New registration period brings new deals, so now may be the time to consider buying

Sales have been low leading up to this month and dealers are looking to hit their targets. Photo: Getty

Eddie Cunningham

Judging by the volume of advertising and press releases recently, there are some keen deals out there for new cars this month as the 242-registration period begins.

I notice a lot of dealers are knocking a few thousand euro off the previous price, while some dealers are offering low or even zero-pc finance.

With car sales in the doldrums coming up to this month, and dealers under pressure to meet targets, it might pay well to take a closer look at buying now rather than waiting until January.

I’m not saying you should buy – there will probably be deals in January too – but there is no harm in scrutinising a few offers at this stage.

It is hard to advise on what is best to do if you are thinking of buying electric. So many people are holding off – witness the heavy fall in buying in the latest figures from SIMI – that prices could reflect scarcity next year if distributors cut back on stock levels.