Drivers are leaving around £1,135 on the table when buying a new car, according to new research from Insider Car Deals. The average achievable discount on a new car is £5,753, but many buyers fail to secure these savings due to the disappearance of independent price guides.
Expert Insight on the Issue
Pat Hoy, founder of Insider Car Deals, explained: "This is a story about what happens when the independent reference points consumers used to rely on quietly disappear. PCP finance has made the underlying numbers far harder to follow, and the gap between an informed and uninformed buyer has never been wider."
Average Achievable Discounts by Vehicle Type
- Electric vehicles: Around 12.9 per cent
- Family SUVs: Above 10.4 per cent, with best deals exceeding 24 per cent
- Premium models: 15 to 20 per cent when combining manufacturer support stacks and dealer margin
- Small cars: Eight to nine per cent
Mr Hoy noted that buyers only see the list price and quote in front of them. "Dealers know their wholesale cost, their volume-bonus position, the manufacturer's current cash incentives and where they stand against monthly targets," he added. This information asymmetry means that without independent guidance, consumers often pay more than necessary.
