More tips from those in the know..

9. Be thorough. Find out about the servicing costs and extended warranty options before you commit to buy.

10. Don't do a deal on your first visit. All dealerships have a large margin to play with so don't leave until you're sure you have the best figure the dealer can offer.

11. Make sure the quote you get from dealers is comprehensive i.e. Check your quote is inclusive of all registration costs, RFL (road tax) of twelve months not six and onward delivery charges if applicable.

12. Scrutinize apparently amazing offers. Often dealers will offer incentives such as 0% finance, cashback and free insurance; but these deals are always subsidised by other costs on the car. In other words you may pay more in total for your car if the incentives are too attractive.

13. Be suspicious of low APR. The 0% finance deal you get may seem very attractive, but the amount you have to borrow will be higher as the cost of the car has increased to subsidise the low APR. Furthermore, you may find yourself putting down a heftier deposit when signing this sort of deal.

14. Stay in touch with manufacturer news. If there's a new model due to launch, a dealer will offer you impressive terms on the outgoing model. If you're not too bothered about having the latest models, there will be some great deals to be had on any model due to be discontinued.

15. Think about resale. Metallic colours hold their value best, while residuals are not so high on 'solid' colours like red or white.

16. Think about resale. Investigate running costs thoroughly i.e. fuel consumption, CO2 levels, insurance group and taxation class. A car which excels in these areas is likely to have a strong residual value.