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Having a chat with your grandparents could save you thousands on a new car

A spot of good, old fashioned haggling can save you thousands on a new car – and you might want to ask your grandparents for a few tips.

Older people are not afraid to try to beat down the salesperson to get a better deal, and are more often than not able to see a few extras thrown in to sweeten the pot.

It might not come naturally to Brits, but the power of negotiating could save car buyers an average of £1,046 off the advertised price of a new car – with men claiming an average saving of £1,184 and women £891.

According to insurance company, InsuretheGap.com, two thirds (67%) of drivers had either negotiated on the price or for free extras to be thrown in when buying their most recent car.

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Free extras that drivers negotiated included mats (53%), servicing options (45%), extended warranty (38%), mud guards (10%) and paint and fabric protection (18%).

Those aged between 65 and 74 were the most likely to negotiate with three quarters saying that they did (75%). Younger drivers were the least likely with only 47% of under 25s negotiating, and 53% of 25-34 year olds.

“Car salesrooms can be intimidating places but this survey shows it always pays to ask for a discount or freebie as some great savings can be made.”

Regionally, drivers in the East Midlands (60%) were the least likely to negotiate, followed by London (63%). Those most likely to negotiate lived in the South West (72%), Yorkshire and Humber (71%) and the West Midlands (70%).

Surprisingly, one in ten drivers (10%) did not negotiate on the price at all when buying a new car, with the 25-34yrs age group found to be the least likely (16%) to negotiate.

However, even for those who were prepared to negotiate, 7% said they ended up paying full price.

“Car salesrooms can be intimidating places but this survey shows it always pays to ask for a discount or freebie as some great savings can be made,” said Ben Wooltorton, director at InsuretheGap.com.

Meanwhile, car buying website carwow.co.uk says punters can make further savings by purchasing new cars as opposed to pre-registered vehicles.

Pre- or self-registered cars, are cars that dealers register to themselves at the end of a month or quarter to help them hit targets. By law, dealers must keep them for 90 days before selling onto their first ‘real’ owner.

While pre-reg cars are often cheaper than brand new, research by carwow showed that ordering new, direct from the manufacturer, can save up to £1,500 over the course three years – through such things as deposit contributions, lower APR on loans and more substantial servicing plans.