Why are 2nd hand cars so expensive?

I think they have to have a minimum of 6 months, though it may depend on the age of the car as to the length of the guarantee - you will end up paying a little extra for the piece of mind...How much extra though...

After looking in garages previously at 2nd hand cars, I gave up and ended up buying a new one - as did not believe the mileages being shown on the cars and all had a lack of proof of paperwork for mileage (or certainly ones I saw).

Thank you all for the feedback I have used the websites Sigi mentioned and that bay be the way to go
I have found a car advertised in valence a at a dealer...but still don't understand why using finance gets a 2k better deal than cash.!!
Any further information is greatly appreciated.

Hello,

Best Site I forgot to mentionend is AutoUncle.de. (AutoUncle exist als for .es and few other countries too / did not found UK) What is really good if you find a car you like you can chech for free the markedprice. and can compare with others. My BMW was one called Superprieis (means very good priced) and if you take a lock to "du sparst" mean this car is € 0000 cheaper than other cars advertised . To check the milage in Germany if you buy a car check the papers. The Service Manual tells you the services made at several milage. You get very lucky if you find some TÜV Papers (like ITV in Spain) there you can find the km (milage) at the day of checkinh the car. I was very lucky my car has only 65000km and he had all TÜV Cetificates and the car was always in a BMW Garage for Service Checks. Sometimes you can see in the Certificat of Ownership (KFZ Brief) the person who had the car before t ry to phone them and ask for the km (milage) . Hope you find something good.

I buy a Scooter Quadro 350D in Spain 8 Month before it was really good priced. But he was just prepaired for one test drive and it was a real Nightmare . Becausae I dont speak spanish and I read to late in the Internet what can be wrong. I took it in my passenger car trailer to Germany and give it to a dealer for repair. He told my everything was without any Service and broken and in bad condition. I paid more the € 2.000 for the repair. So not every good deal is really a good deal. Unfortunately, it confirms to me that it is correct what is the meaning about vehicles from Spain in Germany. So I have not been deceived in Germany.

Sorry for my bad english.

best Sigi

Thanks Sigi
I am using all 3 sites...very interesting how prices differ..

Have looked for lhd cars back in the UK..and guess what? Prices are no better than spain! Plus it maybe that import tax will be an add on if it's not spanish registered..
So I am still looking!

It is a simple supply and demand principle in the UK we buy looks of new cars hence the second hand market is buoyant so prices are lower. UK buyers buy a new car and after 3 years it is worth less than 50 % of what you paid for it. Buy a £20,000 car and it costs you £10 everyday in depreciation over three years. Buy a German car and depreciation may be reduced but you've paid more.

My new car cost less than a virtually new used model, identical in all respects except daft kms

nigieboy wrote:Thank you all for the feedback I have used the websites Sigi mentioned and that bay be the way to go
I have found a car advertised in valence a at a dealer...but still don't understand why using finance gets a 2k better deal than cash.!!
Any further information is greatly appreciated.

Because they get paid for finance and cash is no longer as big an advantage.

Some people will not buy privately and feel they have more comeback should they have a problem with a dealer, I tried to sell a car on this forum with proof of mileage and members were trying to get me to reduce the price without seeing the car , 3rd dealer I went to gave me the price I was advertising for knowing that he is still going to make a profit, that's what keeps second hand prices high.