotland – Kilwinning, Kilmarnock and Prestwick, as well as Gloucester and Wellingborough. On the other hand, if you’re looking for a Ford Fiesta, one of the most popular car models in the UK, you may want to do your due diligence to avoid paying more than necessary – the cheapest area on average to buy a Fiesta, Layer de la Haye, near Colchester, is just a stone’s throw away from the most expensive one, Billericay, in Essex.”
The infographic based on the research findings is a great resource to help you find the best car deal in the UK:
