Cash price car deals
While the vast majority of new-car buyers use some kind of finance, cash remains king for many others. It’s not hard to see why: it’s the simplest concept to understand, and while the days are gone where you could walk into a dealership with a bag of cash, it’s still very easy. These days it's easy to make a quick BACS transfer, and you can even do it from your mobile phone as long as it's below the agreed limits for your account. Paying cash can be a great way of buying your next new car. And you can search for the very best cash price car deals right here on What Car?.
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FAQs
Whether you’re buying a car on finance or cash, you can still get some great discounts. What Car?’s Target Price system is produced following extensive mystery shopping showing you the discounts you could – and should – be getting.
The dealers who sign up with Target Price appear as part of our New Car Deals service and are encouraged to match or beat these prices.
It’s worth noting that few people buy cars with cash notes these days, because online transfers are easy, quick and secure. Indeed, you can even do it from your mobile phone.
If you’re keen to pay with a bag full of cash, check with the dealership first because they may not accept it. Turning up with rolls of £50 notes is an obvious security issue for the staff and checking dozens of notes for forgeries can be tricky and time-consuming. You might find some second-hand car dealers willing to work in this way, but new car dealers are far less likely.
Cash can be the cheapest way to buy a new car because you won’t need to pay any interest. Interest, which is expressed as an annual percentage rate (APR), can vary from 0% to 10% or more. But by digging into your savings, you can save a significant amount of money over the duration of your finance agreement.
However, withdrawing your savings means you’ll not earn any interest on them. It’s for this reason that even if you’re thinking of paying cash, a 0% interest car finance deal could still be a better financial choice.
What Car?'s New Car Deals service is one of the cheapest places to buy a car, because it’s based around Target Price. This is a clear indication of what we consider to be a fair price to pay for a new car, be that the list price or the monthly PCP repayments.
Our mystery shoppers haggle for the best discounts to give you a real picture of what you should be paying.
Dealers using our Target Price system are encouraged to match – or even beat – those deals, making it easier for you to haggle for the best price.
Target Price dealers are typically traditional ‘bricks and mortar’ dealers who are set up to deliver you a good deal. By completing your details, you’ll be able to chat with a dealer to better understand your circumstances and make an inquiry or purchase quickly and easily.
It’s not the only route to a deal, though. You could go directly to a dealer, or a dealer’s website directly, or use an online broker.
Typically garages – new car dealerships – prefer finance. But many will allow you to pay using online bank transfers, too. Few new car dealerships will accept physical cash payments.
Most car dealers will expect you to haggle as part of your negotiations. This could include flexibility in the price you’ll pay, deposit contributions, the value of your part-exchange or free options or accessories.
What Car?’s Target Price is produced following extensive mystery shopping, and dealers using our system are encouraged to match, or even beat, those prices. It means you won’t have to worry about haggling.
The cheapest way to buy a new car in the UK is usually by paying cash in the form of a bank transfer. That’s because you’ll not be burdened with the interest you need to pay on most new car finance deals.
However, you should still look out for 0% finance deals – choose one of these, and your savings will stay safe in the bank and earn you interest in the process.
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