What is a pre-registered car?

A pre-reg car has only one owner registered with the DVLA - the dealership/retailer or a leasing company. It’s essentially new, and may not have any miles on the clock, but it’s technically had one owner so it’s classed as a nearly-new or pre-registered.

Dealerships pre-register cars to achieve the sales targets set by car manufacturers. Like any business, car dealerships have performance goals. To hit these targets, they may register a certain number of vehicles under their own name. Meeting these targets may help get the dealerships bonuses, and allow manufacturers to offer further discounts to car buyers interested in buying a pre-reg car.

A pre-registered car is not a used car. While it's easy to think so, the key difference lies in the usage and condition of the car. Unlike used cars, pre-registered vehicles have never been driven by a customer and usually have very low mileage.
There’s no strict definition of how old a pre-reg can be, or how many miles it can have covered, but they’re typically no more than six months old and could have only been driven for delivery purposes. Pre-registered cars are often referred to as ‘nearly new cars’ because they look, feel, and even smell like brand-new cars.

1. You can pay a lower price than a new car

Since pre-reg cars are effectively brand-new cars that have been registered, they’re considered ‘used’ making them cheaper. It’s impossible to say how much cheaper it will be, but you can expect a discount of between 10-15%, and perhaps even as much as 30%.

2. Drive a new car for the price of a used

With minimal mileage and no previous ownership, you get a car that’s in excellent condition without paying the full retail price.

3. You can get an in-stock car available now

Pre-registered cars are usually at the dealership, ready to be driven away. This means you won’t have to wait too long to take delivery which you would almost certainly have to do if you specified and bought a brand-new car.

1. Limited choice

Your choice is limited to whatever is in stock, so you can’t specify exactly what you want in terms of colour, equipment, options and so on. Since pre-registered cars provide good value for money, they tend to not be around for long. In other words, you need to keep a close eye on the classifieds, and act quickly when you see a bargain.

2. You won’t be the first owner of the car

If you buy a pre-reg car, your name won’t be the first in the logbook. Also, you may not be able to take advantage of ‘new-for-old’ insurance policies, which are usually only available to the first owner of a car. And, when you want to sell your car, it may have a lower value than an equivalent car with just one owner.

3. There’s may not be full manufacturer warranty

Something else to consider is that the manufacturer’s warranty starts to run from the moment the car is first registered. So, it’s quite possible that several months of cover could already have gone before you get into the car. That may not be an issue – after all, you can top up the cover with an independent warranty – but you should make sure the price you pay for a pre-reg reflects how much cover is left on the car.

When’s the best time to look for a pre-reg car?

Given that most pre-reg cars are registered to meet monthly targets, look around at the beginning of the month to find cars that were pre-registered at the end of the previous month.
It’s also worth looking around when you know a new version of a particular model is about to be launched. That’s the point when retailers are most likely to pre-register examples of the outgoing model, so they’re not cluttering up their forecourt and getting in the way of the shiny new ones. To find out when a new car is coming, keep an eye on the news stories here on latest car reviews and news.

Pre-reg cars can offer excellent value if you find the car you’re after. The savings and the fact that the car is practically new make pre-reg cars an attractive option for many buyers. Whether you’re looking to buy or lease a car, start your search for a pre-reg car today on Auto Trader.