NFDA GUIDE TO BUYING YOUR NEW CAR AS 22 PLATE COMES INTO FORCE
NFDA 01/03/2022
NUMBER PLATE CHANGE New cars registered from today (1 March) onwards will display the new ‘22’ plate. The number plate system works as follows: the first two letters correspond to where the car is registered in the country, LA to LY for London, and MA to MY for Manchester, for example. The next two numbers signify in which six-monthly period the car was registered: 70 for September 2020, and 21 for March 2021, 71 for September 2021, 22 for March 2022, and so on. Next September’s digits will be 72. The last three letters are random. Sue Robinson, Chief Executive of the National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA), says: “Visiting your franchised dealer to buy your next car, will offer you the opportunity to ask questions and receive guidance to ensure that you find the vehicle which best suits your driving and lifestyle needs” LOOKING FOR A CAR When searching for a car, there are several things to look out for. First of which, is to establish your budget. When comparing deals, use the on-the-road price which manufacturers advertise. This is made up of the basic ex-works price, value added tax, number plate, delivery charges, vehicle excise duty, and first registration fee. Consumers should consider the following check-list before and after purchase to make sure you have not overlooked the obvious:
If you are considering buying an electric vehicle:
If you will opt for an Internal Combustion Engine vehicle:
Sue Robinson added: “Electric Vehicle registrations are growing exponentially, as the Government seeks to meet their net-zero targets and consumers are becoming more environmentally conscious. If you are looking to purchase an EV, remember to visit an Electric Vehicle Approved (EVA) retailer. “EVA is endorsed by the Government’s Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) and the Energy Saving Trust (EST). It is the only scheme that provides an EV specific accreditation to retailers who meet a set of standards. “An EV Approved retailer will be able to answer any questions you have relating to purchasing an electric vehicle, alternatively, you can visit EVA’s Charge Confidence pack which includes industry partners in the EV space who similarly can help with your EV needs”. Buying a new car is exciting and by asking yourself the right questions you will make your experience even more enjoyable. Thanks to informative dealer and manufacturer dedicated magazines, as well as videos and reviews, you have access to a lot of useful information before you make the first visit to a dealership to look at and test drive a car. Alternatively, just visit your franchised dealer and ask all the questions you may have. Remember, it is not just about the car, it is about a car you can live with:
TEST DRIVE Test drives are the best opportunity to test out a vehicle, when you test drive, check:
If the car you have now tested and the advice you have had from the dealer fulfils your requirements you will now feel more confident about buying the vehicle. BUYING THE CAR Before buying you should decide how to pay:
AFTER BUYING Sue Robinson, NFDA Chief Executive, concluded: “The car buying experience goes beyond the vehicle purchase at a dealership. Your new car will eventually need to be serviced and it is imperative that you return to a reputable dealer to carry out this work. The franchised dealer will be able to advise you on the type of service you need, and mitigate any potential problems your car may have before they arise, or become serious.” ENDS |
About the RMI
The Retail Motor Industry represents the interests of operators in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man providing sales and services to motorists and businesses. The RMI has a formal association with the independent Scottish Motor Trade Association which represents the retail motor industry in Scotland.