Nearly new cars for sale

If you are looking for that new-car experience, with the added benefits of a long warranty and huge cost-saving, BuyaCar is the best place to find deals on nearly new cars. Pre-registered, ex-demonstrator and nearly new models, often with under 100 miles on the odometer, mean savings of thousands of pounds, so find your perfect nearly new car with us today.

What is a nearly new car?

A nearly new car is one that has been registered with the DVLA by the dealer, so it has already been assigned a registration number and is ready to go. Dealers do this to boost their sales figures at the end of a month or quarter to meet sales targets set by the manufacturer, which earns them a financial bonus. Dealers know they can easily sell nearly new cars, and the bonus they have received helps to off-set the attractive discounted prices they are sold at. Understandably, demand for nearly new cars is strong, so if you see a model advertised that you like the look of, it's best to act quickly to snap up a deal, because it’s unlikely to be around for long.

Is a nearly new car still essentially a new car?

Quite often, nearly new cars have fewer than 100 miles on the clock, but this is far less important than the car’s age. As the car has been registered by a dealer, that's the point when the clock started ticking on the manufacturer’s warranty and when the car's first MoT will be due. That doesn’t mean you should avoid such cars if it’s more than a year since they were registered, as this knowledge could help you negotiate more money off the asking price. Do your homework, check the date of registration and don’t be lulled into assuming a car is only weeks old if it still has that new-car smell inside.

Are nearly new, ex-demonstrator and pre-registered cars all the same thing?

Yes, by definition a nearly new car is a pre-registered one. If you're in the market for a nearly new car, you may also see some cars listed as ex-demo, too. These cars are often worth a look, as they're ordered by the dealer with the latest, most desirable equipment to show-off when a potential buyer comes in for a test drive in order to encourage new-car buyers to order more optional extras.

Ex-demonstrator cars tend to have covered more mileage than pre-registered ones, although dealers often sell them before it creeps over 1000. That slightly higher mileage is typically countered by the more generous levels of equipment ex-demo cars are usually blessed with, meaning prices might be similar to a pre-reg car with no options but barely any mileage.

How long is the warranty on a nearly new car?

There is no set answer to this as it depends upon two factors – when the car was registered with the DVLA and how long the manufacturer’s warranty lasts in total. Manufacturer warranty lengths are typically three, five or seven years long from the point of registration, so a nearly new car will have lost that period of time while it’s been sat unsold on the dealer’s forecourt.

When you buy a nearly new car, you are entitled to the balance of the warranty period, but check the small print as some benefits, such as breakdown cover, may only apply to the first keeper, which will be the car dealer itself. Manufacturer warranties usually include a mileage cap, which some owners may exceed before the time period of the warranty ends. This isn’t usually a concern with a nearly new car as it’s unusual that they will have covered many miles in the first place.