UK car prices

[Google [bot]]

It's been a few years since I was in the UK, but I remember when I left there was a lot of moaning about the cost of cars, new and used. I've just been reminded of this as I watch an old TG talking abot 150%.

Can anyone explain how all I read these days is that the UK is the cheapest place in Europe to buy cars now? And from here it seems absurdly, dreamlandly stuff.

Or am I mis-reading?

[Tsippy]

The pound is very weak and so due to the exchange rate it's cheapish to buy cars in the UK if your currency is in Euro.

[Google [bot]]

I appreciate the question is broad and vague.

[elster]

Tsippy said:

The pound is very weak and so due to the exchange rate it's cheapish to buy cars in the UK if your currency is in Euro.

I think you have it the wrong way round.

If the pound was strong IE back when it was 1.6 to the pound, then it is cheaper to buy things from the EU. If it is as it is now 1.1 to £1, then things are more expensive than before.

This is not the reason.

[Ozzie Osmond]

There was a huge price realignment at the end of the 1990s with UK prices coming DOWN to levels more typical on the continent. You can buy a new car now for roughly the same price as 12 years ago, despite inflation over that period.

Second-hand cars are typically CHEAPER in UK than on the continent. This seems to be because the British get much more excited about having a "brand new" car than other nationalities...

[1A]

The company car sector in the UK always traditionally held retail car prices up because the fleet buyers got huge discounts and bought many cars, private buyers less so. As company cars became less popular due to tax and more people took a car allowance and bought their own, things realigned.