Buyers guide to pre-registered cars

While buying a brand new car might be alluring, and being the first driver registered to the car certainly has its benefits, it’s not necessarily the right choice for you. Before you make you decide, read our guide to pre-registered vehicles to see if it’s the best option for your needs.

When it’s time to buy a new car, it can seem like there are too many options. What brand, finance or no finance, trim, transmission, colour, new or used – all things that need to be considered before you find your perfect motor. One option that is often misunderstood or overlooked is whether to buy a pre-registered car. But what does that mean, what are the benefits, and when might a pre-registered car be the better option?

What is a pre-registered car?

As the name suggests, a pre-registered car is a new car that has been registered to the dealership before it is sold. This puts it into a unique position, falling somewhere between a new car and a used car, and taking benefits and down-sides from both. Other terms you might have heard for pre-registered are ‘nearly new’, ‘ex-demo’ or ‘delivery mileage cars’. Whilst registered to the dealership, these cars are often used as showroom or test drive vehicles, or courtesy and staff cars. This means they have often only been used for short journeys, maintained well and can have very low mileage.

What are the benefits?

The main benefit of buying a pre-registered car is the price. All cars depreciate heavily as soon as they are registered, and by the end of their first year, a new car will have lost an average of 40% of its original value. This means that pre-registered cars are priced far lower while still essentially being in their new car condition.

On top of that, pre-reg cars will often have lower mileage than other used cars, having only been used for short journeys like test drives, or as courtesy cars. That means they’ll most likely have relatively low mileage for their age. And because they’re used for customers, they’ll have been cleaned and looked after to a high standard by the dealer. For the same reason, pre-registered cars are generally high-spec with all the kit.

Should I consider buying a pre-registered car?

While it’s not the right choice for everyone, a pre-registered car could be the best, cheapest way for you to get the car you want. If you’re looking for a specific, high-spec version, but have no preference for things like colour, a pre-registered car might be worth looking into. Also, if you’re not bothered by being the second owner, but are working to a budget, buying a pre-reg car might give you access to a higher trim-level than buying new, without having to go for an older used car.

If this has piqued your interest in pre-registered cars and would like to see what’s in stock, visit our website. Or, if you have more questions about whether a pre-registered car might be the right choice for you, our client advisors would be happy to help.