Subscribe to The Spectator

Thursday 9 February 2012

Latest issue

Buy the current issue

Jobs at Telegraph

Motoring

People like us

24 March 2007

‘Good neighbours I have had, and I have met with bad; and in trust I have found treason.’

‘Good neighbours I have had, and I have met with bad; and in trust I have found treason.’ Thus spake Elizabeth I, that font of pithy regal eloquence who learnt such worldly wisdom without buying or selling a single car. (If she had, her merry quip — ‘I will make you shorter by the head’ — might have been deployed more frequently.)

It’s usually easier to buy cars than sell them, of course, but it’s still an anxious process. Most of us like to think we’re getting at least what — if not more than — we’re paying for, and fear we’re getting less. Yet we live in a buyer’s market and have never had more for our money, new or secondhand, than now. Previously, nearly everyone bought from the local classifieds and dealers, but now car supersites such as Cargiant (www.cargiant.com) offer huge choice and good value. They have also helped drive down prices in the more traditional markets, which is partly why the locals still survive.

More articles from: Alan Judd | this section

Post this entry to:   del.icio.us | Digg | Newsvine | NowPublic | Reddit

Comments Post comment

Be the first to comment on this article!

Back to top

Cartoons

In this section

High life

Taki

Gstaad OK, sports fans! The Davos irrelevance is over, Gstaad…

Low life

Jeremy Clarke

Exeter airport. Check in. I’m booked on a domestic flight…

Real life

Melissa Kite

The Volvo only went in to have a parking light…

Wild life

Aidan Hartley

Wau, South Sudan ‘Let’s visit the brewery,’ said Ken when…

High life

Taki

Edmund Wilson was America’s premier man of letters (The Wound…

sponsored links

Spectator recommends

Spectator classifieds

THE PRESENT FINDER

1,700 Unusual Christmas Presents Request Catalogue 01935 815 195 Quote SPEC10 for 10% discount www.presentfinder.co.uk

OLIVE BRANCH FLORISTS

Pimilco based Florist with online ordering Web: www.olivebranch.net Tel: 020 7630 1868 Fax: 020 7233 8844

RUFFS Bespoke Signet rings

62 Shore Road, Warsash, Southampton, SO31 9FT Telephone: 01489 578867 Web site: www.ruffs.co.uk