A guide to buying new and used Vauxhalls
Vauxhall is second only to Ford in terms of UK car sales and it's a close second at that, both in the new and used markets. In 2006, Vauxhall's flagship model the Astra shifted over 100,000 units according to figures published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders; beating the Fiesta for the number two slot and not far off the UK's perennial best-seller, the Ford Focus. Another Vauxhall favourite, the Corsa, came in fourth, and the firm had a third top ten entry in the shape of the Zafira. Used car sales tables for 2006 show a similar picture, with secondhand Corsa, Vectra and Astra models all appearing in the top ten - just behind the Fords. It's important to consider this high volume of sales when shopping for a Vauxhall of your own, because it can have a real impact on the price you pay. There's a number of other factors to be aware of too, including the brand's reputation for reliability, average residual values and the cost of aftersales service. With this in mind, the team at Hoot Car Insurance Services have created the following Vauxhall buyer's guide. It should make you a much smarter shopper, whether you're going direct to the dealership or to a secondhand model on somebody's driveway. Buying a new Vauxhall
Vauxhall's current model range is one of its strongest ever, boasting award-winning new Corsa and Astra models and the ever-popular Zafira, among others - so it's no surprise if you're considering buying one straight from the showroom. Go about this the wrong way, however, and you'll end up paying over the odds for your new car. The most important consideration when walking into one of the Vauxhall's 500 UK dealerships should be that you get the best value for money - and that means haggling. No matter how reasonable the list price may appear, or how fantastic-looking the special offers on display are, always push for a better deal that's unique to you. You can get away with it in a Vauxhall garage because demand for these cars is so high at the moment. Divide 100,000 Astra sales by 500 dealerships, for instance, and that's practically one per dealer for every working day of the year. So because every sale makes a profit and every day brings a new buyer, you'll find that Vauxhall salesmen are prepared to offer better-than-advertised deals on practically everything in the showroom. Indeed, they can be haggled down almost to cost price for one of the more popular models. Buying used
There are three routes available to you when shopping for a secondhand Vauxhall (or any car, for that matter), and each boasts strengths and weaknesses. Which one you choose should depend on your priorities as a car buyer, and the amount of effort you're prepared to put in for the sake of a good deal. The first option feels a lot more like buying a new Vauxhall than the others, which is probably because it's organised by the dealers themselves. Vauxhall became the first British car retailer to offer such a service in 1990, which it calls ‘Network Q'.
There are numerous advantages to buying a 'nearly new' car like this, including a rigorous quality check on each vehicle prior to sale and a 12 month guarantee. As a result, Network Q is highly thought-of in the motoring press, winning the Auto Express ‘Best Used Car Scheme of the Year' award in 2005. However, there is also one major drawback - the cost. Servicing and guarantees don't come cheap, and so one of the other things that's ‘nearly new' about Network Q cars is the asking price. The second option - buying from an independent dealer - offers a kind of halfway house for the used car buyer. Expect the cars on sale to be of middling age and in reasonably good shape (the old stereotype of a used car salesman pulling the wool over customers' eyes no longer applies, as today's dealerships live by their reputations), and pricing to be cheap if not quite a bargain. There's also much better haggling potential at a independent dealership than a Network Q one. However, if price is your priority, private sale is the way to go for a used Vauxhall. It's not all give-aways, but the bargains are out there if you do your research and keep looking. Make sure you give each car a thorough inspection and take a test drive before entering into negotiations with the seller. Lastly, watch out for rust on older Vauxhalls, as this was a common problem across the range until the early 1990s. Cheap deals on Vauxhall car insurance
If value for money is your priority where cars are concerned, try getting an insurance quote from Hoot Car Insurance Services. New customers typically save up to 30 percent when they switch to us from another provider. Hoot can offer such great rates because we specialise in car insurance that's tailored for Vauxhall owners. We buy Vauxhall policies in bulk direct from our underwriters, potentially saving you hundreds of pounds over our competitors. So for a Vauxhall car insurance quote that's guaranteed to bring a smile to your face, simply click below. 
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