The ‘nearly new’ tag, coined by the motor trade to encourage new car buyers to choose something that isn’t a new car, is one of the most abused terms in the industry, because these cars aren’t ‘nearly new’, they’re used.

CarQuake (www.carquake.co.uk), a new automotive website, launched in late 2006, has deliberately taken the view that if people are paying good money, then they want a really new car from a UK Franchised Dealer.

“If you search online for new cars, all you see is confusion, and most of it is deliberate” suggests John Braithwaite, Director and Co-Founder of CarQuake. “Genuine new car buyers are contacting brokers and non-franchised dealers expecting to discuss ordering a new car and are being told that the car isn’t quite as new as they thought it would be. It’s become common practice: traders hoping to convert buyers into a different kind of car and they can pocket the profits.”

“We’ve had a number of buyers find CarQuake and get new cars ordered at prices less than they were going to order nearly new” he continued, “and that, in the end, is only good news for the new car buyer and franchised dealers.”

To back up this assertion, John Braithwaite selected three cars with prices on CarQuake (as of December 2006) which are not beaten elsewhere…

Ford Fiesta 2.0 ST

CarQuake Price: £10,895 (save £2,700)

Average ‘New’ Discounted Price: £12,000; Average ‘Nearly New’ Price: £11,250

Skoda Octavia 2.0T FSI vRS

CarQuake Price: £15,495 (save £2,050)

Average ‘New’ Discounted Price: £17,000; Average ‘Nearly New’ Price: £15,600

Renault Clio 1.2 Campus

CarQuake Price: £5,495 (save £2,480)

Average ‘New’ Discounted Price: £6,500; Average ‘Nearly New’ Price: £5,995

The competitiveness of franchised dealers through CarQuake brings sharply into focus the fact that buyers don’t have to accept “nearly new” if what they actually want are “really new” cars.

Stop Press… ALL prices on CarQuake are for NEW CARS, from UK DEALERS, TO ORDER and at STAGGERING DISCOUNTS. With no nonsense!

For Press Enquiries:

T: 0845 638 3160

E: info(at)carquake.co.uk

M: The Press Dept, CarQuake, Orchard House, Broad Leaze, Hook, Hampshire, RG27 9PF