Nice New Vauxhalls

Look on used car websites and you begin to notice a trend. There is a shortage in the number of used cars on the market which has led to dramatic price hikes. In fact, the price of a used car has increased by a colossal 30% over the past year. This change in the market has occurred because of the government-funded Scrappage Scheme.

In an effort to kick-start the failing new car market the government decided to inject some much needed funds into this industry The Scrappage Scheme got underway in May and has been since hailed as a success.

The scheme not only increased new car sales, but also helped to get old, dirty cars off the road. So the scheme has also benefited the environment as old gas-guzzlers have been replaced by new fuel-efficient cars.

The Scheme has been so successful that it has even been extended until next year. Ford and Vauxhall have benefited the most during the scheme, in particular they saw great sales figures during the all important 59′ plate launch month.

However, although the scheme has helped local car dealers – and the larger manufacturers in particular, it certainly hasn’t benefited used car hunters.

The Scrappage Scheme made the prices of brand new cars seem so appealing that people rushed to scrap there old cars in return for a shiny new one. Therefore, those that would have otherwise sold on their older cars to fund the purchase of their one vehicle have decided to have them scrapped – meaning that the used car market has been severely depleted.

Inevitably, because of the lack of supply, the demand has increased and therefore prices have seen a significant rise.

In some cases, because of the great deals available on the Scrappage Scheme, some people have been able to buy a brand new car for less money than the same model a year old.

This has meant that people looking for a bargain first car are really struggling to find one. The likes of the used Vauxhall Corsa and the little Ford Ka have been scrapped in their thousands – both of these cars have always been a firm favourite among young first-time drivers as they are cheap to insure and run.

As the Scrappage Scheme has been extended the used car market won’t really change until next Spring at least. Once all funds have been exhausted then we will be able if the market returns to it usual state…but then perhaps new car sales will fall once again…

Lucy Penn

One of the most notable and best features of a Vauxhall Astra is the fact that the vehicle is quite spacious. Many Astras may to you look a little dated these days, but the most interesting thing about it is the fact that its less expensive then models of the same brand. This is in the sense that a used Vauxhall Astra will be less consuming when it comes to fuel intake, given the fact that the engine is already used. Of importance here is also the fact that you could as well come across a top of the range vehicle, with all the features of a high quality car at an unbelievably low price.

It is usually always a requirement that a vehicle owner makes sure that his vehicle is well covered by a reputable insurance company. It may come as a surprise but for an Astra the value of insurance that you will be required to pay will be relatively low. This is due to the fact that the vehicle’s price is generally low. When it comes to maintenance, there are some Vauxhall Astra schemes which will see to it that as soon as you purchase a used Vauxhall Astra, all you will need to do is remit some little amount of money with them so that whenever there are any maintenance problems, the scheme will always take care of them.

Most of you might be tempted to think that a used Astra may not have some electronic elements that you might find in a new car these days, but the truth of the matter is that it is no different from a new one, and it will come complete with even an air conditioning system. Interestingly enough, you might even be surprised to come across one fitted with anti lock braking. Buying a used one can be a great way to save money in the long run as the depreciation of the car will be far less than that of a new one.

Of course one must be careful when buying a used car especially if the car is particularly old. The really old cars can have multiple problems simply due to their age as the components in the car start to fail one buy one. In these situations you might find yourself paying more to repair the car than how much you paid for the car. To avoid this, try buying cars that are less than 10 years old as this should provide you with a few more years of life before your car starts falling to bits.

To find a used Vauxhall Astra visit carsource.co.uk and search through thousands of used Vauxhall Astra cars all over the UK.